Some 6d questions

[count_schemula]

Considering the other things I also have to (want to?) buy for an upcoming video shoot, the 5D Mark III is a bit of a stretch. So, I'm thinking about the Canon 6d as the main camera on an upcoming shoot.

 

I have a separate audio set-up and don't do flash or studio flash photography, so those "issues" don't really concern me. The Mark III feels like I'm paying for a lot of AF and high-speed sports type features that I don't really need either.

 

Really, there are only 2 things that have me concerned: moire and resale.

 

The moire is really pretty bad with the 6d. But, wait, I watch the "test videos" and the moire is bad on things that really produce bad moire and I'm mostly shooting short clip interview type stuff (I can coach the clothing choices) and then having fun with some of the b-roll and scenic footage, so I would have a lot of control over what I was shooting and I doubt I'm going to just shoot roofs, brick walls and power cables. Not saying this stuff won't be an issue, but, I think I can avoid a lot of it, fix some of it in post or just trash the totally failed footage.

 

My other fear is resale. I can't lie, part of me was thinking, just buy two GH3 cameras (60p option, high bit-rate record, and generally pretty impressive video) but, the shoot is probably too soon for me to get the GH3 and get to know it and some lenses and I'm pretty familiar with Canon and I have some nice lenses like the 70-200 f2.8. I do have a fear that the 6d has a little bit of the DOA stigma attached to it, the video market may never warm to it and perhaps its resale market may not be quite as robust as a 5D Mark III or even the two GH3 cameras if indeed that camera gets a good rep with indi filmakers. Not a huge deal, but if I stretched for the Mark III, I feel like I could sell it pretty easily if I had to or wanted to go with the GH3 or even BMCC in the future. 

 

For me the 6d would be a pretty solid step-up on the still side and I do take and enjoy taking stills, and a lot of the video I've seen is actually pretty decent as long as the YouTube clip is not titled something like "Check out this crap 6d moire footage!"

 

Oh and lastly, I assume that at some point, MagicLantern love with come the 6d's way? Does the 6d do the 160/320/640 ISOs out of the box? Also, the ability to use Clean HDMI out to an Atomos, dual card recording and of course this exciting RAW development means that I could get the 5D Mark III and not feel too put out.

 

I'm still not against getting two GH3 cameras and a few lenses. Again a money stretch, but, they have some pretty nifty video features. If I have to pull a few late nights figuring out how to use them, so be it.

 

Has anyone faced or made this choice?

 

Thanks.

[Kasper Mols]

Why won't you try to rent or lend a 5d for this project and then purchase the gh3s with the money you made?

[count_schemula]

Why won't you try to rent or lend a 5d for this project and then purchase the gh3s with the money you made?

 

Because I'm stupid like that? LOL. No, that is, of course, pretty solid advice. I have four shoots (ie rents) in a row and I don't even have a 5d now, so, I would need a rental day to get to know it and figure out how to set it up and stuff like that.

 

Also, I need to cruise around on some off days and grab some scenic and b-roll. So, rental is just going to add a layer I'd rather not mess with. Even buying and turning around and quick selling at a loss would probably be cheaper and certainly less hassle.

 

Is your subtext though, go with the two GH3s over the 5d and the T2i I already own IF you only had the T2i and a few decent lenses at the moment? I do have a couple / few weeks to learn the GH3 and I'd have two so I could give one to my other camera op to learn as well. I'd also have to buy a few, mostly M43 prime lenses though, which is possibly ok, but a little zoom does make framing and set-up a lot more flexible.

 

There is another item on my wish list I could strike and make the question more of a 5d and theT2i I already own vs. two GH3 question ... Hmm. For some reason I feel opposed to going with one GH3 and my T2i. I'd just add another Canon or get two GH3s.

 

Thanks for answering.

[count_schemula]

Ok, so I got stir crazy (how all great decisions get made, lol) and went and got a 6d with the 24-105 f4 L IS.

I came home and set the camera up and took some footage. My bookshelf edges were alive! Countertop edges were a beehive of activity. I went to bed rather depressed. The moire is no joke. The freaking camera can't resolve horizontal edges without wigging out.

Wake up, brand new day. Did some more testing. My goal this time was to try and simulate some shots that I actually need to take with this camera. Things went much better. I was able to get a lot of good looking video, especially that nice depth of field interview look. When I get the face nice and focused up and blur the background out the footage looks really nice and obviously moire is not an issue for the background. Hair was useable. Not ace, but, if I need to fix a shot here and there in post I will suffer through that.

I also shot some T2i footage today and it matched the 6d footage surprisingly well. You have to really look at the footage to see how it's not quite as sharp, not quite as elegant with the DoF. It should do fine as the b-cam. It also does not seem to suffer the moire issue as bad, so, I'll also use it to shoot some scenic and b-roll to help cover moire issues that are certainly going to show up and bite me at some point. I have total freedom on a lot of that, so, if I have to trash some footage, it should not be a problem.

I woke up ready to return the camera and suck it up for the 5d, but will keep the 6d for at least this series of video shoots. I feel confident I can make the shots I absolutely have (interview / head shots) to have work. I still have the T2i rolling along with it. I will have to be pretty stern about coaching the client wardrobe and may even mandate that they bring a second backup shirt/blouse. The price difference (probably more actually) between the 6d and the 5d is going into lights, 2nd tripod and head and a few other things. I now own everything I need and can skip the rental house completely.

If I went with the GH3 I would have bought two of them and I don't have any lenses and I have no experience with them. If I had a little more time, I might have gone this route.

Sticking with Canon seemed like a good idea for this job. I had most of the 6d figured out in an hour and am comfortable getting around on it. I already have the interview darling 70-200 f2.8 L which I'll mostly use on the 6d and stick the 24-105 f4 L IS on the T2i.

I thought this quote was non-sense at the time in its original context, but, I'll go with it myself now - "You go to war with the army you have---not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time."

Anyhow, I know these kinds of original questions are pretty lame but my head was swimming with reviews, fanboi comments and freaking not stop YouTube clips of brick walls.

[count_schemula]

The jar is about the size of a head. When the girlfriend came home I tested a bunch of shots with her but she would not let me put any pics of her on the Internet, so... you get a jar acting as a proxy for a head. This is untouched footage from the camera on a tripod using available light.

 

A still from the T2i footage (100mm Macro @ f2.8):

 

 

A still from the 6d footage (70-200 at f2.8):

 

[Huuow]

I suggest you just buy yourself a diary...

[Zach]

Make sure to turn down in camera sharpening on the picture profile you use if you haven't already. That will help a lot with moire