DSLR filmmaking has been around for a few years now, but with a range of new HD DSLR cameras out on the market, and improved capabilities, we are starting to see some very high end quality production at the consumer level.

HD DSLRs are now seen as a standard toolkit for filmmakers because they are affordable, flexible, and give film enthusiasts and professionals the ability to make high quality videos. The only down side to DSLRs at the moment is the limitation of recording, overheating and issues with rolling shutter (particularly in models over 2 years old). However, filmmakers are becoming more adapted to using a diversity of lenses, and bringing out more quality in storytelling in line with the tech available to them. Just a few years back, cameras like the PD150 (DV) or the HVX 200 (DV/HD) were standard kit for semi-pros but they only had one fixed zoom lens.

Because DSLRs are so portable and can handle a whole range of lenses you are effectively competing with the pros on a low budget scale, and with it, you have the ability to shoot and edit beautiful HD footage.

Will the low budget indie film market catch up in production standards with Hollywood studios? It’s definitely gaining ground, and the idea of ‘Dogma’ is quickly fading as people get more refined with editing, and particularly shoot on HD to get a better image. The drawback of HD is that you need to be very careful with makeup, as the fine minute details of a person’s face can often come up in a big way, especially if your focusing a shot with a fine tuned depth-of field on, let’s say, a 50mm lens.

Are you making low budget films? What do you make of the difference in quality between the footage you see at the cinema, compared to indie films coming out today?