The DSLR Cinematography Guide

What you need to know to make beautiful, inexpensive movies using a DSLR.

Now available as an updated, expanded eBook — and still 100% free. Subscribe here to receive the free PDF!

If you find this guide helpful, please buy your DSLR gear from the Amazon and B&H Photo links here.

Introduction

That “movie mode” hidden in the menu system of your new DSLR? It’s not just a novelty feature. It’s nothing short of a revolutionary, democratizing, disruptive moviemaking technology, as important as the invention of color film, 16mm, or HDTV. Not convinced? I’ve written more about how the DSLR is affecting the future of not only cinematography but also photography, as well as how their low-light sensitivity enables a whole new generation of international filmmakers to tell their story. However, the proof is in the pudding, so here are ten examples of stunning DSLR cinematography. Zacuto‘s Great Camera Shootout 2010 is another great demonstration of what DSLRs are capable of when compared to (much more expensive) 35mm film cameras.

As for my own DSLR qualifications, I recently shot two episodes of the WBP Labs/Babelgum show RADAR on a Nikon D90; several behind-the-scenes videos for Focus Features on a Canon 5d Mark II; some other DSLR footage I can’t yet talk about publicly; and I’ve lensed plenty of pre-DSLR projects (e.g. The West Side, or a music video I shot when I was 19).

Digital cinematography is changing so rapidly these days that a printed book on the subject will likely be outdated by the time it reaches store shelves; this is especially true when it comes to the rapid release cycle of DSLRs. Up-to-date information can be found on online forums, but forums lack the organizing principles of a book, and as a result it can take a ludicrously long time to piece together reliable information (I spent months forum-surfing to assemble my own camera package). Thus, this guide: I hope it saves readers money they would’ve otherwise spent on an out-of-date book, and I hope it saves forums from so many newbie — sorry, “n00b” — questions.

DSLRs (often called HDSLRs or VDSLRs now) are a great enabler on the “no film school” front, as they are priced to own and allow aspiring filmmakers to follow the “buy a camera and learn” lesson plan. But as with any creative tool, a DSLR is only as good as the person using it — because, while these cameras offer a world of advantages, they also come with a considerable set of drawbacks. However, these drawbacks are worth dealing with in order to get the kind of amazing images possible with an imaging sensor that has twenty to thirty times more surface area than that of a similarly priced, dedicated video camera. To emphasize: these cameras are not designed to shoot movies. Their primary function remains to shoot still photos, but it just so happens that they shoot amazing video very inexpensively, and for that they are worth tinkering with, hacking, and jumping through a number of hoops to use. And make no mistake: to modify these still cameras to behave like “real” movie cameras, there are a lot of hoops to jump through (thus the length of this guide), but you will be rewarded by using a camera that many of us could only dream of a few years ago, for cheaper than any of us imagined.

This guide assumes some basic knowledge of moving images, such as exposure, shutter speed, focal length, and frame rate. It focuses on the technical challenges unique to DSLR cinematography — it won’t teach you how to light scenes, stage camera movements, or cook a full English breakfast. It will, however, give you a huge jump start in figuring out how to make beautiful, inexpensive movies using a DSLR.

I can only take credit for a small percentage of the knowledge here. The vast majority of it comes from terrific user forums like DV Info, Cinema5d, DVXuser, REDuser, and Creative COW; news sites like FreshDV, Pro Video Coalition, and Planet5D; and noted DSLR users like Philip Bloom, Dan Chung, Vincent LaForet, Jon Fairhurst, Stu Maschwitz, and Shane Hurlbut (not to mention firmware luminary Tramm Hudson). I’ve tried to credit and link to others wherever possible, but ultimately this is one person’s opinion. I’ve taken a lot of findings from the forums and aforementioned users, combined them with my own experiences, and distilled everything down into one time-saving guide. Plenty of people will disagree with some of what I say here, so please make the forums your first stop after reading this guide. Let me repeat: if you have questions, take them to the forums — you’ll get a faster response and benefit from the wisdom of the crowd. Finally, take into account the crucial fact that this guide is free! It’s saving a lot of people a lot of time, and it costs nothing, so with that in mind, please keep your comments and suggestions constructive.

