Gadget review – As seen in Timeout magazine – January
Canon 5D Mark II
By Sandesh Kadur

When I was first asked to write about this camera, I couldn’t wait to get started, I knew I’d have a lot to say but also knew I’d be too excited to know where to begin. There’s just so much to talk about -  21.1 Mega-pixel full-frame sensor, live-view, 1080p Movie mode, self-cleaning sensor, broad ISO range… but then I heard it can’t be more than 300 words!

After waiting for nearly three months, I picked up my 5D Mark II from Singapore; being on the wait-list in the US was quite futile. The first order of business: charge the batteries and read the instruction manual. The manual you would anticipate would be much larger, but surprisingly, it isn’t, though it’s very clear, and clinically goes through the functions and set-ups in a simple and user-friendly manner. The first thing I did in the menu was to enable “movie mode” in the live-view set-up. This was the single most awaited feature on this digital SLR, and something that pushed the camera head and shoulders above its competitors. To me, being both a still photographer and a high definition cameraperson, this feature – allowing an already super still camera to have the capacity to shoot top-notch HD video at 1920×1080 pixels was beyond amazing.

I took the camera out and photographed a friend’s wedding at St Patrick’s church [on Residency Road]. Straight out of the box, the camera’s exposure and colours were perfect. The white-balance, both indoors and outdoors, was spot on – no need to be modifying much in post. I was using a 90mm Canon tilt-shift lens, so I wasn’t able to test the auto-focus, but using manual focus, the images even under fairly low-light conditions were razor sharp.

Soon after, I headed to Opus to have a drink with my new baby, and that’s where I put the 1080 progressive frame movie mode to the test. The movie mode operates through the live-view on the brilliant 3-inch LCD screen. Press “set”, and you’re filming in high-definition! With the right lenses and right light, this camera can produce incredibly beautiful and arresting moving images. You have very little control in terms of exposure and aperture control in movie mode, making the use of filters essential. A bit cumbersome, but the resulting images will be well-worth the trouble.
In the end i realized that I don’t really need 300 words to describe this camera, I just need one – Fabulous!

OK, i’ve got to admit this report was to have been posted over a month ago, how time flies…. Anywho, i’ve had a fantastic time with the camera in the North-east and will be posting a video file showing you what the ‘video’ HD camera can do…

A lot of people have been calling and asking about this, so I thought I better put something up even though it is a little late.

Wildscreen is the world’s largest and most prestigious international wildlife and environmental film festival. The Festival was founded by Sir Peter Scott in 1982 and has been organised every alternate year for the past 25 years. Held in Bristol, the world’s centre for wildlife filmmaking, it attracts hundreds of delegates from around the globe who work in film, television and the press, as well as those actively involved in working to conserve the environment.

The Wildscreen Festival came to India in 2007 and toured Delhi, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai.  The programme included nine filmmakers, eighteen workshops, and seventeen film screenings across four cities, the main attraction being the Keynote address by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall.

British Council/Wildscreen Festival 2009:

9-10 February 2009 – Delhi and Bangalore

12-13 February 2009 – Guwahati, Mumbai and Colombo

If you are passionate and interested in the environment, wildlife and filmmaking and live in one of the above cities, then you cannot afford to miss the opportunity of attending some of the screenings and masterclasses. All the details can be downloaded from the British Council website.

In Bangalore, Jeremy Bristow will be talking about the Role of films in environmental Conservation, Laura Marshall – Managing a production, Harry Marshall about Scriptwriting – Old Wine in New Bottles, and I will be talking about Capturing the story.

Also my documentary, Mountains of the Monsoon will have a screening on the evening of the 11th Feb at 630 PM – British Council Library. It’s free and open to the public, please come by…