Best picture and video quality with Magic Lantern -

Started by Samanthasara, July 07, 2014, 11:45:46 AM

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Samanthasara

Hi there, I'm a total newb to this site, so please be gentle with me. ;)

Hopefully I'm in the right section..

I am just wanting some advice on which camera to get between a Canon T5i and a Nikon D5200.

I like the ease of use of the T5i but prefer the image quality of the Nikon D5200.

I am needing to shoot video interviews, portraits, landscapes and documentary style + nature videos.


Would someone be kind enough to let me know if the T5i will be up to scratch with the D5200 after it has had Magic Lantern installed on it?

Thank you so much

:-*

SteveScout

With ML installed shooting raw your image quality will be definitely higher than any other DSLR - because they are internally heavily compressing the footage to achieve the low datarates.

But if you´re shooting documentaries you´ll probably NOT want to shoot raw - it is quite an undertaking when shooting narrative work, but for a doc, where you collect footage rather than precisely capture it, or for an interview .. it´s absolulte overkill and you´ll have to invest five times the money of your camera for storage. So for you purporses don´t even consider shooting raw. ML is nice, though, but it does not really improve image quality much when not shooting raw.

I don´t know about the D5200 precisely, but some of the Nikons had clean HDMI out with a nice downsampled 1080p image, this will be better for you then. My advice if you don´t have lenses yet for interviews, nature, landscapes, docs: Panasonic GH4.

Jackeatley

The difference in use in video mode is negligible. The T5i isn't really up to decent ML raw, so you'll be at the standard video mode.

Slight differences in video modes on DSLRs mean nothing, the various downsides mean that these cameras are so technically bad they all end up looking very much the same, so it comes down to aesthetic.

The Canon will always have an upside in lens choice, the T5i will happily take Nikon lenses with an adapter. the Nikon won't take Canon glass, The Canon will also happily take most other classic SLR lenses and some cinema lenses.

Also be aware that what your getting is not HD, It might say it on the box and it might say 1920x1080, but it isn't HD and if you need your footage for HD broadcast ect be aware of using a DSLR. It is simply not good enough to produce the detail required for HD.

The GH4 that was mentioned would indeed offer near acceptable HD image if it was in 4K mode. But again don't be thinking your getting 4K, your not.

The other selling point for that canon is magic lantern. Which puts in alot of those features that the manufacturers forgot. Which may help you shooting documentary. Focus peaking and audio monitoring being key. But as things have moved on Panasonic have added those to the GH4. The GH4 also has the advantage that it can take even more types of lenses than a Canon DSLR, including brodcast style 2/3" glass which again might be useful to you.

So not a simple question at all, the best answer still is. If you want the best still photos, buy a DSLR and some nice lenses. and if you want the best video buy a good video camera and good lenses.