The guide is organized in order of basic-to-advanced, meaning you can read it from start to finish if you’re new to DSLR cinematography, or jump around using the pull-down table of contents (top right) if you’re a seasoned vet. Without further ado, click “Next” to get started!

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COMMENT POLICY

We’re all here for the same reason: to better ourselves as writers, directors, cinematographers, producers, photographers... whatever our creative pursuit. Criticism is valuable as long as it is constructive, but personal attacks are grounds for deletion; you don't have to agree with us to learn something. We’re all here to help each other, so thank you for adding to the conversation!

330 COMMENTS

leepback on 01.21.10 @ 11:18PM

I’ve only skim read this so far but this is exactly the kind of thing I need.
I’m sure thisi will become a bible to many newbies like myself.

Amazing – thanks for all your hard work.

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Andy Taplin on 01.22.10 @ 12:49PM

I can vouch for the information in here which fits with my own research after many, many hours on the web. Well done Ryan for condensing all this info into a very clear summary. Looking forward to the rest.

The ‘West Side’ looks great by the way!

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Raafi on 01.22.10 @ 3:05PM

thanks for this guide, Ryan. Having all this information in one place is super-useful. I’ve been telling myself since December that 2010 is the year I take the DSLR plunge. Now I know how.

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Eric D on 01.22.10 @ 6:11PM

Thank you very much for this comprehensive guide and resource. Having just purchased a 5D2, your guide has helped me with some very important purchasing decisions and valuable tips on how to get started. I look forward to your updates.

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Tim on 01.23.10 @ 1:56AM

Great work of information here. I’ll be sure to post this link on my blog!

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Amy T. on 01.23.10 @ 5:02AM

Lot’s of incorrect information. some of it attributed to people who should know better. Other information is just opinion, and not particularly well conceived. It would take too long to go through this and correct everything point by point. Readers be cautioned.

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- Ryan on 01.23.10 @ 12:24PM
  
  Amy, if there is indeed “lot’s [sic] of incorrect information” here, how about helping others by pointing out which sections need correcting? If you think “it would take too long” to correct the guide, believe me: it took a hell of a lot longer to put together.
  
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- Josh Dahlberg on 01.24.10 @ 8:11PM
  
  Amy what an incredibly unhelpful comment, get a life! This is superb work Ryan – like you I was an early adopter of the 5DmkII (and subsequently the 7D) and had to find out a lot of this information by myself. You’ve put together an excellent guide for people making the transition; I can’t find fault with it at all. Of course comments on lens aethetics etc are subjective, but your opinions are well informed. Succinct, well written, vital information, readers rejoice!>
  
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  - Andrew Richards on 01.25.10 @ 11:24AM
    
    I agree with Josh. Any’s comments aren’t constructive or helpful at all.
    
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Andrew Richards on 01.25.10 @ 11:17AM

Hi Ryan,

So very helpful. I haven’t been able to read through it all yet. I wish I had this resource a year ago when I bought my 5D MII. One thing I would add concerning the ML firmware is that it doesn’t run with Canon’s most recent firmware release for the 5D (1.2.4). ML 0.1.6 is compatible with 5D 1.1.0 only (last I checked) Sorry if you have already mentioned this and I missed it.

http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Release_0.1.6#Download_link

I believe Hudson is waiting for Canon’s 5D 24p firmware update that is rumored to be released in the spring. I haven’t figured out how to reload the 1.1.0, but I love to take bulb shots (astrophotography) and so I may wait for the matching ML update for Canon’s 24p firmware update.

Thank you 10,000 times.

- Andrew

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Christopher on 01.26.10 @ 2:20AM

First to the Troll called Amy – the only thing “not particularly well conceived” is your ungrateful, sniveling comment.

Ryan –

I particularly liked the section on lenses. Never knew the tidbit about using Contex – I’ve been buying Zeiss ZF (it hurts) but if I had to start again, I would totally follow the advice on this front.

When you do create the LCD portion, talk in terms of the 1D MK IV and 7D being better because of the “non switching” HDMI output. Also, now the Manhattan LCD is coming out with new models, I’d love some of your input on that.

