Digital single-lens reflex cameras bring the lens options and advanced imaging control of SLR still cameras to the digital realm. Now, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Nikon D90 DSLRs have a new feature: HD video. But before you forsake your camcorder, you should know that neither manufacturer thinks that’s a particularly good idea.

	The Nikon D90 DSLR records 720p video at 24fps. Click for Large Image

Both companies launched their HD video-capable DSLRs in the high end of their amateur products, not in their professional camera lines. Steve Heiner, Nikon senior technical manager, says the decision was made at Nikon in an effort to make sure the HD video capability could be experienced by as wide a range of customers as possible. The Nikon D90 is priced at $999.95, or $1,299 with a 18-105mm VR lens.

Canon has priced its 5D MK II camera body at $2,699. It’s also available with a zoom lens kit for $3,499. Chuck Westfall, technical advisor for Canon’s Professional Products Marketing Division, says it has enough features to be attractive to the professional market but is priced low enough for exposure in the consumer market. “It’s a good opportunity to expose the overall concept to the market,” he notes.

	According to officials, the introduction of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with HD video recording is not the beginning of the end of the company's camcorder product line. Click for Large Image

According to Heiner, the Nikon camera’s ability to record HD video evolved from the recent technological development allowing the display of live pictures on DSLR LCD screens (instead of just viewfinders). Compact digital still cameras have been able to display live pictures on LCD screens for years, but DSLRs were hindered by their use of mirrors and other components. Once engineers were able to display live video, “the next natural step was to record that ‘live view’ picture.”

Nikon’s primary customer base is not video professionals, according to Heiner, and video is not the primary reason most customers will buy the D90. “This is just another feature built into the camera.”

The Nikon D90 features a 12.3-megapixel, DX-format CMOS sensor and records to SDHC cards. It records M-JPEG, 720p video and outputs an AVI file, but can only record 24p. It’s also been criticized for its rolling shutter, which makes handheld shooting susceptible to wobbly video (also known as the “jello effect”).

	Nikon D90 sensor unit Click for Large Image

Shooting HD video is limited to about five-minute continuous shots, which equates to a 400-600MB file. In the case of the Nikon, the time limit is a result of heat generated on the sensor while recording HD video—after a few minutes of capturing video, it gets too hot and automatically shuts off.

With its various limitations, Heiner says the D90 is more of a “clip” maker, and it was never really meant to replace professional camcorders. “If anything, it’s bringing more tools to bear to create what amounts to a multimedia device.”

For Canon, which has an established professional camcorder presence, “The real issue technologically was getting an image processor that was strong enough to produce HD video at a reasonable price,” explains Westfall. Essentially, the company’s DIGIC 4 processor has overcome the technological stumbling block of sampling at 30fps.

In contrast to the D90, the 5D MK II’s CMOS sensor captures 1920x1080p images and outputs 1080i H.264 video at 30fps. (It also shoots 21-megapixel stills.) Because the camera records to CompactFlash, file size is limited to 4GB, which provides approximately 12 minutes of record time per take. You can also record to an external USB drive or PC, but the file size limitation still exists.

	The Zacuto DSLR Filmmaker Kit, shown here with the Nikon D90, is one of several support configurations available. Click for Large Image

So, is the Canon 5D Mark II the beginning of the end for Canon’s professional camcorder line? Is this a destructive technology hell-bent on permanently converging the worlds of still and video acquisition?

Um, no.

Westfall describes the 5D MK II as “primarily a still camera with a full-HD feature. There are a lot of reasons why this camera is not a replacement for a camcorder.”

Arguably the biggest knock on the current DSLRs is their limited audio capability. The Nikon D90 has an internal microphone, which can be turned off, but the camera offers no other audio input. The Canon 5D MK II has a built-in monaural microphone in the camera body as well as a mini-jack that can accommodate a stereo mic; however, while the camera records CD-quality audio (16-bit, 44.1 kHz), there is no manual audio control, no way to monitor audio levels and no headphone jack. Both cameras include a built-in speaker.

Westfall says Canon is really getting behind the integration of HD video acquisition in still cameras, which he thinks is an important trend in the market. “It’s pretty clear that this is a feature whose time has come.”

Canon officials will not comment on plans for additional digital still cameras with HD video capability for the United States. However, the company has already introduced the PowerShot SX1 IS overseas, a digital still camera with a smaller form factor (and price tag) that also features the DIGIC 4 processor and HD video recording.

It’s important to remember that this is only the first generation of DSLRs with HD video capability. So, while it might not be time to retire your camcorder quite yet, this technology is only going to improve. “You will see more of this in the future,” Heiner says. “I guarantee it.”

Accessories for Your DSLR
Third-party suppliers are already responding with accessories to support DSLR video. For example, BeachTek is developing the DXA-5D, a custom adapter for the 5D MK II that fits on the bottom of the camera. It features two balanced XLR inputs with phantom power, as well as built-in level meters and headphone jack. According to BeachTek, the DXA-5D should be ready in early spring.

Meanwhile, Zacuto already has a line of balanced DSLR Baseplate Kits, which allow you to add accessories much like you would for a camcorder. The baseplate with Z-Spacer is designed to accommodate the low lens mounts on DSLR cameras so you can use a matte box or follow focus. You can also add an articulating arm, onboard monitor and more. The kits can be used with a tripod, shoulder mount, dolly or handheld.