2009Cameras (Film/Video/HD) forum
Using Canon EOS 5D Mark II as a video camera for film production
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- The Canon EOS 5D Mark II can be used to shoot video footage despite being designed as a still camera
- The camera can be mounted on a Steadicam rig with additional weight to balance the light body
- A gyro unit can serve as counterbalance dead weight on a Steadicam setup
- Redrock bracketry and matte box accessories help stabilize and balance the camera on a Steadicam
- Remote focus control can be achieved using a focus motor mounted on rods with a gear ring adapter around the lens focus ring
- The camera has a 12-minute continuous recording limit per video clip due to FAT file system restrictions on CF card file sizes
- Multiple video clips can be recorded sequentially on a single CF card to exceed 12 minutes of total footage
- The camera lacks manual iris control in video mode, forcing auto iris operation during panning between different lighting conditions
- Holding the camera away from the body to view the fixed LCD screen makes handheld video operation awkward and difficult
- Fast motion video performance is poor compared to dedicated video cameras
Depends on
- The 12-minute limit applies per continuous recording session, not total card capacity
- Manual iris control cannot be disabled in video mode
- The camera was designed for still photography, not video production
- Fast motion video quality is reportedly inferior to purpose-built video cameras
- The fixed LCD screen position makes handheld operation ergonomically challenging