D7100 Video - Sorely missed settings

T

Tomsgate

New member
Hi all,

I've been using my D7100 quite a bit for video lately, and while the benefits compared to my former D90 are considerable, I'm still really disappointed by some crude issues. Am I missing something here? Please help!

- I'm not gonna go into the lack of aperture setting in live view. It's really a poor design choice, especially since Canon and other companies have this feature as standard on even lower models. I was hoping it was a software issue, but it isn't. We're stuck with it... Great!
- The D7100 offers a 1.3x crop mode: While I find it useless in still mode, it can be quite useful in video mode since it saves you some post and doesn't make you loose quality by zooming into your video footage. Can somebody then please tell my WHY I can't set this crop mode on my Fn button?! Why do I have to go through a menu each time, whereas I can assign it to the Fn button in still mode (even though using a dial to switch between 24x16 and 1.3 crop is silly: why not just alternate?)? Really?
- Proper focus is vital if you want to shoot proper video. That's why you can set the "ok" button to zoom in live view in order to adjust your focus manually. You don't have peaking, so this is the only way. Ok, but then WHY is the zoomed view blurry in video live view, whereas it is sharp in still live view? For crying out loud!!! How is this supposed to be useful?
- Audio: in order to have your audio as clean as possible, you should stay away from AGC adjust the volume manually. Ok, but WHY then make it so complicated? Press "I", select the microphone symbol, then adjust by pressing up or down?! Really?
- And last but not least: the autofocus in video mode, which is down right unusable, except for initial focus. Using it while shooting is plain impossible. That's ok because I focus manually, but I can't help being jealous at the Canon users: the face recognition and follow focus in video mode just puts my D7100 to shame.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy taking pictures with the D7100, but it completely missed a great opportunity in the video segment. It just feels like other brands now offer so much more for the same amount of money. Until now I felt that I had to stick with Nikon, be it only because of all my lenses, but now I'm very close to switching to Canon, or even Sony or Panasonic: great pictures AND great video!

Your insight? Did I miss something?
 
G

Geoffc

Senior Member
I've never heard the D7100 being pushed a video camera, it just happens to take video in my view. It is however a very good still camera which for most people is why they bought it. If video was important perhaps a D800 would have been better.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Not interested in video so cant comment on your difficulty's,i can comment on the 1.3 crop as i use it most of the time,all my images are for web use so the resulting file size is more than adequate and it it speeds the camera up.
 
Nero

Nero

Senior Member
I only use video occasionally so I don't require an amazing video feature. Simply a good one will do and I think the D7100 has just that. That's just me though.
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
Geoffc said:
...it just happens to take video in my view...
Click to expand...

True. That's what it does, and the quality is actually quite good. But then Nikon ruins the whole experience and misses a great opportunity by developing the user software with its feet!
Poor autofocus and no aperture setting in video mode are hardware related, and even if I'm not happy about it, I shall accept it since as a counterpart you get a great sensor, a brilliant still autofocus and outstanding photos: I'll just assume that in order to cut the costs and sell the d7100 at a competitive price, Nikon has to do some cutbacks in other domains.

BUT: all the other issues could easily have been avoided (I believe) if the developers had given the software a bit more thought. Especially the blurry zoom to focus function is downtright offensive, since it works fine in liveview still mode!!! How can you do something like that?! Same goes for button customization: why can I only set the buttons to do certain things and not others?

Having such a great piece of hardware blatantly limited by lousy software just gets to me. Just a bit of beta testing by DSLR filmmakers would have solved this a long time ago... Sorry for the rant, I guess I'm just dissappointed, that's all. ;)
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
mikew said:
Not interested in video so cant comment on your difficulty's,i can comment on the 1.3 crop as i use it most of the time,all my images are for web use so the resulting file size is more than adequate and it it speeds the camera up.
Click to expand...

Ok. Can you tell me why I can setup the Fn button to switch between DX and crop, but only by using the dial in combination to the Fn button? Why not just alternate between the two by simple press? If there's a reason behind this, I haven't found it. And then of course, why can't I set up the Fn button the same way in video mode?! Oh well...
 
