Able CineTech has put together an HDSLR camera comparison chart . They've also made it a down-loadable PDF file too. However, I'm not sure why the Nikon D90 isn't included since they started the whole HDSLR trend.

At the time I made Rejouer, I only had the Canon 5D and GH1 to consider for making a feature movie. As you can see by the chart the GH1 provided a few advantages 24p, 1080 x 192o resolution and a disadvantage of no "live" monitor output. The chart also lists the GH1 as the only camera that can have a PL mounted cinema lense attached to it. That is because my technical consultant, Illya Friedman of Hot Rod Cameras created the adapter specifically to shoot Rejouer. This allowed us not only to capture a greater image using higher quality lenses, but also an easier work-flow on set since the lenses were designed for motion picture use, not still photography.

Oliver Peters at digitalfilms has an article on cutting Canon 5D HDSLR footage in Avid because FCP can't achieve a needed effect (a speed ramp) as well as FluidMotion does in Media Composer.

I'll be at the Entertainment Technology Expo breakfast this Thursday, Feb. 18th. Come, let's meet up and we can discuss HDSLR moviemaking. I'd love to hear about your project and let you know what I've learned about this new format.

Createasphere/EXPLORE: Entertainment Technology Exposition
FEBRUARY 18, 2010 | Universal Hilton | Universal City, CA

DSLR Video Track
Sponsored by Carl Zeiss

Welcome to the DSLR Video Track of the February 18th Entertainment Technology Expo. The world of filmmaking and photography are merging and it is exciting to see video DSLR education added to this event.

In addition to the workshops, there will be a video DSLR breakfast meet-up and orientation with interesting guests and great door prizes. Coffee and donuts should help get the ball rolling along with a quick rundown of the days DSLR topics. The Expo includes a trade show floor with access to some of the top companies involved in video DSLR and digital cinema. If you are serious about DSLR video, this is a no brainer.

• 10:00 AM-11:00 AM - DSLR Breakfast MeetUp and Orientation
  Thank you for your interest in the Video DSLR Breakfast Meet-up. This event is sold-out with the exception of workshop attendees who pre-register for "From the Camera to the Web - Your Files and What to Do With Them", or "Sound - An Audio Primer for DSLR and Small Crew Productions". If you are not planning on attending one of these workshops, please arrive early and sign up on the waiting list.
• 11:00 AM-1:00 PM - Canon Intensive Workshop - Canon EOS HD Video: New ideas. New Technologies
• 1:30 PM-3:30 PM - Transcoding Workshop: From the Camera to the Web - Your Files and What to Do With Them
  
• 4:00 PM-6:00 PM - Sound Workshop: An Audio Primer for DSLR and Small Crew Productions
  

Gizmodo has a good technical article (Why ISO is the new Megapixel) on the importance of ISO to your HDSLR camera.

HDSLR cameras are getting me closer to my personal holy grail, to only bring actors and a camera to set. Okay, okay, I know, I know, I also need sound, props, wardrobe etc... However, the point being that a camera's dynamic range effects how much available light you can use on set, which informs how much support equipment you'll bring, how many people y0u'll need to man it and how long it'll take to set up. All of these things add up to time and money.
In low budget moviemaking you quickly learn that what is in the screenplay or director's head may not necessarily be achievable at the actual location and to create it is beyond your budget or time constraints. So you must accept it and play the environment for what it is as opposed to what was envisioned. This limitation can be a blessing because if you don't fret over making everything precious, then you can concentrate on what is necessary - good acting and enough coverage of it so the audience can emotionally connect to the characters and clearly understand their situation. You'll essentially be rewriting your movie scene by scene in the editing bay using the footage you shot on set. So the greater the camera's use of available light, the more it can reduce set up time on set. Thus, giving you more footage in the editing bay to better help shape the movie. And who among us when screening our movies for others hasn't said to themselves during a particular scene or two, "if I only had more time to get another take I would've done it differently."

You can see the Hot Rod Cameras' PL Mount for the Panasonic GH1 we used on Rejouer in an article on HDSLR camera's in this month's (Feb. 2010) edition of HD Video Pro. It features a behind the scenes picture of the GH1 attached to a camera body rig (designed by our camera operator and additional DP, Carl Ratajski) harnessed to our lead actor, Lancer Dean Shull.

Canon, the company that understands the fast growing HDSLR filmmaking movement more than any other camera manufacture introduces an even more affordable HDSLR camera - the Canon EOS 550D/ Rebel T2i.

Get the full review at DP Review.

This unique workflow package allows the user to choose to edit in 1080p, 1080i or straight to standard definition 16x9 25fps. Custom droplets give one click access to compressor that will convert the H264 files into ProRes for editing. The user also has a choice whether to make the clip realtime (i.e. 30fps to 25fps) or timestretch so that one frame in 30fps is one frame in 25fps. This will result in a slowdown of 20% for pin-sharp results.

Compressor droplets are supplied to get the final 1080p/i self contained movie into standard definition 16x9 too. Easy to follow workflow diagrams help plot the conversions needed to get the best quality from a Canon camera’s 30fps HD files to 25fps. You can download it here.

Rejouer was shot on the Panasonic GH1 and the videos you see on this site are hosted at Vimeo. However, Vimeo did not support the AVCHD video format native to the GH1 back when I originally posted these videos. So I applaud the inclusion of the AVCHD support and see it as another sign that HDSLR cameras are changing the expectations of video quality on the web.

Here's a blog article titled, Vimeo Adds 1080p, AVCHD Support, by Scott Simmons of Studio Daily commenting on this new development.