Movie modes becoming the norm in cameras - what do you think?

What do you think about the latest trend of having a movie mode in cameras, esp DSLRs?

Is it a feature you would rather not have to pay for - or do you welcome it thinking the cost is negligible? Or...?

Have`nt got a DSLR but my two compact camera`s take video and I love it as an option. I use video as a teaching tool for agility ie film a handler doing an exercise then play it back to them there and then so they can see what and why their dog is reading them well and what to avoid in terms of getting in the dogs line of sight at the wrong moment etc etc, and can give them copies to study at leisure at home, [ literally homework ].
So for me it`s a very useful feature on a camera and was great value in that regard as I could`nt afford a digital video camera as well as a stills/combo camera. I do wish stills off the videos were better quality but that`s by the by as it`s the teaching tool element which is most important for me.

Seems a bit of a gimmick to me, yeah might be a great idea with interchangeable lenses for video but if I wanna shoot video I'd get a video camera.

I'd rather my dSLR did one thing brilliantly, than a few things well.

In principle a camera should take photos, that is it.

However, if the hardware exists and it really doesn't cost anything to include it, then why not.

Having read a few 5DMk11 reviews from photo-journalists who used the 5DMk11 and loved it, because now they didn't need to carry a DSLR and Video camera, you can see that it does service a particular sector of the market very well.

I personally feel the video mode on the 5D to be very inflexible, and any sequence taken with it needs some careful thought. However, the 40Mbs HD and 25Mbs SD captures are just out of this world, and are better than any camcorder you can buy sub £1000, mainly because you can video with your own lenses rather than the normal crap they bolt to the front of most camcorders.

I won't use the video a lot, but I am sure there will be times when I do use it, and will be glad I did.

Alan.

When I was photographing 'red deer' the other day I would have loved a wee video but to be fair I didn't need to capture it.

I loved watching them bounce about and I could have watched them all day but as a 'photographere' - I wanted 'stills'.

Must admit love the feature in my little handheld camera and do sometimes wish I had similiar with my DSLR.