G

Geoffc

Senior Member
If they put the 7100 In the semi pro body with the D810 and D4 features it would be a pretty good camera, however all manufacturers need to differentiate products based on price point. How would you suggest that vendors sell at both ends of the market if they have the same features in all cameras?

I appreciate it may be frustrating but only because it's not the correct product for that job.
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
Sorry guys, I'm just ranting here, it doesn't help. Just had to let it out...

Let's just agree that the D7100 is great at doing stills, and for the rest other options should be considered. I'm a bit sad about this, but it's just the way it is...

Let's just hope Nikon catches up in the video segment so I can switch to a more appropriate model without switching brand.

Have a great day!
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
Geoffc said:
If they put the 7100 In the semi pro body with the D810 and D4 features it would be a pretty good camera, however all manufacturers need to differentiate products based on price point. How would you suggest that vendors sell at both ends of the market if they have the same features in all cameras?

I appreciate it may be frustrating but only because it's not the correct product for that job.
Click to expand...

Yep, I hear you... Business talks. Not sure Nikon will be able to keep doing that forever though, when I look at other brands like Canon, Sony or Panasonic who are now offering the best of both worlds in one device. Hope Nikon catches up ;)
 
F

Felisek

Senior Member
Keep in mind that D7100 (and other Nikon still cameras) have a CMOS sensor with a rolling shutter (see explanation). Hence, they are not adequate for making videos. When you make a quick panning shot, you will notice weird skewing effects. To make a good video you need a CCD sensor, and for this, you need to buy a dedicated camcorder (or a professional cinema camera). The video is only an extra option on our still cameras, just for marketing reasons. I wouldn't use my D7100 for professional videos.
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
Felisek said:
Keep in mind that D7100 (and other Nikon still cameras) have a CMOS sensor with a rolling shutter (see explanation). Hence, they are not adequate for making videos. When you make a quick panning shot, you will notice weird skewing effects. To make a good video you need a CCD sensor, and for this, you need to buy a dedicated camcorder (or a professional cinema camera). The video is only an extra option on our still cameras, just for marketing reasons. I wouldn't use my D7100 for professional videos.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yep, they indeed suffer from rolling shutter. But no, they are NOT inadequate for making videos. No offense, but you may want to be a bit more cautious before making such statements. All you need to do when shooting video is to keep your DSLR's limitations in mind and adapt your shots. Avoid (fast) pans for example. That is, if you're going for a serious production like a feature film. For personal projects, DSLRs are unbeatable (except for the new mirrorless cameras like the GH4 or the A7s) when it comes to versatility and quality of the glass (for a given price). If you go RED or similar with PL optics, you'll have to cash out a whole lot more! Yes, dynamic range and postproduction options will be improved, but the cost will grow exponentially, and so will the complexity of the handling and post work hardware. Not to mention the staff you'll need to operate it!

Interviews, speeches, documentaries etc usually work well, as long as you're not planning to broadcast in theaters. And even so, there are plenty of examples of DSLR shots ending up on the big screen. Here's a list (some will obviously only have been partly shot on DSLRs, but still...):

IMDb: Movies Filmed with Canon and Nikon DSLR Cameras - a list by montanafilmmaker

DSLRs have become a common tool for video pros: Canon's 7D started the hype, and the 5Dmk3 is a standard in DSLR videography. So will the Sony A7s be, or the GH4 which records 4k. Obviously, the D7100 remains a DSLR for enthusiasts, agreed. Still, some software improvements would have been welcome to allow hobby videographers a smooth entry in the video segment. But Nikon obviously isn't going in that direction. Yet. But they better, and pretty soon ;)

What camera will you buy next, even if you don't do video: the one that shoots great pics, or (for the same price) the one that shoots great pics and great video?
 
AC016

AC016

Senior Member
It sounds like you are really into video, so that makes me wonder why did you ever choose Nikon? Never have i heard of a Nikon video camera as being popular or being sold en masse. That should give anyone some indication that Nikon just is not big into video. Canon, YES. Panasonic, YES. Sony, YES. Nikon? I some how doubt anyone has ever walked into an electronics store to ask for a Nikon video camera, but i could be wrong.
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
Haha. Sorry, didn't mean to be rude or anything. I just thought its easier to follow who I'm talking to ;)

Did you notice: I didn't quote you :)
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
AC016 said:
It sounds like you are really into video, so that makes me wonder why did you ever choose Nikon? Never have i heard of a Nikon video camera as being popular or being sold en masse. That should give anyone some indication that Nikon just is not big into video. Canon, YES. Panasonic, YES. Sony, YES. Nikon? I some how doubt anyone has ever walked into an electronics store to ask for a Nikon video camera, but i could be wrong.
Click to expand...

