Feature 1: Shutter correction. Let’s face the facts, when you take a picture, you’ve already missed the shot. Shutter correction adds a random timer to trigger the shutter 5-200 seconds later, ensuring your mistake can still turn into the perfect shot.
Feature 2: Auto pan. Henceforth, when shooting in “Program Auto” mode, DSLR’s will also make framing, panning and tilting decisions FOR you! No need for critical thinking. After all, technology will always be more intelligent than the artist.
Feature 3: HSL randomizer. Who said a good picture or video needs to reflect accurate hue, saturation and lightness? With HSL randomizer, your DSLR will pick random numbers for each control, so you’ll be left saying, “Wow, that’s definitely not what this looks like in real life! Oh, well!”
The new Lumix “X” series lenses is an important development for shooting video on DSLRs.
DSLRs have had 3 limitations on their use for many types of video photography:
lack of power zooms
lack of audio controls
limits on video recording time
The new lenses feature built-in zoom motors and controls. Panasonic has also announced a firmware update to several of its micro-four thirds cameras that will presumably add more zoom feature support to the cameras.
At this time, the demo video I saw showed a fixed zoom speed. I presume the firmware update will add a speed control to the cameras. The zoom motor was audible in the camera’s built-in mic. This is yet another reason why we need to remember that audio is half the video experience – and should be using an external mic when sound is important.
Regarding audio, the lack of sound controls on DSLRs still demands use of BeachTek or other external audio mixers to get the sound right.
According to the survey, consumers are using traditional video cameras with much less frequency, but they are using mobile devices to capture video much more often. In fact, of those surveyed:
45 percent use a mobile device for capturing video at least once a week
17 percent use a mobile device for capturing video at least once a day
9 percent use a mobile device for capturing video multiple times per day
This trend is further validated by company data, which shows a significant upward trend of video uploads:
Total video uploads web and mobile are 3.5x higher year-over-year July 2010 to July 2011
Total video uploads from mobile devices are 14x higher than in December 2010
Vivitar 135mm prime, f/2.8, Minolta mount, purchased for $20. Works as a 270mm f/2.8 on the GH-2. I really like this lens.
Sigma 28mm to 70mm zoom, f/2.8, Minolta mount, bought it back in the 1980s.Works as a 56 to 140mm f/2.8 equivalent zoom on the GH-2. In many ways, this is one of my favorite lenses. It is fairly fast and is almost a normal lens (56mm equiv.) at the wide angle end, plus very sharp under pixel peeping conditions.
Sigma 24mm wide angle prime, Minolta mount, bought in the 1980s. This is my fake 50mm standard lens – really, a 48mm equivalent.
Minolta 50mm prime, f/1.4, came with my original Minolta SRT-101 film camera. Works like a 100mm f/1.4 lens – super for indoor and night shots.
Minolta 50mm prime, f/1.7, came with an original Minolta X700 film camera.
Tamron 4mm-12mm zoom, f/1.4, C-mount CCTV lens, purchased for $144. Used only in 1920×1080/24p video mode. Works equivalent to a 21mm lens on a 35mm film camera when used in the 1080/24p video mode. Also works as a super macro lens.
Not shown: Lumix 14-42mm f/3.5 zoom that came with the GH-2.
This was the first time I’d pulled everything out and this collection seemed impressive. Okay, okay, may be I am easily impressed. I know, its not Canon L-series glass. But it doesn’t cost as much as a new car either!
In fact, except for the Lumix lens, there’s not much money in this at all. I had all the Minolta lenses stored for decades.
The micro 4/3ds format enables use of all those old and often very good lenses. Either ones you already have, or ones that you can buy cheaply on Craigslist, EBay, or some camera stores and pawn shops.
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