Time to take a little bend in the road of still photography and explore some of the newly bundled features in today’s quickly evolving digital cameras-HD video. Since the inclusion of HD video in the Canon 5D Mark II, I’ve enjoyed playing around with it a bit, with an emphasis on “playing”. It is less than a perfect device to use as a video camera, but it takes amazingly good quality clips. I must confess however, that video capture is somewhat addictive, and herein lies the problem and the tension between stills and video. Since I’m heavily vested in still imagery from a professional and business perspective, my foray in video has been something to play with only when I don’t feel I’m loosing out on a great still image.
Let me also mention that the video included here, although it captures some fun action, is by no means done to any technical perfection. Heavy winds, a large lens, super magnification, and serendipity all contributed their respective influence. On this trip I had in tow Canon’s new 7D, which also sports an HD video mode. Actually, I had the 5d mark II, the 7D and a 1Ds Mark III– each camera body housing different buttons with live view functions in different locations. This array of camera gear is not recommended for efficient and fast shooting. It is confusing to say the least to operate three cameras when quickly changing between them. And it complicates things further when a pair gloves steal the finesse between you and the tiny operation buttons on the camera. But I did want to experiment with the 7D and therefore welcomed it as yet another camera in the line up. I’m looking forward to the 1D Mark IV, which will put back in my hands two bodies with the exact same build, buttons and operations–at least really close anyway. Better yet would be the 1Ds Mark IV, and get rid of the “S” for studio. How about a 1Dw for “wildlife” full frame, 21MP, 8fps, great autofocus and video. That would do it for me. But that is embarking down another road–back to the bears…
At one point when the bears were quite some distance away, I put the 500mm with a 1.4x on the 7D and shot a few video scenes at 1120mm, in the pelting wind so common to Alaska’s arctic coast. A female polar bear with two cubs were engaging in all sorts of play on a small barrier island north of Barter Island, in the Beaufort Sea, on Alaska’s north shore. This polar bear spent a fair amount of time rolling around in the snow cleaning her fur. They are amazing to watch and great fun to photograph. Watching the video again makes me want to go back already.
