OK, it's a stupid question but...

Why don't DSLRs come with a movie setting like P&S's do?

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure it's the sensor technology.

Because dSLRs are dedicated tool for serious shooting, not do-it-all plastic toys..

"Jack of all trades... master of none."

Edit : Come to think of it... Seeing as the 40D and XSi have LiveView now, isn't it technically possible to record a video?

Hermeto wrote in post #5748131
Because dSLRs are dedicated tool for serious shooting, not do-it-all plastic toys..

AMEN !!

Get this: http://www.red.com/nab​/epic

it's a video camera that can do nice pictures too.

I know I want one, but the wife won't approve. Her words were 'over your dead body', or something similar.

Kevin034 wrote in post #5748255
Get this: http://www.red.com/nab​/epic

it's a video camera that can do nice pictures too.

I know I want one, but the wife won't approve. Her words were 'over your dead body', or something similar.

My computer almost exploded after just looking at that.

Actually, the question is a reasonable one. The answer: a DSLR focuses and sets exposure through use of the reflex mirror, which flips out of place every time a shot is taken.

This isn't a small piece of glass - flipping it up and down 30 times per second (or whatever rate video cams use) would hammer the mirror to death in short order.

The shutter wouldn't last long either. Let's see: 30 actuations per second for one hour filming: 30 X 60 X 60 = 108,000 actuations. In one hour...

-js

same reason why DSLR's arnt designed for sending sms messages and playing MP3s.

It's better to be great at one thing then be good in one area and passable in another. If it's not up to the standards of the bread and butter, it's not worth putting into the camera.

For instance I recently bought a HD camcorder, probably one of the top consumer models on the market (Sony HDR-SR12). Cost about $1200, $1500+ if you add in all the accessories I bought for it. While it took fantastic video of my 3 week vacation I just got back from, evaluating the pictures that I took (2,600+) about 50% of them are not suitable, 40% of them are passable at 4x6 but terribly distorted when blown up higher, and only 5-10% can be considered average or above. And this is coming from a camcorder that has a 5.6MP sensor and spec'd 10.1 MP quality.

Plus, I don't think CMOS chips are intended for video. If they're left on continually they heat up and image quality will suffer with higher noise.

If I'm not mistaken most digital video cameras use CCDs.

gooble wrote in post #5748625
Plus, I don't think CMOS chips are intended for video. If they're left on continually they heat up and image quality will suffer with higher noise.

If I'm not mistaken most digital video cameras use CCDs.

Now, small independent camcorder attached to DSLR would be a cool!
Something like the one used in James Nachtway’s War Photographer..

My DSLR does have a movie setting. But at 3.5 frames per second for 3 second clips its not quite ideal. Then again it is grabbing almost 4 HD frames at a time.

I know I saw someone with a better solution on here somewhere. He had connected 4+ D1 cameras together for shooting baseball. Does anyone know who that was?

Actually it was 3 1DmkIII's!
http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=_AuyVz89AXg

A waste of 3 MKIII's in "movie mode":
http://www.sportsshoot​er.com/special_feature​/30fps/

Kinda neat "movie":
http://obj.fotosidan.s​e …fa07ef05725adfb​37bcb9.mov

And my favorite, MKIIN dance "movie" 1100 frames in 3 minutes:
http://www.jphotograph​ic.com/blog/sara_willi​am.mpg