Evolution towards video - away from stills?

[!Xabbu]

Hi All,

With all the current new announcements it seems like Canon's focus is moving more and more towards video. Why am I saying this:

• The 5D III has been reported to have a very strong AA filter. From what I understand this helps predominantly video quality
• The new T4i seems to have most improvements in the video sector and almost no improvements for stills
• Then there are the current releases/ announcements of 1D C and C500

There haven't been any releases new products on the stills front. Yes, the 5D III improved a lot of the shortcomings of the 5D II, but the IQ is almost unchanged unless you shoot at super high ISO. The 1D X is still not being in stores and on the APS-C side nothing happens at all (apart from the T4i "video camera").

Will this be a general change towards more video and less stills? What's your take on it?

[briansquibb]

Video is a short term only media for the majority

Photos can be stuck in an albumn and easil referenced

So the answer is:

- more videos
- more stills

[JurijTurnsek]

If you search youtube, you'd probably realize there's a huge percent of videos made with Canon DSLRs and a much smaller percent by other manufacturer's DSLRs. Canon I just trying to sell as many body's as they can.

When that percentage begins to dwindle, Canon with have to step up, but right now they don't have to - numbers count (millions of Rebels clips against few professional clips from top Nikon models etc. - Youtube isn't a place for drooling over pixels, just get some nice bokeh and play with manual focusing and you're a "videographer")

[!Xabbu]

If you search youtube, you'd probably realize there's a huge percent of videos made with Canon DSLRs and a much smaller percent by other manufacturer's DSLRs. Canon I just trying to sell as many body's as they can.

When that percentage begins to dwindle, Canon with have to step up, but right now they don't have to - numbers count (millions of Rebels clips against few professional clips from top Nikon models etc. - Youtube isn't a place for drooling over pixels, just get some nice bokeh and play with manual focusing and you're a "videographer")

I just wonder, if the current focus on video hurts the stills technology for Canon. Sony seems to be about one generation ahead with their sensors for stills - so, it seems like Canon tries to build a video centered portfolio.

I know that many people like the video quality they get out of Canon DSLRs, but I would like to see a big step forward in still technology (new APS-C sensor for example)...

[awinphoto]

The professional world is going more multimedia... stills wont go away any time soon, but for professionals, we have to once again adapt, just like when photography moved from film to digital... It's just evolution. 

[skitron]

Sony seems to be about one generation ahead with their sensors for stills

I disagree. Have you not seen the DxO charts that show 5D3 substantially better than D800 at pretty much everything greater than ISO 2400 (or lower for some stats)?

If you want the best high ISO camera at this price tier, 5D3 is a no-brainer. It's as much better at high ISO as D800 is better at low ISO.

So how can you argue Canon is a generation behind in sensor technology?

[Daniel Flather]

No, not al all.  It's because video is new and the technology is improving at a fast rate, and Canon is just keeping up.  Stills imagery has been around longer.

[!Xabbu]

Sony seems to be about one generation ahead with their sensors for stills

I disagree. Have you not seen the DxO charts that show 5D3 substantially better than D800 at pretty much everything greater than ISO 2400 (or lower for some stats)?

If you want the best high ISO camera at this price tier, 5D3 is a no-brainer. It's as much better at high ISO as D800 is better at low ISO.

So how can you argue Canon is a generation behind in sensor technology?

Not sure if this link works, but if you compare the 5D III and the D800 there is a huge gap at low ISO (in favor of D800) in almost all measurements. However, I don't see the significant advantage of 5D III over D800 with high ISO - it is slightly better, but it's not a significant difference. Could you please let me know on which measurement the 5D III really beats the D800?

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/(appareil1)/795%7C0/(brand)/Canon/(appareil2)/792%7C0/(brand2)/Nikon

And yes, as a high ISO camera the 5D III is probably better, but as an overall camera the 5D III can't hold a candle to D800 (at least from a scientific measurement standpoint).

[Axilrod]

Are you serious?  I feel like it's the exact opposite with the 5DIII, the video was only slightly improved but the stills side was improved tremendously.  It really is an amazing still camera, world's better than the 5DII. 

[skitron]

Not sure if this link works, but if you compare the 5D III and the D800 there is a huge gap at low ISO (in favor of D800) in almost all measurements. However, I don't see the significant advantage of 5D III over D800 with high ISO - it is slightly better, but it's not a significant difference. Could you please let me know on which measurement the 5D III really beats the D800?

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/(appareil1)/795%7C0/(brand)/Canon/(appareil2)/792%7C0/(brand2)/Nikon

And yes, as a high ISO camera the 5D III is probably better, but as an overall camera the 5D III can't hold a candle to D800 (at least from a scientific measurement standpoint).

Sure, go to your link and then click the "Measurements" tabs and look at the five different charts of raw data.

[!Xabbu]

Sure, go to your link and then click the "Measurements" tabs and look at the five different charts of raw data.

OK, ISO sensitivity a slight edge for 5D III (about 10%-20%), SNR they are essentially the same, DR huge advantage for D800 to ISO 800, then essentially the same, tonal range essentially equal and color sensitivity slight advantage for D800. So, apart from ISO sensitivity I don't see any real advantage of 5D III in measurements over D800.

So, I still don't see your substantially better...

[skitron]

So, I still don't see your substantially better...

How about now?

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/(appareil1)/795%7C0/(brand)/Canon/(appareil2)/792%7C0/(brand2)/Nikon/(appareil3)/767%7C0/(brand3)/Nikon

I've added the D4 for perspective...

[preppyak]

Are you serious?  I feel like it's the exact opposite with the 5DIII, the video was only slightly improved but the stills side was improved tremendously.  It really is an amazing still camera, world's better than the 5DII.

I was gonna say the same. The "video improvements" on the 5DIII are basically you have a choice of codecs, and some better low-light handling, but, that is also a stills improvement anyway. On the stills side, you got better everything; AF, fps, low-light, the list goes on. Image quality isn't just a function of the sensor. The camera and lens can be as sharp as they want, with a crap AF system, your IQ sucks cause they are blurry. Likewise with the bump in fps.

And until we actually see the T4i, it's hard to say its just a "video update". Especially since the T3i was basically just a screen update compared to the T1i to T2i shift.

[FunPhotons]

Decent video is much harder to do then stills. Blurry cam, audio, etc, and plus you can grok a picture in a second but you have to sit through a video. While video will become much more important I think for most people that the pie will still divide between stills and vid.

[Kernuak]

Sure, go to your link and then click the "Measurements" tabs and look at the five different charts of raw data.

OK, ISO sensitivity a slight edge for 5D III (about 10%-20%), SNR they are essentially the same, DR huge advantage for D800 to ISO 800, then essentially the same, tonal range essentially equal and color sensitivity slight advantage for D800. So, apart from ISO sensitivity I don't see any real advantage of 5D III in measurements over D800.

So, I still don't see your substantially better...

When you're shooting in low light, the amount of available DR is pretty small, so being able to capture 9 or 10 stops, when there is perhaps 6 stops at most is pretty meaningless. The amount of noise when exposed correctly is much more important.