Nikon D90 - video footage good or bad?

[fast eddie]

I've been looking at getting the Nikon D90 because I want a camera with video capability, built-in flash commander function, and a good sensor. everything i've read about the d90 makes me want to get it and not the D5000. has anyone used a D90 and can comment about how the video footage looks with filming motion with panning involved?

I only am interested in a Nikon because I have two Nikkor lenses, an SB-600, extra batteries, bag and a Nikon remote that I can use from a different setup.

Thanks!

[StarScream]

http://vimeo.com/6280223

http://vimeo.com/7847396

sorry for the big picts.

Handheld is difficult, try pan slow and use a tripod as soon as you use longer than 24mm lenses.
Also there is no manual mode, so you need to trick out the cam and lock it the right moment.

You should use manual, and most important, fast lenses.

i shoot with a 5D and a d90 and even when the 5D is a much better camera to film, the D90 gives me really nice colors and a lot of randomness witch i like.

my setup (works also for 5D and other DSLR's 9

http://fottergraph.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/34-pola.jpg

http://fottergraph.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/rodent_top.jpg

[fast eddie]

holy shit, that is awesome. is it expensive to rig it up like that? can you share some links to where i could buy the stuff to make a rig? :D also, what do you do for audio, since you can't hook up an external mic? is the sound quality pretty bad?

[StarScream]

i actually built this one form spare parts, can't tell you ho much it was.

it's some noname mattebox, followfocus from a crappy indian company (i don't care the reputation of the company, as long as it does its job)
The rodsystem are form our old Letus adapter, the inbetween parts are mady by myself and the monitor is some 3" thing wich was designed as a remotecontrolsomething, but its ok for
what i need it.
the audio is ok for rollerblading sounds, if i need good audio i work with an external recording device.

[al dolega]

The D90's video is pretty severely limited compared to Canon. No manual controls, and rolling shutter is especially bad, which pretty much kills your panning capabilities. You can mount Nikon lenses on Canon bodies with an adapter, but will be limited to shooting fully manually (which you will be doing in video anyways), and if they're "G" Nikon lenses, controlling the aperture will be a pain in the ass.

I would seriously consider switching your system over to Canon. The T2i is the same price as the D90 and absolutely blows it out of the water as far as video is concerned. Photo-wise I believe it's equivalent or even a bit better, I haven't researched bodies at that level in a while though.

I think the D90 has a 1/8" audio input, but it has automatic gain control like most other DSLR's, so it's almost useless for serious audio. Most pros/serious amateurs use a separate audio recorder like a Zoom H4N and a clapboard or some other way to keep track of the two files (video and audio) and then they sync them in post-production.

[fast eddie]

yeah, i just did some looking around online, and that's stuff is expensive, no joke. i'm sure i could make something that would do the job. i would use it for skating, but i mostly want a good camera to have so i can capture the moments of my new son in October. :D gotta have good baby pictures, why not have something that does better video than a cell phone?

[StarScream]

stop quoting me al :D

haha

[fast eddie]

I think i am going to do this:

Nikon D90 body only
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

Shopping around from 3 places, i found it all for $1,039 with free shipping and no tax on anything.

then i'll have:

Nikon D90 body
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Nikkor 55-200mm f/3.5-5.6
SB-600

fuck yes, this is a big step up from my 70s era Minolta SLR. :D