On the ground here shooting video in Vancouver, Canada. For this one, I decided to go lightweight.
As much as I like the Canon C100 Mark II camera (beautiful image and all-round superb ergonomics) and, of course, adore the new RED Raven digital cinema cam, sometimes you just want to be discrete. And the new Canon EOS 80D is perfect for that. It looks every bit like a traditional DSLR camera, yet it offers up 1080p video with Canon’s killer Dual-Pixel auto-focus system.
I recorded a bunch of footage in and around Vancouver using the “Neutral” profile. For these “dailies” I applied an Alexa LUT in Premiere — the idea was to give it a dreamy/filmic look. Whether or not I succeeded is debatable. But what I like about doing quick turnarounds on the road with footage is that I can get a sense of the look, and then work on a proper storyboard and overall video package later back in the edit suite.
In this segment, Loni takes the SkyTrain to New Westminster. Located about 30 minutes East of downtown Vancouver, “New West” is a hotbed for artists. Sure enough, Loni finds an artist collective, and signs up for some oil painting lessons.
Shooting with the 80D is a treat. Just like ones I’ve owned before it — 70D, 60D and Rebel T2i — Canon seems to know how to get the ergonomics just right, so every button and dial is right where you want it. I do wish the 80D came with a histogram for gauging exposure. And focus peaking would be welcome for times when manual focus is the best choice. Still, overall the 80D impresses.
You can watch the quick cut below (edited in Premiere Pro on a MacBook Air).
Meantime, the West Coast adventure continues. Look soon for more camera updates — Canon and RED. Plus, film festivals, indie music, and the arts… and a dash of unpredictable wanderlust. All here on Stark Insider.