I’ve been watching a number of DVD‘s related to photography and the EOS 5D Mark II. Most of the titles I have purchased so far are published by Blue Crane and are of a very high quality with regard to content and instruction. As the 5D Mark II is suited to high definition video capture, I recently ordered the title Learn 5D Mark II Cinematography with Philip Bloom. Bloom is an accomplished cinematographer who has recently switched to the EOS 5D Mark II for commercial work. Like Vincent Laforet, he is trying the camera out quite extensively to determine how best to capture the content he is after.
The title is rather interesting and worth a look if any kind of digital video capture using a DSLR is of interest to you.
That said, the Canon 5D Mark II seems to be an almost incidental actor in the multi-chapter DVD Bloom presents. My assumption that the presentation would focus at least in part on some of the mechanical aspects of how to capture video using the camera was wrong: other than showing the most basic technique of how to enable video capture on the 5D Mark II, Bloom spends very little further time discussing the actual mechanics of how to interact with the camera. Important topics that include how to focus are almost completely left out and never discussed in any great detail. Though one could argue that these topics can easily be found in the camera’s manual, the title of the DVD suggests that these aspects would be covered. As a comparison, the free-to-view video by Tyler Ginter goes into a lot more depth with regard to the technical aspects of how to use the camera to capture video, including what to look out for when focussing and re-composing.
The main title runs for about one hour and comprises 24 chapters. An extra 17 minutes of workflow-related content is also provided on the DVD.
That’s not to say that Bloom‘s DVD is of no use. There are plenty of tips and tricks provided that are highly useful. A great explanation and practical example of the rolling shutter issue plaguing CMOS sensors and how to avoid issues with banding caused by electrical lighting are included. Audio synchronization and capture using external audio devices instead of the camera’s inadequate microphone is another example of valuable content. The extra section on workflow regarding the editing of video on a computer is somewhat confusing, consisting of screenshots with too much clicking without sufficient information on why certain selections are being made. Probably a no-brainer for video-savvy users, but not so for the novice.
One last comment: the inclusion of Bloom‘s company logo on every frame and every free space surrounding him is unnecessary. Having purchased the DVD and being an avid reader of his blog, I’m aware of his company and accomplishments.
That’s something one would never see on a Blue Crane title, for example.
In many ways, the DVD misses its mark, specifically because it seems to promise more than it delivers. There is no way anyone will learn cinematography with the 5D Mark II after watching this DVD. Instead, certain concepts may make more sense and certain explanations will assist with further understanding and self-study. The omission of actual camera handling techniques is serious, though plenty of other information is provided that is useful to the aspiring 5D Mark II cinematographer. I suggest the DVD to anyone who has an interest in DLSR video capture. The content is specific to the 5D Mark II only in the sense that Bloom uses that camera as a capturing device.
