Canon 70D no improvement in video quality over 60D

[Aussie Ash]

Review by Michael Hession at Gizmodo

gizmodo.com/canon-70d-review-dslr-video-nirvana-comes-more-into-fo-1444911115

"Unfortunately, for Canon and its many excited customers, the 70D stops there when it comes to offering video shooters anything new. The video quality is not improved one bit over previous models. It still exhibits significant moire distortion in certain subjects, and just looks a bit muddy in finely detailed shots. True, it's no worse than every other DSLR out there except the very top end—the 5D Mark III and Nikon D800. But still, we should expect some kind of quality improvement over 5 years.

Perhaps more inexplicable is the lack of headphone jack. How does Canon expect a video shooter to choose the 70D when they are unable to monitor audio? It doesn’t make sense."

in comments-"GH3 controls moire reasonably well and is superior than Canon APS-C video in that

regard (also more detail)".

 

 

[Henry Gentles]

It's the same sensor throughout that entire crop sensor range, so same IQ! The only difference is the 7D with slightly better sdcard bandwidth but that is irrelevant because it would only be useful for magic lantern, but the 7D is not magic lantern compatible if I'm not mistaken?

[Andrew Reid]

70D is not the same sensor. It's a new one.

 

Michael has done a good review there though - I share is frustration with the video side 100%!

[Danyyyel]

He should have broaden his views about dslr video brand when he is talking about only the high-end 5dmark3 has any improvement over the canon cameras of 5 years ago. The Panasonic gh3/g6 offer better image quality with low to no aliasing/moire and the best functional for hybrid photo/video camera. The Nikon D5200/D7100 surely has less functionality but even better image quality with better Dynamic range and low light. The new D5300 could even further that with no banding and 60fps at 1080p. It is not as if because Canon is sleeping that the others are doing the same.

[Damphousse]

Let's be honest about a couple things here.  No one is doing moire/aliasing free video on APS-C or larger sensor for less than $2,500.  There must be some engineering/economics reason for that.

 

Also the autofocus on the 70D is nothing short of revolutionary.  I suffer with the autofocus in the Canon t3i and it is a total joke.  The BMPCC is even worse... didn't think that was possible.

 

I don't understand why moire/aliasing hasn't been addressed.  And I definitely don't like the mushy results of the Canon codec but that autofocus is amazing.

 

 

Still not going to buy it.

[Andrew Reid]

Let's be honest about a couple things here.  No one is doing moire/aliasing free video on APS-C or larger sensor for less than $2,500.  There must be some engineering/economics reason for that.

 

Wrong I'm afraid. 5D Mark III, D5200, D5300 are moire / aliasing free in all real world situations, unless you're talking about charts and then every camera has it even the Epic.

 

It's easy to avoid. GH2 does it for very little money on a sensor only slightly smaller than Canon APS-C (1.86x crop vs 1.6x crop).

 

A pixel mix on the sensor is all that's needed.

[Ben Prater]

70d is definitely a new sensor.

 

I've watched a bunch of 70d video -- and I generally like the video images it is producing.

 

Pair that with the amazing auto-focus -- and I think you have a camera that an average person can use to create some really great video. 

[Michiel78]

Watch this... 

 

Although it may have moire, it may have aliasing, it may have a mushy codec... but I just love the image quality of this film by Johnnie...

And it's mostly ungraded too, just imagine what a small touch of film convert could do...

[Danyyyel]

Let's be honest about a couple things here.  No one is doing moire/aliasing free video on APS-C or larger sensor for less than $2,500.  There must be some engineering/economics reason for that.

 

Also the autofocus on the 70D is nothing short of revolutionary.  I suffer with the autofocus in the Canon t3i and it is a total joke.  The BMPCC is even worse... didn't think that was possible.

 

I don't understand why moire/aliasing hasn't been addressed.  And I definitely don't like the mushy results of the Canon codec but that autofocus is amazing.

 

 

Still not going to buy it.

 

 

You should do more research, look at the video above at about 17.50 min testing moire aliasing between Nikon D7100 and Canon 70D. You get the same thing from the cheaper D5200 and the gh2 has been doing it for the last two years. It is not because Canon is using 5 year old tech to protect its Cinema Eos line that every other company is doing the same.

[Damphousse]

Wrong I'm afraid. 5D Mark III, D5200, D5300 are moire / aliasing free in all real world situations, unless you're talking about charts and then every camera has it even the Epic.

 

It's easy to avoid. GH2 does it for very little money on a sensor only slightly smaller than Canon APS-C (1.86x crop vs 1.6x crop).

