Here at And Now Media, we use a variety of cameras to capture and create hi-quality, professional video.  Often, we turn to a camera that is surprisingly affordable for the non-professional: The DSLR.

DSLR stands for “Digital Single Lens Reflex”.  Basically, the camera shoots shockingly beautiful video images in High-Definition, and allows the user to see exactly what they’re shooting through the digital viewfinder, a time-saver and incredible aid to hone your perfect shot.

We usually turn to the Canon 5d ($2500 for the body) or the Canon Rebel T3i (an amazing $799 for the camera body and a simple lens).

Here’s a recent commercial we produced using DSLR Cameras:



If you want to dive in to the DSLR video world, or up your DSLR game, here’s some great resources for the pro, semi-pro, and point and shoot videographers out there.

I’ve set this up intentionally, in my opinion, in order of necessity, when preparing to go PRO as a videographer/filmmaker:  Memory Cards, Audio Recording, Microphones, Lenses.

Memory Cards:

For the T3i, be sure you get a ‘class 10’ memory card to shoot video on your DSLR.  I once got myself a T3i and thought I’d save a few bucks by purchasing a ‘class 6’ card.  BAD IDEA!  It would only record about 6 seconds before the processor in the card got overwhelmed.

We recommend 32 gb cards so you don’t need to change your card that often.   Nowadays flash memory is coming down in price.  As of this listing we’ve seen 32gb class 10 SD cards (for the T3i) for as low as $45 and 32gm compact flash cards (for the 5D) for as low as $80.  A 32gb card will give you about an hour and ½ of HD video (1080p30 or 720p60).  It’s important to note that the Canon DSLRs limit video files to 4gb (about 12 minutes of HD H.264 footage). Once your camera reaches it’s limit the recording will automatically stop.

Also, invest in a card reader.  They’re cheap and reduce wear on your camera when you transfer your files.

Recording Audio:

DSLRs don’t have great audio recording capabilities.  They are audio recording capable, but the quality is little better than recording into your iPhone or standard camera without significant third party help.

For the consumer videographer who wants to step it up, the RODE VideoMic ($150) is light, easy to carry, and doesn’t require a sound guy.  It plugs directly into the 1/4” jack in the DSLR camera, and will definitely take your sound up a notch.

Most record the audio separately, like traditional film production, and sync the audio later using editing software.  There are many good and affordable digital audio recorders available.  At AndNow, we often use the Zoom H4N ($269), which, in my non-scientific survey – i.e. observing what others are using, this seems to be the pro-sumer’s top choice.  It has two XLR inputs, plus a surprisingly good quality on board microphone, and allows you to set your levels on location and playback your audio.

One of our filmmakers, Paul Robinson, loves the Tascam DR-40 ($200) for his short films, which has comparable audio quality, but lacks some of the additional higher-end recording features of the Zoom.

Microphones:

Though you can record directly into the Zoom or Tascam devices, we would recommend you connect it to a microphone to step up your game. Believe it or not, quality audio is more important to a good video project that quality video.  Think about it … when you see a horrible quality video, but with stellar sound, it’s watchable. Not so in reverse.

A decent microphone can run you from a couple hundred to thousands. When shooting on location there are typically two ways to capture audio: with lavelier microphones and shotgun microphones.  At AndNow Media, we usually use the Sennheiser Omni-Directional System ($499) for our lavelier microphones. The system includes a transmitter and receiver, plus a lavalier mic.  This lets you place a microphone on your subject and be untethered from the camera.  We also use sennheiser shotgun mics on a boom pole. This requires an audio person to hold the shotgun.

Lenses:

At the consumer level, the lenses that come with the DSLR cameras will do what you want.  However, to REALLY take it to the high-end professional level, we recommend upgrading to better lenses.  These lenses will get you better quality video, depth of field, wide and close up shots, and allow you to maintain focus at a wider variety of ranges.  Additional lenses can be quite expensive, so do your research before you buy.

Here are common lenses we use at AndNow Media:

Sigma EX Zoom lens – 24 mm – 70 mm – F/2.8  - A yeoman lens with good glass usable in a variety of circumstances ($800)

For macro shots – Canon Macro lens – 180 mm – F/3.5 ($1300)

For wide angle - Canon EF Wide-angle zoom lens – 17 mm – 40 mm – F/4.0 ($700)

For telephoto  - Canon Telephoto zoom lens – 75 mm – 300 mm ($150)

Batteries:

Finally, DSLR batteries typically only last around two hours.  We recommend you have at least three on hand even for the shortest shoots (odds are, you didn’t fully charge one of the three).

Canon 5D Battery

Canon T3i Battery

Here are a few additional articles I found helpful:

Choosing a DSLR:
http://nofilmschool.com/dslr/camera/

How DSLRs work:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/camcorders/cam-cam.shtml

Using DSLRs for shooting Video:
http://videoproductiontips.com/using-dslr-cameras-for-video

Happy shooting!