When the production team for the blockbuster film "Captain America: The First Avenger" needed a camera that could capture the dramatic point-of-view action shots, they turned to the Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera. More compact and lightweight than traditional motion-picture cameras, yet offering full 1920x1080 high-definition resolution and 24p fram rate—the standard for motion-picture cinematography—the 5D Mark II was an ideal choice.
"The challenge with a lot of action photography is getting the camera in the right position. I'm always looking to get the camera into impossible to reach places because those kinds of shots make action sequences much more exciting. Most 35mm motion-picture cameras and even the leading digital cinematography cameras are just too big to get into interesting positions, " said Jonathan Taylor, second unit director and director of photography on "Captain America."
The 5D Mark II was used for action scenes that include a car chase and crash, and a high-speed motorcycle pursuit. Because of the camera's small size, Taylor was able to mount it on interiors and exteriors of moving vehicles, while remaining "invisible" to film cameras shooting the same scene from a distance.
Source: Canon U.S.A., Inc.