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Hi all - I'm finding myself back into photography and particularly the notion of taking video of my cats and grandkids, but in the same way as I like taking photographs (as opposed to just pictures of people, animals and things), I'd like to learn video skills with lenses (rather than iPhone type video which are the video equivalent of "snaps").
My current rig is a Canon 20D which admittedly is very old, but it takes pictures that I like and I've seen no reason to change. I use the simple Canon "nifty fifty" a lot of the time but my love is with vintage M42 lenses: Meyer-Optik, Carl Zeiss, Chinon, Asahi Takumar, etc.
I also have a Zenit Helios 44M (with an f/2.0 58mm Russian lens) which seems to be a bit of a darling for budding video photographers ... the focus is firm (enough) but smooth and I have declicked the aperture ring; a simple case of taking off the back ring and using a magnet to pull the ball-bearing and springs, which was a doddle. This is the lens that I want to use for video.
My choices (I think), for which I'd really appreciate your thoughts, but the goal is to dip my toe into video with the lens(es) that I want to play with at a low/impulse cost ... are:
1. Sony NEX ... say, NEX-5, cheap and cheerful with adapters for my existing EF/EF-S lenses and my M42 lenses, for which £100 should net me something pretty good condition. Body only. Bit of a step into the unknown as I'm very familiar with Canon and not so much Sony. The NEX-5N/R/T (with wireless) feels about right for feature set and cost.
2. Canon M10, maybe M100 if funds allow. Familiar format, proper wireless and smartphone remote, which really appeals to me. For £100-£150, again body only, I should be able to find something. Adapters exist, again, for my existing EF/EF-S and M42 lenses. The M10 feels about right for feature set and cost. It's nagging me that I should be looking at the NEX.
... or, stick with the semi-pro range and spending a bit more combine the both.
3. I'm considering the Canon 60D which was their first of that line to support video, has a fully articulated screen and it's weather sealed, but not proper wireless (it's Eye-Fi). £250 ought to do it. I'd have to almost double that to get into the 70D which does have "proper" wireless but it's not a massive concern, just that the mirrorless systems I've been looking at do have it ... and cost the kind of money I could spend and forget about. The 60D and certainly the 70D are "an investment".
Yes, I considered the home series as well, the 500D, 550D and 600D but that just got me onto my above thought of combining the two - photographs and video - into the one camera.
... what are your thoughts on mirrorless vs DSLR? I know (on paper) they're better for the video side of things and would probably take (technically) better photographs than my 20D, but DSLR still has its place and mirrorless has not replaced it.
Obliged for your thoughts, ideas and guidance.
My current rig is a Canon 20D which admittedly is very old, but it takes pictures that I like and I've seen no reason to change. I use the simple Canon "nifty fifty" a lot of the time but my love is with vintage M42 lenses: Meyer-Optik, Carl Zeiss, Chinon, Asahi Takumar, etc.
I also have a Zenit Helios 44M (with an f/2.0 58mm Russian lens) which seems to be a bit of a darling for budding video photographers ... the focus is firm (enough) but smooth and I have declicked the aperture ring; a simple case of taking off the back ring and using a magnet to pull the ball-bearing and springs, which was a doddle. This is the lens that I want to use for video.
My choices (I think), for which I'd really appreciate your thoughts, but the goal is to dip my toe into video with the lens(es) that I want to play with at a low/impulse cost ... are:
1. Sony NEX ... say, NEX-5, cheap and cheerful with adapters for my existing EF/EF-S lenses and my M42 lenses, for which £100 should net me something pretty good condition. Body only. Bit of a step into the unknown as I'm very familiar with Canon and not so much Sony. The NEX-5N/R/T (with wireless) feels about right for feature set and cost.
2. Canon M10, maybe M100 if funds allow. Familiar format, proper wireless and smartphone remote, which really appeals to me. For £100-£150, again body only, I should be able to find something. Adapters exist, again, for my existing EF/EF-S and M42 lenses. The M10 feels about right for feature set and cost. It's nagging me that I should be looking at the NEX.
... or, stick with the semi-pro range and spending a bit more combine the both.
3. I'm considering the Canon 60D which was their first of that line to support video, has a fully articulated screen and it's weather sealed, but not proper wireless (it's Eye-Fi). £250 ought to do it. I'd have to almost double that to get into the 70D which does have "proper" wireless but it's not a massive concern, just that the mirrorless systems I've been looking at do have it ... and cost the kind of money I could spend and forget about. The 60D and certainly the 70D are "an investment".
Yes, I considered the home series as well, the 500D, 550D and 600D but that just got me onto my above thought of combining the two - photographs and video - into the one camera.
... what are your thoughts on mirrorless vs DSLR? I know (on paper) they're better for the video side of things and would probably take (technically) better photographs than my 20D, but DSLR still has its place and mirrorless has not replaced it.
Obliged for your thoughts, ideas and guidance.
