7D video: is manual exposure set with apature ring on lens?

THX1965THX1965 Registered Users Posts: 108 Major grins
edited October 25, 2009 in Cameras
I am mainly interested in the 7d for its expanded video capabilities. I am trying to pick a fast walk around lens for this camera - so here is my question regarding manual exposure while shooting video.

Is it true that, when you want to control the exposure manually in video mode, you have to set the desired f-stop with the aperture ring on the lens and not in the camera (while being in M mode)?

I was interested in the brand new stabilized Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 VC. But from what I have seen, this lens has no aperture ring. I guess that would make manual exposure in video mode impossible.

If that is the case and if I'd like to go with that focal range, the Canon 17-55mm 2.8 seems to be my only choice. Am I right?

--- Markus ---

Comments

  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    EF lenses don't have aperture rings, it's all done through the camera.
    Creativity's hard.

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  • THX1965THX1965 Registered Users Posts: 108 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    pyry wrote:
    EF lenses don't have aperture rings, it's all done through the camera.

    I see. So it doens't really matter which of the two lenses I pick.

    Am I right about the 7D's video mode and that you can't manually set the exposure through the camera? - If that's true, you'd basically need to have a second set of non-EF lenses for video, should you want to shoot with full manual control. Hmmmm....
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    THX1965 wrote:
    I see. So it doens't really matter which of the two lenses I pick.

    Am I right about the 7D's video mode and that you can't manually set the exposure in the camera?

    http://usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3050

    It does have full manual in video, I don't know, but I'm guessing the controls are the same as in still mode.
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • THX1965THX1965 Registered Users Posts: 108 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    pyry wrote:
    http://usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3050

    It does have full manual in video, I don't know, but I'm guessing the controls are the same as in still mode.

    This is from Canon's web site: "Manual exposure control during video recording: It’s built-in, right from the get-go. Set the camera to video recording mode, and turn the Mode Dial to “M”. Now set any aperture that’s possible with your lens, any shutter speed from 1/4000th down to 1/30th or 1/60th (depending on frame rate — more in a moment), and any ISO you like from 100 through 6400."

    "Possible with your lens" - not entirely clear if it has to be done on your lens or through the camera. Can anyone who has the 7D chime in on that? Thanks a lot in advance.

    Markus
  • ivarivar Registered Users Posts: 8,395 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    THX1965 wrote:
    This is from Canon's web site: "Manual exposure control during video recording: It’s built-in, right from the get-go. Set the camera to video recording mode, and turn the Mode Dial to “M”. Now set any aperture that’s possible with your lens, any shutter speed from 1/4000th down to 1/30th or 1/60th (depending on frame rate — more in a moment), and any ISO you like from 100 through 6400."

    "Possible with your lens" - not entirely clear if it has to be done on your lens or through the camera. Can anyone who has the 7D chime in on that? Thanks a lot in advance.

    Markus
    Possible with your lens has to do with the min & max aperture values your lens has. It has nothing to do with setting aperture on your lens. The Canon eos system lenses don't have aperture rings on the lenses, you can only change aperture in-camera.
    Ivar
    www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    I have the 5DMKII, not the 7D, but it's all done through menus on the camera. Any EF or EF-S lens, or compatible should be fine. thumb.gif
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  • waygard33waygard33 Registered Users Posts: 104 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    THX1965 wrote:
    This is from Canon's web site: "Manual exposure control during video recording: It’s built-in, right from the get-go. Set the camera to video recording mode, and turn the Mode Dial to “M”. Now set any aperture that’s possible with your lens, any shutter speed from 1/4000th down to 1/30th or 1/60th (depending on frame rate — more in a moment), and any ISO you like from 100 through 6400."

    "Possible with your lens" - not entirely clear if it has to be done on your lens or through the camera. Can anyone who has the 7D chime in on that? Thanks a lot in advance.

    Markus

    I have the 7D and have been shooting some video...

    *You can shoot in Manual mode. The manual (book) has recommendations for shutter speed, etc.

    *It's all controlled through the menus. The only thing I do with the lens is turn the AutoFocus to 'Off'.

    **I was playing with the camera/video the other day and was taking a movie of our dog. As the dog moved to a dark area, the LCD went dark. While still shooting, I opened my aperature and could see the LCD picture brighten up again.

    I will say that focus is a bit tough with any moving object. It is also difficult to tell if the video autofocus has done it's job before you start filming because you're using the LCD to judge the focus and we're all familiar with how well that works.

    What I have been doing is focusing the shot in still mode, then switching to video and using the focus which I just set in still mode. I'm sure it will help to have a deep DOF but due to my limited lighting, I haven't had much of a chance to play with that.

    HTH.

    Wayne G
  • joglejogle Registered Users Posts: 422 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2009
    THX1965 wrote:

    "Possible with your lens" - not entirely clear if it has to be done on your lens or through the camera. Can anyone who has the 7D chime in on that? Thanks a lot in advance.

    Markus

    They just mean that any fstop that the lens can do, you can use in video mode. not every lens opens up to f1.2 and not every lens can stop down to f32.

    On the 5D mkII in manual video mode you use the thumb dial and forefinger dial for Shutter speed and aperture.
    jamesOgle photography
    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it." -A.Adams[/FONT]
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