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Canon 5D Mark II v.s Canon 60D


Natasha Saxby

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Hey guys sorry if this question has been asked before but I wanted to know which camera would be best for an amateur cinematographer?

 

 

I own a Canon XL1S and a Canon 310XL but wanted a DSLR camera to experience a new technology and develop my skills as a cinematographer with a smaller camera that can make beautiful, inexpensive movies.

 

 

I am aware the Canon 5D Mark II is more expensive than the 60D but wanted to know the pro's + con's of each and which camera would specify my needs:

 

 

1. I shoot drama/period/french new wave/ films, documentaries, music vids and installation pieces.

2. Either low contrast films or atmospheric quality vids, artistic, moody calm, depth, emotion, soft

3. My films delve into life’s meaning and purpose, poetry, character’s struggles, period pieces and the private inner world of artists and creative individuals.

4. Influenced by cinematographers: Emmanuel Lubezki, Wally Pfister, Brian Tufano, Lance Acord, Roger Deakins, Raoul Coutard, Seamus McGarvey, Conrad Hall and Ellen Kuras.

5. And artists/photographers: Claude Monet, Jack English, Robert Frank, Edward Hopper, Stephen Shore, Gregory Crewdson, Josef Kudelka, Sally Mann.

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The fundamental difference is sensor size and a few facilities that differ between the two devices. The sensor size difference is the main thing. People like the idea of extremely short depth-of-field, but it shouldn't be an automatic assumption that less is more in that situation. Unless you routinely have access to expert focus pullers and lots of time for retakes, which doens't sound like your situation, the 5D may be just too much in that regard.

 

The other thing the smaller sensor of the 60D gets you - probably, I'm projecting from the 550 here - is fractionally poorer noise floor and dynamic range. That is to say, the smaller sensor cameras such as the 7, 60, and 550 actually have less of that nice-picture factor that makes everyone like the 5D.

 

You'd need to shoot tests as the differences are subtle. My deciding factor on all this is mainly that the purpose of these things is to have an immensely large price-to-performance ratio and I therefore don't quite see the point of buying something becuase it's very very cheap, but deciding to buy the expensive one.

 

Also look at the Panasonic GH2. It's an unconventional choice but does extremely well in tests. If you have a need to get your material past technical quality control procedures, particularly for broadcast or cinema, it will probably do that more easily than a 5D for something like one-fifth the money.

 

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