Best camera for video interview / documentary

[Farangi]

Hey all!

First off apologies if this is a thread many times trod, but I couldn't find quite the answers i was looking for.

I am an amateur documentary maker and have been using my old canon 1100d (= rebel t3? I think) to do interviews. ML has unlocked some cool features for me on it (w/o ML the 1100d only shoots video in automatic) but I think I'm ready for an upgrade / second camera.

I've got about $1000 to spend and was looking at the 80d since I have two lenses for my 1100d both of which would fit it. Also it's within budget, has been touted as a great model in terms of what ML can unlock and it meets some of the stuff I want from a new camera.

Requirements are:
Min 60fps
Great image quality
Good focus in low light
Full frame would be great for shallow depth of field as i'll mostly be doing interviews - the effect I want to achieve is focused subject with blurry background.

Budget isn't set in stone it's just what I've got at the moment if the perfect camera is more than that I could wait and try to gather more cash.

Anyway any advice is very welcome, especially if you make documentaries / interviews. Which model do you prefer? Also what features have I not mentioned and I don't even know I want?

Cheers

F

[jpegmasterjesse]

5D3 is pretty much the flagship ML camera, but the 6D would also be a good full frame choice. I'm assuming you're not shooting RAW for documentary, so you have a lot of good options.

[Dmytro_ua]

5D3 is pretty much the flagship ML camera

But it doesn't have a video autofocus

[andy kh]

80d has  no ML supported yet. 70D is the only ML supported camera that has dual pixel auto focus in video mode and i really love it but if you shoot raw 60fps 5d iii is the only camera to go. All other camera suffer ftom moire and aliasing.

[Dmytro_ua]

if you shoot raw 60fps 5d iii is the only camera to go.

But only in 2.35:1 aspect ratio, not really continuous (it's on bleeding edge) and no screen preview.... So, it's not really what I would recomend to a person, who wants to shoot interviews. But it's great in 25-30 fps

[dfort]

For your budget you could pick up a used C100 maybe even with dual pixel autofocus. Ok--so you want something that works with ML? Since you're shooting documentaries on an 1100D you're probably not shooting raw video--and need to post sync your audio because there's no external mic input on that camera. (Sorry, your post from a year ago went unanswered.)

How about an M50. It is within your budget so no need to look for a used camera. While ML isn't quite ready for this camera the features you want are probably already available. A Viltrox EF M2 adapter might even get you that full frame look.

[Farangi]

Hey all,

thanks for quick replies, I'm in the land of powercuts just now (honduras) so not able to log on often.

Yeah, obvs the 5D iii is the beast but with a price to go with it, I am tempted to wait and gather more cash to get the mark iii or iv but that could be a while and might be out of my league just now in terms of my ability to make the most of what it offers.

I haven't been shooting in RAW so far, and not sure if it's something I'd need at this point. More important to me would be the ability to shoot for longer that 20 or 30 minutes at a time (=continuous shooting???) as I'm loathe to interupt the flow of an interview which can last up to 2 hours or more, but hate to miss anything too.

Hadn't considered the 50D, that definitely looks like a great option. I seem to be missing something though. It seems awful cheap for all it's specs. What have I missed? what are it's drawbacks? how does it compare to the 80D out of the box? thishttps://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=17360.525thread makes me feel that ML for the 80D is not too far away either.

Also, I have no experience whatsoever with autofocus. It strikes me as something that is great in theory but isn't likely to work well in practice. Can dual pixel autofocus be trusted to work well or is there something else I should be looking for? And how well would that option work if I was working with a shallow depth of field (really want to get that pro interview look).

thanks

[andy kh]

Also, I have no experience whatsoever with autofocus. It strikes me as something that is great in theory but isn't likely to work well in practice. Can dual pixel autofocus be trusted to work well or is there something else I should be looking for?

you can trust dual pixel auto focus 100%. its the revolution. its got in all canon professional cinema camera. when there is dual pixel auto focus you neednt look for anything else

edit: i have been thinking of buying a 5D III and sell my 70D but i dont wana miss the dual pixel auto focus and i dont want to keep two camera  as i am not a professional photo/videographer

[Wlad81]

I haven't been shooting in RAW so far, and not sure if it's something I'd need at this point. More important to me would be the ability to shoot for longer that 20 or 30 minutes at a time (=continuous shooting???) as I'm loathe to interupt the flow of an interview which can last up to 2 hours or more, but hate to miss anything too.

What's the point of shooting an interview in RAW (or lossless)? Just one or two heads on the screen. No source for vivid colors, no nature photography, etc.

[iliush]

Don't by the 80d, it's not a bad camera, but it's not what you want... And the magic lantern for 80d may be far away. My first camera was 1100d and now I have 80d and a 100d just for magic., I am not very familiar with making professional video, but for the money I spent on my 80d, I am not satisfied. If you can wait some more, good idea to save more money, and point to some better cameras .
Maybe it's a good idea to ask for video  from cameras you are interested, in different situations , and after, on your computer to see how you work with, and how they look., For 80d I can send you some cuts.
If the photo is not the 1st option, I now you have some glass for Canon, why not to consider Sony a7 S I, or Mark II? By the way, I think the mirror less, are more capable in terms of video? They have more Ram memory? Meybe it's just a wrong opinion of mine.
Did you see the Zeek's videos about EOS M?
Don't rush, cheers!