Photo + Video Convergence

Many of us use cameras to capture shots of our families. We may also carry around a separate video camera to record events as well.

In the last several weeks, some significant announcements have been made that affect the future of DSLRs. Both Canon and Nikon have introduced DSLR cameras that record High Definition video in addition to still images. Recording video on your camera is nothing new, but for the most part it’s been relegated to pocket digital cameras that allow you to record snippets of video at low quality. These new cameras, however, will rival the quality of most any video camera you would purchase separately at a store. I’ll tackle the biggest feature in a bit, but let’s talk briefly about the two cameras.

Nikon introduced the D90 to much fanfare. It’s a 12.9 Megapixel DSLR which can record 720p video. For Canon, the big announcement was the 5D Mark 2. It features a 21 Megapixel sensor and can record 1080p video. You can purchase the D90 now on Amazon for around $1200. The 5D Mark 2 won’t be available until November, and will run around $2600.

The biggest feature of these cameras besides the video? You get to use all of your existing lenses! So for example, if you’ve invested in a wide angle lens, or a lens with a very wide aperture (1.2 or 1.4), you can bring a look and quality to your home video productions which, until now, was very cost-prohibitive. For example, you can find plenty of HD video cameras online, but try finding 1.2 lenses for them. or a 400mm optical zoom lens. Forget about it.

Indeed, the prices of these two cameras are nothing to sneeze at. It’s a lot of money for an amateur photographer, and I would definitely have to buy some nice dinners for my wife and watch the kids more than usual to justify it for myself. But the point is that this is where photography is headed. This technology will eventually make its way down to both manufacturer’s entry-level cameras.

If you find it’s something you will be interested in, start learning about video production and lighting. Read up on lenses and how they affect the pictures you take. You can also read up dpreview.com’s excellent coverage of both the D90 and the 5D Mark 2.

Eric Doggett is a photographer in Austin, Texas. He has a site specifically forbaby photography tips at ShootTheBaby.com, as well as BoxOfficeBaby.com, a site where you can order custom birth/party announcement cards and posters - including some unique tech birth announcements. You can reach him at babydaddy -at- ShootTheBaby.com.