TV Cameraman Matt Jasper unboxes and rigs up 7D for news use
 

Check this out, made this video of my friend Matt and his new setup for ENG with the 7D

TV Cameraman Matt Jasper unboxes and rigs up his new 7D DSLR News Shooter

Dan

It's a nice setup, but I imagine it would be difficult to use in an ENG setting due to limited, non-motorized zoom range (compared to his video setup) plus the intensive focusing requirements. Also I would think the wireless receiver is a little vulnerable unprotected at the back. Maybe not the rig to take into battle, but for shooting a package.

How does one focus and adjust exposure holding on to the handle on the bottom on a rig like this?

The lens requirements will be a big factor, a 2/3" news camera commonly has a 14 x zoom that includes x 2 extender and the whole range commonly gets used on news stories.

It seems like a lot of sacrifices being made, to get a "look" that is not really necessary for news. I agree with Charles, could be an interesting setup for packages, but more traditional news reporting probably will not benefit from this type of image.

Don't forget that stills photographers have been covering news for years with these same 35mm lenses and having to change them around. It's all about anticipation and quick lens changes. I actually shoot with 2 5DmkII bodies with a Z-finder on each (only one on a rig though)

I have to say that whilst I occasionally miss my servo zoom I couldn't go back to regular DOF look for spot news video. Also these DSLR cameras can be broken down into much smaller packages allowing shooting in situations where an ENG cam is inappropriate and a handycam can't cut it. Check out this video from Danfung Dennis to see where I think news video is going Afghan Hearts and Minds on Vimeo, or this one from me One Week in Urumqi - Uighur ethnic unrest in western China on Vimeo

In a world where all news organsations are suffering a loss of audience we need to think differently to attract viewers.

Dan

Unfortunately no news editor is going to be impressed if you miss a shot because you're changing lenses. The difference with stills is that you have to record time as against moments in time, which in fast moving situations you don't have this, nor do you have the time to crop and recompose images in post. A large part of news is feeding the demand for 24 hour coverage with a quick turn around.

Canon bought out these cameras for news stills photographers to also provide video for the web, but there also limitations compared to using specialized camera to shoot video. The small 1/3" cameras do have a less intrusive quality, which can allow filming in an intimate style. The 2/3" cameras have a big advantage with long lens work compared to stills cameras.

I think Dan is correct in that TV news is headed that direction. No need to change lenses if you have one of the wide zooms. And for low light, Dan's proved that the camera can be used at high ISOs. But the biggest factor in local TV news is that they're scaling way back on personnel and stations are already looking at hiring one person to do the job of three--ie., instead of a reporter and a cameraman going out on a story and then bringing it back where an editor edits it, it won't be long before one "reporter/cameraman/editor" goes out with a small camera, shoots the story, edits it on a laptop and uploads it from the car. It's all about doing more with less to enhance corporate profits.

The 5DMKII was developed for news services so a still photographer could shoot for Internet video, and probably nothing suffers there. In fact their web video is probably enhanced. But I don't think this is a good trend for TV news, and serious journalism will suffer. On the other hand, it's been a long time since local TV news did real journalism anyway. Around here they all do weather, sports and tabloid stories--ie., if it bleeds, it leads.

If stations don't go for the hybrids, they'll go for small handycams. One newspaper in this area has a reporter who goes out with a Sony A1U and shoots stories for their web site.

Video journalists have been shooting with PD150s & Z1 for a number of years. Unless there's need for stills why bother with the DSLRS for TV news?

BTW The UK's Channel 4 News is a high end news programme which tends towards more towards the detail and the background in the news rather than just straight coverage. They often do packages covering a wide range of subjects including culture and the arts. Within that brief they often do things which aren't standard on normal TV news programmes.

I agree that this kind of rig for news would be silly, but for non time or situational critical shoots such as TVC's and documentaries, this would be awesome. As a TV camerman with an extensive ENG background, I have been shying away from the DSLR's, because I still shoot hand-held a lot, but a rig like this would solve a lot of issues I had with the format.

Well for once I just have to disagree with you guys. Brian is right no editor will thank you for missing a shot while changing lenses, thats why careers are built on being the one to get it. Photographers have always had MORE reason to have the right lens on than video shooters, you HAVE to get the moment or you will probably not get another job.

IMHO good news video is often about the in depth coverage anyway, and yes that's what Channel 4 do, along with the BBC and others. These broadcasters rely heavily on agencies for global coverage of breaking news anyway so their own shooters are working on bigger packages a lot of the time.

Also in case anyone hadn't noticed the news industry is in turmoil. There will be no difference between web video and TV in the very near future, when your news is consumed on your monitor or your LCD TV in Vimeo HD or better quality - then how you shoot counts. You will be able to choose whose version of a news event you want to watch, now given the same standard of journalism wouldn't you rather watch a more cinematic version?

People also forget you can STOP DOWN, not everything in 35mm has to be thin DOF look. Hell with the 7D you can shoot f22 in broad daylight if you want, with a 18-250mm zoom lens giving you about the same zoom range as my Sony EX-1. In low light the 7D will win hands down. Of course there is are good times to use a regular ENG cam, but I personally haven't touched my Sony DSR-500 or EX-3, or EX-1 for months now. News video here is simply easier to do on the 5DmkII.

Would I prefer a more regular video camera with a 35mm chip, sure, can't wait for that. But until then 7D works for me.

The past month I have had some top camera guys at NBC, BBC and CNN here all really interested in my use of 5DmkII and now 7D. Why? because with a D-SLR they know they can get shots they just can't get any other way.

Anyway, thats the whole point of DSLR News Shooter, come back and see how Matt and others get on. Maybe you wil be convinced in time.

Dan

One thing that would be nice for news would be a format that you can edit directly without transcoding. In a news edit bay, time isn't just money. It's also the opportunity to scoop the competition.

You're right of course, but you'd be surprised how much of the news biz is still on tape. The 7D workflow with 25p or 60p is going to make life a hell of a lot easier. Even with a transcode the 7D workflow is faster than P2 or XDCAM disk, no mean feat.

Dan

I'm surprised that you find a 18 to 250mm stills zoom has an advantage in low light. They're extremely slow and surely must off set any gain advantages compared a EX1 or Ex3 with their faster zoom lens.

I can see news organisations being interested in the low light advantages with lenses in the f1.4 to f2.8 range. You could just throw a DSLR camera kit in with the other camera gear. The advantage being that you can keep shooting full colour for longer before you need to use the image intensifier.

The BBC and other news broadcasters have their web sites as well.

Brain,

I could have phrased that a bit better. What I mean't is that for run and gun a 7D with 18-250mm is no worse than an EX-1 in terms of zoom range.

The next statement was mean't to be take seperately - it is better in low light, but as you say by using faster lenses.

Dan