Overall, a compelling piece of legwork here.
Thank you for helping other filmmakers!

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Ken Evans on 01.27.10 @ 8:29AM

What a brilliant article!

Well informed and with a ton of good info on what this video DSLR thing really means.

For me the only thing that lets it down is the codec. H.264 is lossy and doesn’t have unique frames, long GOP etc, but transcode to ProRes 422 can help that.

You’ll never get the same level of info in the picture or the amount ot RAW playability as a RED for that reason but it’s a great alternative and will give those on a small budget a great look!

Well done, I’m forwarding this like crazy!

Ken Evans – DOP.

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Zac Williams on 01.27.10 @ 5:05PM

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I appreciate the unbiased and comprehensive information. Case in point, I’m using a Tascam DR-100 and love it. I can run a line out of the DR-100 with the headphone jack set on 2 and have a back up audio track that for many uses sounds OK. So thanks for mentioning the options regardless of your disappointing experience with the Tascam.

Definite quality stuff. I’m still reading and learning. Thanks!!!

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Marcial Reiley on 01.29.10 @ 7:35PM

This is the best, most straight-forward summary I’ve found. Thank you.

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Dewet van Rooyen on 02.4.10 @ 4:52AM

Well done. I’ve bookmarked this page and intend to reference it often.

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sesa on 02.4.10 @ 3:51PM

Thank you from Italy.

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Cycle Freak on 02.6.10 @ 12:44PM

Excellent article! Thanks for taking the time and energy to demystify this DSLR/Video mystery. So much more informative than spending an hour with a clueless salesman at the local high-end camera shop. Please keep us posted as to when might we see a cooling fix for these cameras so that longer form documentary shooting becomes viable.

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Carlos on 02.7.10 @ 4:33PM

I Can´t wait for the rest of the article like follow focus…you were so helpful!! thanks a lot. You´ve put togheter a thousand hours for people like us, lost into the forums…websites…thanks again!

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Paula on 02.7.10 @ 5:32PM

Wow, thanks, very much. This article is awesome. AWESOME! :D

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Brett on 02.8.10 @ 11:55AM

This is a good overview however I would like to see more real and useful info in the transcoding section as this is really the biggest hurdle to get over. For example, Apple ProRes 422 1080p is not included in Mpeg stream clip. You have to have final cut or premier already installed to have that codec available. I have been using Vegas on a PC to edit. It can work with native files without transcoding but the video play back stutters.

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Abram on 02.8.10 @ 1:53PM

Ryan,

Wow that was such an incredible article you’ve written! I’m learning all about DSLR video myself because I now have to incorporate it into my professional workflow. I never really thought I would have to become a filmmaker, but I really am enjoying the new challenges and experience it has afforded me.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to write this up, I look forward to the continuation of the articles!

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manufacturedcontent on 02.9.10 @ 2:10AM

Great stuff.

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Worldstuffer on 02.9.10 @ 11:16AM

Great article, waiting for the rest of the section. Here is the general article about 7D with specifications and videos http://www.worldstuffer.com/forum/video-photo/Canon_EOS_7D_Digital_SLR_id247

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Tyler Ford on 02.9.10 @ 3:56PM

Nice! well done. If I was the queen I’d knight you right now but I’m not…Sorry. The question is: when is Nikon going to get off it’s a$$ and offer something.

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Jane S. on 02.9.10 @ 4:47PM

Great resource! Thanks so much!

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Stephen Henderson on 02.10.10 @ 12:12AM

Thanks so much Ryan for putting this together, will be checking back for updates.
My biggist worry is overheating, but I’m thinking of buying the new Canon 550D.
BTW, great job on West Side!

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Andy Frazer on 02.10.10 @ 1:31AM

This was very useful, but a bit incomplete. I downloaded and installed MPEG Streamclip. It does successfully convert 7D HD files to SD .avi files that play smoothly on a PC and can be edited in Premiere Pro.

