Canon 50D

Does a Canon 50D not take videos???

Thanks,
BC

No. But if you install the Magic Lantern firmware it will do video (without sound) but with more restrictions than newer cameras. The 50D is, however, and absolutely reliable, robust, and marvelous still camera even if it's technology is a bit dated now. I still use one for my second camera (first camera is a 7DII).

Pretty much ditto to what rgs said, the 50D is also my second to a 5D3.

rgs wrote in post #17429530
No. But if you install the Magic Lantern firmware it will do video (without sound) but with more restrictions than newer cameras. The 50D is, however, and absolutely reliable, robust, and marvelous still camera even if it's technology is a bit dated now. I still use one for my second camera (first camera is a 7DII).

Nothing outdated about the images the 50D can produce

50D can take great still shots...

I really wanted video... what do you think about the 70D?

Thank you for all the help!

BC

Bonecollector wrote in post #17435015
I really wanted video... what do you think about the 70D?

Thank you for all the help!

BC

If you want video the 70D is the camera to have. The touch screen + dual pixel AF is amazing. This is the first DSLR I've ever used that had acceptable AF during video. Also it exhibits no moire that I have been able to detect.

Very capable for stills as well. The AF and burst speed are pretty much on par with my old 7D in most situations, but the ISO performance is a bit better.

Bonecollector wrote in post #17435015
I really wanted video... what do you think about the 70D?

Thank you for all the help!

BC

I've no personal interest in video, but if I had I'd be looking to compare the 70D versus the new 760D - with a guess that the on-sensor PDAF on the 70D will make that your better option (at a higher price, of course, and assuming that the presumably better AF is worth it to you). For stills I would (and did) stick with the 50D (until the 7DII came along and prised open my wallet).

...Mike

I have had a 50D for 4 years now and the biggest limitation IMO is noise at 1600 and especially at the limit ISO of 3200. I have found very little images I could use shot at 3200 even with noise removal software that affects detail also. I shoot weddings and gymnastics and need 3200 a lot of times but the noise factor keeps me from using it so I'm basically stuck at 1600 unless I REALLY need the shot that only 3200 will give me and then I cringe when I press the shutter knowing what the image will look like and all the work that is ahead of me.

Bonecollector wrote in post #17435015
I really wanted video... what do you think about the 70D?

Thank you for all the help!

BC

Go for it! The 70D is an awesome camera with great video capabilities, make sure you buy an STM lens which is a better video lens.

Another option is the 60D but the video capabilities of the 70D are better.

enrigonz wrote in post #17439433
Go for it! The 70D is an awesome camera with great video capabilities, make sure you buy an STM lens which is a better video lens.

Another option is the 60D but the video capabilities of the 70D are better.

I would actually say that for the moment I would avoid most of the STM lenses if you are primarily going to be shooting video. The STM motors work great with the dual pixel AF that the 70D has but it isn't that much better than with USM lenses in my experience and they come with a couple of draw backs.

Firstly they are focus by wire, and while I'm sure this will improve over time, right now there is a bit of a delay when you turn the manual focus ring before the lens actually begins to focus, at least this is the with my 40mm stm, EF-M 22 and my fathers 18-55 STM. This makes manually focusing just a bit more difficult, and even though the 70D's autofocus is amazing you will still find yourself wanting to focus manually a lot for video.

Secondly to my knowlege there is not an STM lens out there that both has IS and is a constant aperture throughout the zoom range, which are two things that I think are absolute must haves for most video work. You can get by without IS on really wide lenses or if you have a tripod handy but there are going to be times that you need to get off of the tripod and IS comes in super handy when you need to handhold. The constant aperture thing is also something that you can get around by either never zooming during a shot or specifying an aperture that is at least as slow as the lenses narrower maximum aperture, unfortunately a lot of the times means that you are stuck with something like F5.6 which really isn't fast enough for a lot of situations.

I know that these are all personal preferences of mine and I assume that sometime in the future all of these issues will be addressed but for the moment I don't think I could really recommend any of the STM lenses to anyone looking to do a lot of video work.

Thank you!

Thank you@

I've been quite busy lately so I haven't been on much!
I hope within the next few weeks I'll be freed up again!
BC