to the fully zoomed-in focal length on most camcorders. And few video cameras in existence
can match the narrow depth of field of Canon’s EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens used by many
top-end portrait shooters.Bec ause of these unique video recording traits and the versatility
provided by Canon’s EF lens system,the EOS 5D Mark II should be as attractive to serious
videographers as it is to advanced and professional still photographers.
It may seem like a small technological advance to move from a full-frame DSLR model
offering a Live View Function (such as the more expensive EOS 1Ds Mark III) to a full-frame
DSLR offering both Live View and 1080p Full HD video recording functionality.But it was
an engineering feat that only Canon, with its long history as a manufacturer of consumer
and professional level camcorders, premium lenses for TV and broadcast cameras,and
advanced CMOS sensors could achieve. Canon’s knowledge of the real world challenges
faced by videographers was also behind several features that take the EOS 5D Mark II to
the next level.These include the 3.5mm diameter stereo mini jack for connecting a stereo
microphone or external audio mixer to the camera, a built-in speaker for audio playback,an
HDMI output jack for viewing both stills and video clips on an HDTV monitor,and the
ability to record either 16:9 ratio,1080p HD videos with sound, or 4:3 ratio, SD (VGA
resolution,640 x 480) videos with sound directly to UDMA or high speed CF c ards.
The two video resolution choices are selected via menu on the camera’s LCD,as are the desired
Picture Style settings for creative control of the video image quality.Once the camera is set to
Live View mode,pressing the Set button on the camera bac k activates the video recording function.
At any time during video recording,photographers can capture
high-resolution still images with the press of the shutter
button (or up to 3.9 fps burst rate).S till images taken during
recording are always shot in Program AE mode,regardless of
the Mode Dial settings in effect.ISO is also set automaticall y
for still images during video recording,from 100 thru 6400,
or up to ISO 12,800 when ISO expansion is activated in the
Custom Function menus.During the time it takes to record
the image as a separate file on the memory card, a freeze frame
of the photo is displayed during playback, and sound recording
is temporarily suspended.
If desired,the Live AF Function, with or without Face Detection, can also be activated during
video recording mode by pressing the AF-ON button on the EOS 5D Mark II’s back panel (there
are some potential limitations to live autofocusing during moving recording).Manual focusing and
zooming of the attached lens is also possible during video recording,and recommended when using
the camera’s internal microphone to reduce the chances of recording AF motor noises.
15
III. VIDEO RECORDING ON EOS 5D MARK II
Video file
(1)
Still photo file
(2)(3)(4)
Approx. 1 sec.
Video Still display Video
Pressed
completely
CF card
Recording completed
live video reappears
StillPhoto During Video Recording (Conceptual Diagram)