One of the reasons we love technology is that it puts incredible, creative power into the hands of ordinary people. Laptop computers today have hundreds of times the computing power that multi-million dollar mainframes had a few decades ago. Desktop publishing software and affordable color laser printers allows literally anyone to create and publish their own newsletters right from their kitchen table. Even products like Soda Club allows ordinary folk to produce their own carbonated beverages.
One of the most amazing examples we’ve seen of new technology allowing anyone to reach their full creative potential is the capability that new digital cameras have of capturing beautiful videos. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR is probably the premier example, improving over the Nikon D90 simply because it can capture HD-quality video in addition to 21.1 megapixel still shots.
Canon USA has created a page showing off some the capabilities of the Canon 5D Mark II. The sample videos listed below were shot with various complementary Canon lenses in HD, and then the video files were edited to create the final product. The color and clarity of the videos is original; no further image adjustments or filtering was performed. For the cost of a quality espresso machine, the average citizen can have the equipment to produce professional-quality videos.
The sample videos below are beautiful to watch. What’s even more impressive is that they have been compressed 25% in resolution — the originals are 4X larger and would certainly look incredible on a 1080p HDTV.
Canon Sample Videos:
Reverie – Short video storytelling
Voyage – A day in the life of the working man along the Des Plaines River
A Three-Act Play – Capturing bridal shots using a combination of video and still shots
Shooter’s Insight – Behind the scenes and interviews with photographers that have discovered HD video with the Canon 5D Mark II
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