Fishing the Rock Creek
photo by Matthew J. Beard
After filming and shooting photos with the high depth Canon Rebel T2i, this is my take on the camera/camcorder-in-one which films in HD with great depth, and snapshot photos with a good contrast of ISO and F-stop features.
Photo by Matthew J. Beard
I didn’t look at the manual, but rather I went ahead and just started using it, figuring out things along the way. I find this is the best way to do it if you have previous experience and knowledge of professional camera/camcorder equipment. There are just some things you can’t get from manuals.
Bad things:
The battery is not efficient and needs charging frequently. Bring a spare! Filming anything takes the most energy out of the small battery which can be taken out of the camera’s bottom end from a small slot. If you get the “switch battery” warning sign while filming, here’s a tip: turning the camera off, take the battery out and then in again, flip it back on, and you can squeeze maybe 2 minutes out of it until the camera won’t turn on again; unless the battery is charged.
The focus is hard to maneuver in manual mode, and this is bothersome when you’re shooting fast things like for sports as an example. If your shoot is last second and you are in a rush, go ahead and milk the auto mode until you give yourself time to learn manual mode on other shoots. I wouldn’t recommend this camera for fast sports photography.
The data storage is very limiting with a smaller chip, so spend a little more for the 16 GB or more chip on this one. If you are filming and snapping shots at the same time, this takes up more space on your chip quicker.
The camcorder mode doesn’t have great sound, so if this is important to your filming, look into buying or renting microphones and attachments.
Photo by Matthew J. Beard
Good things:
You just have to love the freedom of a great ISO and F-stop from a Canon! I was surprised at the variety of contrast I could get just by experimenting with the ISO and different color balances.
Great depth of field and clarity. The sensor on this thing can make an amateur look professional.
If you are on a limited budget, this is a wise investment, especially if you are just breaking into the professional field. However, a seasoned professional can also make a great looking film with it.
I’d recommend this to any student majoring in photography or photojournalism. If you’re looking into sports photography, keep looking! I think this camera/camcorder can be used wisely for art photography and documentary film work, but it’s all in how much time you are willing to put into this device to get your art to reflect your style.
More Pictures from Rock Creek Fishing, part of outdoor photography by Matthew J. Beard