We're witnessing a convergence in the word of photography and videography, and it's an unusual one if you consider the history of the technology. For years, digital video cameras offered the capability to shoot still pictures, while digital still cameras often allowed the photographer to capture short video clips. For a variety of technical reasons neither cross-over solution was particularly impressive. If you wanted to shoot good video, you used a camera built primarily for video, and if you wanted still shots, a DSLR was the typical choice.
This article at Wired.com gives a bang-up description of the technological convergence taking place, and it is fascinating reading. The short story is that with new cameras hitting the market, such as the Canon 5D Mark II, the world of digital still and video photography is being turned on its head. Imagine a 21 megapixel DSLR that shoots full-frame while using the amazing Canon L-series glass. Now imagine that same camera shooting full 1080p video with a pricetag of about $2300, without the lenses. That dual-purpose capability at that price point is simply amazing!
We are witnessing the beginning of a fundamental shift in our visual image-capturing paradigm. And I think I've just figured out what I want for this Christmas.
- Hap Aziz