The Future of DSLR Video
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When the DSLR first became a video tool, it was an exciting time that took most by surprise and forced an entire industry to reexamine where it was headed. For a relatively long time (in terms of technology), video cameras in this price range had sported fixed lens, with only a select few 35mm adaptors to allow for the interchangeability of lenses. With the addition of adaptors, ‘flip’ units and then the lenses themselves, camera rigs could oftentimes become unwieldy to the point of being much larger than a similarly capable broadcast HD camera… just at a fraction of the cost.
As that continued, filmmakers and other narrative content producers would grouse about the lack of options, though nothing ever came of it. In late 2008/early 2009, this changed.
The introduction of a full frame sensor in a body that was lightweight, affordable (relatively speaking) and most importantly, seemingly capable of shooting HD 1920×1080 video footage at 24p changed everything. It was a move that was never anticipated nor planned for by that manufacturer. Their thought was to provide video capabilities for photojournalists and perhaps provide a small dent in that market’s share. It is not disputed that the manufacturer was just as surprised as anyone else that filmmakers everywhere began latching onto the new technology. And not just filmmakers, but event videographers, corporate video producers, commercial dp’s and more quickly followed suit. The onslaught of sales and buzz quickly built to a fever frenzy, which led to additional follow-up cameras. Many professional camera operators and production company owners I know went ahead and bought one to meet demand, but also due to the affordability… it was a far cry from a Varicam body (and by no means in the same class, just illustrating that it was a minimal investment).
From an insider’s perspective, it was fascinating to watch events unfold… a microcosm of the cliched ‘history in the making’ as it were (and no, I do not for one second classify this trend as history… but it bears studying to dig and discover how and why it came about). Camera manufacturers sat up and took notice. Business strategies and timetables were shifted… in some cases, far beyond what they had been. The massive acceptance continued with the Canon 7D and then the 1D Mark 4. Panasonic, Sony and Nikon each had their entries into the market, but the watershed was with the 5D Mark 2.
It opened up new possibilities and set off an arms race amongst accessory manufacturers. Fortunately, ikan happened to be in the right place at the right time with two HDMI monitors that were affordable and had enough initial features to attract the buying public. This resulted in record sales for the ikan corporation. Other manufacturers were also hard at work developing systems that would transform the small bodies into something usable by video professionals.
Which brings us into the present day.
As the entire market has now shifted in order to accommodate a new feature-set for price range, the question hangs in the air… what does the future of dslr video look like? The answer can be found in answering three major questions.
First off, will the dslr die at the hands of another type of camera? Of course not. Is this form of filmmaking going to “die?” No. It’s not going anywhere. In short, too many players have too high stakes in that horse to allow it to die off completely anytime soon. Camera manufacturers, support gear makers, celebs, blogs and forums all have too much to lose if the dslr was to cease usage as a video tool. So too, would the massive numbers of consumers who purchased the cameras and have geared up and outfitted them for video. Do people suddenly just sell it all off? Of course, a very few may. But by no stretch of the imagination have we seen the end of dslr video at the hands of another type of camera.
Then, how will the total video producer market shake out? That is completely fragmenting, largely determined by price and usage. Anyone can now purchase a camera that shoots 1080p video. Most can now purchase multiples. Which cameras those are will be based on price and the types of work being shot. Many will continue to rent. With more choices than ever before, the market will continue to settle into various niches, each needing a specific set of features and requiring its own support. To see how the dslr community will end up, look no further than the RED user camp. These are content creators who are deeply committed to a brand and type of camera and they will continue buying along those lines, so long as that manufacturer continues putting out new cameras. DSLR content creators will shake out roughly the same way.
Lastly, where will consumer demand take us? What will the agencies, the brides & grooms and the many viewers of our created content demand of us? We know what we want in a camera. We know how we want our images, our lenses, our codecs and our media. We know which brand of follow focus we want and which mattebox will work best for us, or even if we need one. But the one thing we cannot be quite so sure about is what our clients – the consumer – will require of us, moving forward. Many a content creator has been asked by an agency to shoot on a specific camera simply because they had heard good things about it. I have seen 3D become of interest with numerous feature films and even wedding films being shot and finished in 3D. And then there is the HDR movement… shooting and delivering footage – or even whole projects – with this finish. But who knows where that may take us in the coming months and years?
Don’t get me wrong… I enjoy shooting with my 7D. It’s lightweight, easy to maneuver and can often be a solid solution (albeit, not the only one). But in a pluralized, hyphenated society, where convergence is becoming the order of the day and the lines are blurring, where will we be in 3 months? 6 months? A year?
Only time will tell and I can’t wait to find out. ;-)
