Digital SLR Video and Filmmaking For Dummies

Introduction

It’s hard to imagine Alfred Hitchcock giving his cameraman instructions for shooting a scene with a DSLR. But then again, would anyone in 1982 believe video was viewable on anything other than 25” concave tube? Or that anything could ever compete with the quality of film?

But in 30 years, the world of cinema has changed, with many feature films shot digitally and sophisticated special effects features bundled into free programs for the masses.

But perhaps the most liberating technological advancement has to do with the ability for the consumer-level digital single-lens reflex camera to capture high-quality high-definition movies. That’s a game-changer.

Ten years ago, if somebody said you could make movies with the same camera used for still photos, I would have questioned his sanity. If he went on to say the quality would look as good as a Mini-DV tape, I’d wonder if he inhaled some sort of toxic mold. But if he carried on about the camera’s ability to capture movies in full-frame HD, words like “bonkers,” “delusional,” and “preposterous” would come to mind.

But I stand corrected.

Now you can capture movies in full frame HD with superior quality at an affordable price using the same DSLR used for your still photography, not just because of the low cost-to-quality ratio, but also for flexibility.

And that logic has spread to the professional arena with an increasing DSLR presence in broadcast news, movies, and even television shows.

Now that ...