But as Brett pointed out last week, you wrote:

“In MPEG Streamclip, for maximum quality batch-convert your footage into Apple ProRes 422 1080p”

I’ve played with every option available in MPEG Streamclip, and I’m quite sure that Apple ProRes-anything is not one of the available options. And neither is XDCAM. This is basically a great tutorial, but I think you left out an important step. In fact, I can’t get MPEG Streamclip to convert HD input to HD output, even if I specify 1920-x1080 (it still comes out as SD 720×480).

Can you suggest what I might be doing wrong?

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- Ryan on 02.10.10 @ 2:40AM
  
  Brett was right — if you don’t have Final Cut Pro installed, you won’t have the extensive list of codec options. Cineform Neo Scene is a good option for non-FCP users, but it costs $100; I’ll update the guide to better explain this.
  
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Proskurin Kirill on 02.10.10 @ 2:56AM

Hello.

Thank you for that great job – it is near a bible for beginers DSLR filmmakers.
But how can we stay tuned for updates on this page? Just check time after time?

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- Ryan on 02.10.10 @ 2:41PM
  
  Stay tuned to the RSS or email feeds (links are at top right in the sidebar). I’ll announce any significant updates to the guide as part of the site’s regular updates; there should be a new version next week.
  
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  - Proskurin Kirill on 02.11.10 @ 3:33AM
    
    Got it!
    
    Waiting article for follow focus & Field monitor.
    And it will be great if you explain even more detail about chosing a lenses.
    It is really hard to chose if you don`t have an expirience.
    
    Reply
Greg Poschman on 02.10.10 @ 7:21PM

Ryan- this is great! I look forward to watching it evolve. Thanks for the discussion on ISO.
Great info on lenses. I’d like to see more on color grading, which remains the big mystery for me. I hear CANON will soon release a plug in for ingesting to FCP.- any truth to this rumor?

Keep me in mind when posting the LCD viewfinder section. Ergonometrically, DSLRs have a long way to go to match the ease of use of broadcast video and film cameras.
I built an adapter for using a broadcast electronic (CRT) viewfinder with the 5D/7D. It works great for handheld documentary follow focus, and will power external monitors, accessories, etc. Also have a 3″ orientable LCD and a small LCD viewfinder in the works.
Looking forward to seeing more. thanks again.

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Dave barnes on 02.11.10 @ 12:56AM

Very good information. I have been shooting for years, own 5 different cameras and use the D5 for all our high end work. The links have helped with equipment, and the videos as well. I am always up to learning something new, and thanks for some good information.

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Amy on 02.11.10 @ 5:57AM

“if your camera cost $1k, you certainly shouldn’t be spending a larger amount on a basic support system”

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what is wrong with this blog. The camera should be the least expensive portion of a DSLR package.

It’s fine if you want to self-educate, but really just because you read something on the web it doesn’t make it true. This is almost enough to inspire me to write my own guide.

Amy

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Amy on 02.11.10 @ 6:06AM

Fine. I’m going to go through this and pick it apart and get back to you. So what if I did not go into the wrongness the first time around, pointing out a problem with content is not trolling.

It may not be enjoyable to hear that you are wrong. However, it is wrong to feel insulted when someone is trying to help keep you from looking clueless.

Look forward to my next comment, assuming I’m not banned after this one.

Amy

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- Ryan on 02.11.10 @ 2:55PM
  
  Amy — wow. Did I run over your cat in real life or something?
  
  Listen, I said at the end of the guide, “if you have any corrections or suggestions — please let me know in the comments below.” There’s a way to do this constructively and help others, as some of the other commenters have done. Or you can attack the guide’s “wrongness” and “pick it apart.” Feel free to do so, but please save us from statements like “The camera should be the least expensive portion of a DSLR package.”
  
  Really, if I buy a camera for $3k I should spend $4k on a matte box? Give me a break. Get a RED if you’ve got that much cash.
  
  I’m all for openness, which is why anyone’s free to post a comment here — sans moderation. But if you can’t say your piece nicely, please feel free to follow up on that threat to write your own guide elsewhere.
  
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Gary on 02.11.10 @ 7:59AM

Ryan thanks for this tutorial, I have a 5D Mark II and it gave me a better idea of the things I need to know before, during and after creating a project. Its very detailed with nice clips that help visual guys like me.
Once again thank u

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