Ok, quoting but not trying to be rude! ;) Good point AC016!

I started photography about 15 years ago on a Nikon F90X, and I've remained true to the brand ever since: I've gotten used to Nikons and love their cameras for stills.
A few years ago I got "dragged" into the video business professionally, and I love it! We use Canon DSLRs (5Dmk3) for video projects, along with Sony EX1 and F3 cameras, and sometimes REDs (Scarlet or Alexa). Still, I'd love to use my Nikon for personal video projects as a hobby, along with shooting stills.
Yes, I could upgrade to the D800 (I've used it several times for video) which is pretty good, even if I still think it's not as good as its Canon counterpart (5Dmk3) when it comes to video (not stills!). But that would also mean replace all my glass with heavier, pricier lenses. I want to stick to the DX format for my personal use, I find it more adequate (lighter cameras/lenses, cheaper, good enough for filming holidays or my kid). Thus I'm stuck with the D7100, a great camera for stills but poorly optimized for video... and that annoys me, especially since I have the feeling that the D7100 could be a proper enthusiast's videocam if only it was better thought through... All I'm asking for is a few button optimizations and a decent focus zoom, and I know that my camera could do it since it does have the right hardware for it! It's just the software which is miserable!

But ok, no more ranting, I'll just deal with it for now and wait for Nikon's next DSLR or mirrorless enthusiast camera. Then I'll know if I have to switch to another brand or not ;)

...Or maybe Nikon will release a firmware update which will improve video usability on the D7100, and I'll be happy :)
 
P

Pretzel

Senior Member
Honestly, I'm wondering if that's why we didn't see the rumored D7200 this summer... is it because Nikon is tackling the video side as well in order to meet growing consumer demands?

Having said that (and granted, the gaps are narrowing every production year) I've seen quite a few different debates of better low light performance and image quality (Nikon) vs. better auto focus and video quality (Canon), and it will continue on for quite some time. Although sometimes fallible, Snapsort shows the same thing in the Canon model that is most often compared to the D7100, which is Canon's 70D. The overall comparison calls it a tie, but the stats break down the pros/cons of each, and rather than point them out, I'll just link... (included DxOMark's comparison too, although they focus more on the photo side)

Canon 70D vs Nikon D7100 - Our Analysis

Canon EOS 70D versus Nikon D7100 - Side by side camera comparison - DxOMark

Pretty apparent there that the difference is photo vs. video.



As a photographer, I went with Nikon because of that advantage. If I were a videographer, I probably would have chosen differently. The GOOD news, again, is that the gap is ever narrowing, and the more demanding the consumer becomes in certain areas, the more brands change to accommodate.
 
T

Tomsgate

New member
Thanks Pretzel! Yup, I had already checked out some comparisons and you're right: image quality/low light (Nikon) vs video/autofocus (Canon). And wifi & articulated touchscreen for Canon 70D too.

When it comes to video, I think that mirrorless cameras will take over and DSLRs will slowly vanish... Kinda wonder if DSLRs aren't dommed altogether, because mirrorless cameras are getting really, REALLY good now. Never thought I'd say that a few years ago, but there it is. No more mirror noise or bulky and heavy bodies, lighter/cheaper lenses for equal or better quality. Hmmm...

Check out the Sony A7s, shooting at up to 409.000 iso (!), with stunning quality up to 80.000 iso. Unbelievable! And I'm struggling at 1600 iso max (exploitable)... This is RED Epic territory (and beyond) at a fraction of the price! It can turn night into day: you can use the aperture you want, no matter how dark it is. Fantastic :)

Review by Philipp Bloom (starts at 9:28 for stunning performance display): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8qmccMniSI#t=572
 
Last edited:
Top