DSLR Filmmaking

There are several benefits to shooting films with DSLR cameras. For one thing, they are relatively inexpensive compared to most professional video cameras. They have very large sensors - the Canon 5D Mark II has a 5K sensor. They are also generally good in low light. They are also relatively compact, which allows for more freedom for camera movement and placement. This is especially helpful in low budget and documentary films where big complicated rigs are out of the question.

There are some downsides to using DSLR's as well. In general, they're not optimized for video. They are not always ideal ergonomically. There are also issues caused by the method most DSLRs use to scale the image down from the sensor's native resolution to the recorded file. Essentially, they do not really scale the image or perform calculations based on the original image; instead, several lines of the image are dropped. This can cause the moire effect, where lines that are close together create interference patterns based on their intersections.

Another downside is that the codec most DSLRs use to record video - H.264 - is a very lossy format. It is a very highly compressed format, so some information is lost.

It all depends on how you use the camera, and what your ultimate expectations of the finished image are.