 

A pixel mix on the sensor is all that's needed.

 

The 5D Mark III is over $2,500.  I said people aren't doing it in APS-C or larger in sub $2,500 cameras.  I am not familiar with the two Nikon models you mentioned.  I had looked at the D800 which is over $2,500 and it has moiré/aliasing.

 

As far as the GH2 and it's ilk they are not APS-C.  If you look at the majority of cameras you see a pattern.  Smaller sensor size even with large megapixel has more moiré/aliasing-controlled examples in the $1,000 or less neighborhood.  I was just commenting that there might be a very good engineering/economics reason for that.

[Damphousse]

You should do more research, look at the video above at about 17.50 min testing moire aliasing between Nikon D7100 and Canon 70D. You get the same thing from the cheaper D5200 and the gh2 has been doing it for the last two years. It is not because Canon is using 5 year old tech to protect its Cinema Eos line that every other company is doing the same.

 

I'll say it again.  I was talking about APS-C and larger sensors.  That was the whole point.  Panasonic is doing a lot of wonderful things... just not in full frame or even APS-C.  And Nikon doesn't have Magic Lantern so it is a no for video.  I can't go back to working without Magic Lantern.  Again I am not as familiar with the Nikon models.  I've looked at a few reviews of various bodies over the years and there are multiple deficiences.  Things may have improved but not so much so I would sell everything and move over to Nikon.  I've given things like the Sony RX10 and some Panasonic bodies a real hard look.  The Sony is interesting by not quite there yet and the Panasonics get way expensive once you start looking at getting lenses equivalent to the Canon field of view fast IS lenses.

[Damphousse]

You should do more research, look at the video above at about 17.50 min...

 

You should watch the 30 seconds before that where the guy says the live view tracking and touch screen rack focusing on the 70D is "revolutionary" and a potential "game changer."  Isn't that what I just said in the post you are responding to?

 

The 70D is disappointing because of the moire and aliasing but as your own video demonstrated it's not like there were no improvements on the camera or just small tweaks.  That's all I was saying.

[Andrew Reid]

I'll say it again.  I was talking about APS-C and larger sensors.  That was the whole point.  Panasonic is doing a lot of wonderful things... just not in full frame or even APS-C.  And Nikon doesn't have Magic Lantern so it is a no for video.  I can't go back to working without Magic Lantern.  Again I am not as familiar with the Nikon models.  I've looked at a few reviews of various bodies over the years and there are multiple deficiences.  Things may have improved but not so much so I would sell everything and move over to Nikon.  I've given things like the Sony RX10 and some Panasonic bodies a real hard look.  The Sony is interesting by not quite there yet and the Panasonics get way expensive once you start looking at getting lenses equivalent to the Canon field of view fast IS lenses.

 

1.5x crop APS-C or even full frame matters less now Speed Booster exists. Arguably the smaller 2x or 2.4x crop sensors even have an advantage, because they tend to have faster read out speeds, better pixel binning methods and more innovative optics attached.

 

That said, full frame stills looks magical, it's just a shame the A7R's video quality isn't that hot. The 5D Mark III raw on the other hand...

 

And where does the 70D fit into this picture? It doesn't. Unless you really need AF in video mode, which I wouldn't touch with a barge poll. Manual focus does exactly what you want it to do. Even the best AF racking isn't as reliable or controllable by comparison.

[Zach Ashcraft]

And where does the 70D fit into this picture? It doesn't. Unless you really need AF in video mode, which I wouldn't touch with a barge poll. Manual focus does exactly what you want it to do. Even the best AF racking isn't as reliable or controllable by comparison.

I would have agreed with you until I actually used a 70D at a wedding. The AF really is brilliant.

 

For cinema? Of course manual focus will be the way to go. But for weddings/docs, I am seriously considering picking one up

[Brian Brown]

For my needs (doco/ coporate/ industrial films), alias/ moire' reduction was the primary motivator for me to step-up from the 7D to the 5D Mark III. I can always sharpen soft video, but was never very successful at removing the rainbows moire patterns and love that I no longer have to with the 5D3.

 

I'm disappointed that much-newer 70D doesn't have the same reduction improvements. The autofocus looks really killer, but I've learned to focus full-frame (with the Zacuto Z-Finder Pro whilst running-and-gunning or with SmallHD DP6 field monitor when on a tripod) , so I doubt I would need that capability on a smaller sensor cam. 

 

Boo to Canon that they didn't improve alias/ moire'!