Based on tests and info we have seen the Video DSLR to buy is still in the making. This means spending more on FF fast lenses and simply renting the bodies needed to produce the job.  The question then becomes why EOS or FD fast glass when the verdict is still out as to which company will design a DSLR with Video in mind. The short answer is found in the still images and quality found in both the manual FD and the third party savings found in the EOS mount fast glass.

We like metal manual fast glass over anything made in plastic, & yes we like several different mounts other than the FD. If the fast lens will also shoot in AF mode as well as manual so much the better with regard to any potential resale. There are those who have not found manual lenses as yet. That may be many years in the discovery phase as most consumers are still learning the basics.

So why is the ideal Video DSLR still on the drawing board? No one seems to understand how powerful the potential for this market is as yet. They know the DSLR still market. They know the Video cam market & perhaps they like the idea of gaining a third market in the Video DSLR while keeping the other two worlds apart as they mature. They also know the point and shoot market. Until the video pro demands a Video DSLR that is affordable and produces cine quality images with 35mm film like quality nothing changes. That maybe 1 year away, it maybe 4 years away but at some point one of the major companies will see the value in taking the lead.

That leader will have IS in the body which make keep Canon behind as they are still finding profit in their IS glass. That leader will produce a body that understands video is ideally shot with less resolution, not more. Anything else is going to cause more problems than it attempts to correct. This is the reason the ideal Video DSLR is not out now. The consumer knows that more pixels make for a better still image in photography. What they don’t know is anything over 4K in Video is over kill.

It looks like the leader will be Scarlet but there is no telling how much that is going to end up costing before they are done. The lenses have been posted at $1K per lens which is $500 more per lens than should be needed. The other problem with their lenses is they are PL mount with a smaller sensor which will not work on full frame DSLR bodies.

Canon may wake up and grab the market since it has the early lead with the 1D Mark1V however the guess is that will only come about with the 1Ds pro line and you can bet it will cost a pretty penny. Or they may produce a whole new model that is HD Video designed from the start. This is the bet that makes the most sense at this time. If Canon falls they still produce great DLSR bodies that will always need Fast Primes for a fair price. Keep in mind the L Series lenses are not cheap.