Ducks

Although essentially all the posts on this forum so far are from DSLRs with video capability, I hope you don't mind an old-fashioned videographer putting something up for comment and critique. This piece was shot with a Canon XLH-1 high definition camcorder, progressive mode, at 30 frames per second. The camcorder has three CCD sensors (red, green, blue) total pixels 1.5 million. The lens is a Canon 100-400 zoom f/5.6, in manual mode. Gitzo Studex tripod with a Manfrotto 516 fluid head. Most scenes have been slowed to 50% of real time.
Please excuse the country western music, as part of the intended audience is duck hunters, who are used to such fare with duck-hunting videos.
Here is a link to the video: http://www.vimeo.com/8804435

Thanks for your opinions.

Steve Siegel

Seiurus Video

Ah, the XL-H1.... It called to me, but my budget forced me to settle for the XH-A1 when I purchased my camera a couple years back.

Great tracking work. Now that I think about it, with the cropping factor of the sensors, the 100-400 is a pretty good choice for a long lens on that rig. I attempted to shoot Osprey diving with a 500mm f/4 on my 5DMk2 and know what a challenge it is to keep birds in flight in frame (I'm guessing the 5D with a 500 is probably a similar field of view to the XL-H1 at the upper end of the 100-400).

Thanks for sharing,

- dave

Very cool. Great job on some very cool ducks. I liked the music too, where did you get it?

I think it will be difficult for DSLR's to compete with BIF tracking until we can actually look through the viewfinder and track the birds.

*edit - I guess I assumed you can track the subjects through the viewfinder with the XLH1, is this true?

** looks like the Zacuto Z-finder solves that problem http://store.zacuto.com/Z-Finder.html