On one hand it's an interesting new way to tell the story, both from in presentation and in creative terms. I mostly enjoy filming, though having to shoot stills and video can be brain-frying, as you have to think of still shots, and moving images, with two very different cameras. And then there is the problem of having to carry two sets of kit - the Nikon and a bag of lenses, and the camcorder, maybe with mics, and a light, and always with a monopod at least. Where's health and safety saying "no, too heavy", when you really need it?!
Help is at hand in the form of the new dSLRs which can also shoot video. I shall christen them vSLRs. I've never seen this term before so there, you read it here first. vSLR-copyright me!
I recently tested the Nikon D90, which is the simplest of the two vSLRs currently available(the Canon 5d Mk2 is the other, and offers a full frame sensor, 1080p movie shooting, and crucially, a mic input socket, very important for any filming of any seriousness). The D90 has an APS-C sensor, shoots 720i video, and only has a tiny, built-in mono mic. So it barely scrapes in as usable for video.
But after using it for just a few days, I realised for photographers like me who regularly have to shoot stills and video, the D90 was a revelation. No more two cameras, no more camcorder lens angle constrictions, no more 'video this but forgot to photograph that'(or vice versa). Just one camera(err, vSLR!) and a couple of button pushes to swap from video to stills, with excellent image quality for stills, and more than adequate video quality for online web use. The barely adequate sound recording is a major downside, but one has to work around this, and/or put up.
But after using it for just a few days, I realised for photographers like me who regularly have to shoot stills and video, the D90 was a revelation. No more two cameras, no more camcorder lens angle constrictions, no more 'video this but forgot to photograph that'(or vice versa). Just one camera(err, vSLR!) and a couple of button pushes to swap from video to stills, with excellent image quality for stills, and more than adequate video quality for online web use. The barely adequate sound recording is a major downside, but one has to work around this, and/or put up.
In a couple of years, every dSLR will be a vSLR. After all why not? It's easy to build in, and if a buyer doesn't want to use it, then they don't have to press the video button. For news pros, it'll be a major plus, and I'm sure some pro film-makers will also start to exploit the functionality.
I liked using the D90 so much, I bought it.
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