Izzy Video tutorials make it easy to learn video.

My post yesterday received several interesting comments, so I decided to clarify a few things.

• Right now might not be the best time to buy a Canon 5D Mark II. As Joseph Nasto pointed out in the comments, the model is getting old, so it might make sense to wait until the next generation is released.
• The new firmware update improves the audio from the Canon 5D Mark II, so it isn’t as bad as it used to be — as Ted Vandell pointed out in the comments. But in my opinion the audio still isn’t that great. I use the Zoom H4n to capture audio separately whenever I can. My thinking is that the camera is an amazing video-capturing device, and the Zoom H4n is an amazing audio-capturing device, so they make an incredible combination.
• Matt asked in the comments about accessories I use with my Canon 5D Mark II. This is a question that, in my opinion, requires visuals. I’m planning a video that will answer this for those of you who are interested.

Brian Alves from The DV Show (great show — everyone should subscribe to it) answered a question where someone asked when this “DSLR fad” would go away. Brian said that even though he doesn’t own a DSLR, he doesn’t think it’s a fad. I agree with Brian; I don’t think they’re a fad either. They might not be “the” distant future of video cameras, but they produce amazing imagery. And that’s why they’re so popular.

When I was at the NAB Show a couple weeks ago, DSLR-related information was everywhere. It wasn’t as popular as 3D, but it was very close. I chose to spend several hours in the Canon booth, watching cinematographers talk about how they’re using DSLR cameras to shoot video. It was inspiring and revealing.

If you don’t want to use DSLR’s to shoot video, of course that’s okay. They’re not for everyone. They have technical challenges associated with them (as I mentioned previously), but for many situations, I think they make a lot of sense.

The more I use my Canon 5D Mark II, the more I’m impressed with the image it produces. I like it much better than the image from my Sony PMW-EX1, which is a much more expensive camera.

So here’s my new thinking:

* If you need to capture LONG video clips, like at weddings, conferences, and things like that, then I think you should definitely look at standard video cameras. The Digital SLR with it’s 12 minute video clips won’t really work for this.

But…

* If you’re shooting narrative pieces like short films, music videos, commercials, and feature films, then I can’t help but recommend a Digital SLR. The picture quality (shallow depth of field, great dynamic range, etc.) is stellar.

Because I shoot both types of footage, I’m keeping both cameras, but I have to say that the Canon 5D Mark II is my preferred video capture device now. By itself, it’s okay, but when you add on a few accessories, it becomes incredible.

I’ll cover more on this soon, and I think I’ve got a tutorial coming along these lines… ;-)

Audio can be a big problem in your video. It’s especially challenging when you’re shooting in a room with hard floors, walls, tables, and ceilings. The sound waves bounce around and reduce the quality of your audio with echo. If you’ve ever tried to capture good audio for your video in a room with hard floors, you’ll like this tutorial. In it, I show you how to dramatically reduce (or even eliminate) echo from your audio.

This is a members-only edition of Izzy Video.

Enjoy the video. You can download the trailer here.

If you’re new to Izzy Video, you should watch some of the free videos so you can see if it might make sense for you to become a member.

A couple weeks ago I mentioned in my newsletter that I was turning old VHS and 8mm video into digital video to store on hard drives. Since then, I’ve received many emails from viewers asking me to show how to convert analog video to digital video.

This members-only edition of Izzy Video will show you the exact steps to take.

As an additional note, I want to emphasize that I feel this is a high priority for people in the world today. We don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to get ahold of VCR’s and 8mm video cameras. If you have old video, please don’t procrastinate. Convert that old footage to digital. This will give you a digital master you can use for a number of different things in the future.

Enjoy the video. You can download the trailer here.

If you’re new to Izzy Video, you should watch some of the free videos so you can see if it might make sense for you to become a member.

This is a simple tutorial that gives you some tips to help you shoot better video with a Kodak Zi8. This is the first video on the subject, and because I know many of you have this camera, I’m planning more tutorials on this camera in the future.

This one is for the members. You can watch the trailer here.