From video to photography
 

I'm a still photographer who got a lot out of this forum when trying to decide which video cameras to purchase. Perhaps I can return the favor. I'm helping out with a forum geared toward pro and enthusiast photographers called Photocamel http://www.photocamel.com. It's got great support so far from the pro photo community. Perhaps you'll find it useful.

GH

Took photography at Ohio State a long long time ago. Taught me how to look at the frame and compose better I think. I am always conscious of the rule of 3rds as well as upper-left to lower-right flow in images.

Did my own B&W in the bathroom for years. Loved Ilford pearl finish papers in single weight. Did some IR work for a short spell too.

I think it made me a better video person.

Sean McHenry

I agree. I'm framing video with the lessons I learned as a photographer.

There's a line in the movie "All That Jazz" where the main character draws the says that dance is series of "pretty pictures." So it is with video staging, a series of pleasing or dramatic visuals flowing one into the next. Composition within the frame and action flowing smoothly from one "vital moment" composition to the next is what it's all about. Henri Cartier-Bresson's concept of the vital moment applies equally to still and motion photography IMHO.

Steve, nicely put. We are, too, after all, dealing with technologies that are similar in many respects (video and still).

Is it possible to with the Canon system to interchange all lenses between photography and video?

It is possible to mount EF lenses on the XL video cameras, with an EF to EOS adapter (around $500). However, it isn't possible to put XL lenses on still cameras, which you wouldn't want to anyway.

Do the lenses retain metering and AF capabilities?

I tried a lens recently on an XL2, and I'm here to report that they do not retain metering. Not good.