All the press releases are happening in about a month. So aren't official launching the camera until then. But they are quietly selling them for feature work for those just can't wait for the full launch. Maybe you would still call it beta, it is more open than that as you can buy in. Not worth posting on HD4Indies yet.

Hi all!

I am new here and new to filming. I have a 3CCD Sony cam that is about 4 years old but am ready to move on. I would like to get the best camera money can buy for around $5000. Here are my requirements.

1. Around $5000 or less
2. interchangable lenses
3. must be HD
4. want to be able to record in 24p/24f modes
5. want good options for slow motion filming (or simplified way to do this post prod.)

I'd like to make some short films with that "film" feel. so that is not obvious it looks like tape.
I would like to also easilly be able to film on blue or green screen for adding special effects/other backgrounds etc...

please make whatever recommendations you feel may help and point me in the right direction.

thanks in advance!

~alex

Are interchangeable lenses mandatory? The cheapest HDV cam I'm aware of that has 'em is the Canon XLH1 and it's double your stated budget.

Consider also the JVC GY-HD110U. It's a bit more than $5,000 but less than the Canon XL H1.

Hi

I'm an indy filmmaker and after renting for a long time I really need a camera of my own.

I work almost exclusively with a Letus35 adapter which connects to a 58mm filter size and that severely limits my choices. I can step up to 72 or whatever but I guess it's harder to step down.

Another consideration is that I want to use the new HDV technology but don't want to spend too much money. One of those single-chip HDV cams like the HC1 or HC3 would be ideal, but their filter sizes are too small. The FX1 is just too expensive/bulky for my needs.

Can anybody recommend a camera?

Check on the Alternative Imaging forums, but I think the Letus35 can be used with the HC1/3.

Theoretically it can, but my Letus comes with a 58mm filter adaptor in the back, whereas the HC1 has a 37mm filter mount. I don't think I can step down to that small without some very bad consequences...or can I?

Hey all,

I'm currently a news producer and my contract runs out in less than two years. I'm itching to move on and do something a bit more creative (my favorite work here is field producing segments).

With that said, I would like to freelance as a field producer living overseas. I'm currently shopping around for a camera to buy that can be used easily enough in the field and powerful enough to shoot mini-documentaries.

The reason why I'm interested in getting a camera as soon as I can is bc I really want to know how to use it well before I move on. I'd like to be able to use it here in my current shop and feel it out.

I'm interested in the Canon XL2. However, I heard the XL2 was poor on the shoulder and top heavy on a tripod. But then, I also heard that it's a tough camera (important in the field) and can shoot tv broadcast and film quality video (another plus in my book as I'd also like to do some documentary work). Cost is also a factor, I don't want to shell out too much, but I'm willing to pay for quality.

Any thoughts?

My guess is the XL2 will be a serious piece of kit, well known in various countries and able to take the rough with the smooth. But I'm not sure it'll film in NTSC as well as PAL, so if this is important to you (as by the sound of it it should be) then you should look closely at the Sony Z1.

It has less zoom range but has a wonderful top screen, films in HDV should the clients demand it and it has garnered a wonderful reliability reputation with those pros that kick it about.

tom.

Still some questions:

• Budget? You don't want to shell out to much, so how much is that? Is a XL-H1 to much?

• Delivery options? Do you need SD or HD now and in the future? This answer combined with the budget answer will maybe point you out to a HD cam. Considering the fact that more and more broadcasters are airing HD..

I'm trying to stay under $5,000 right now (quite honestly I'd like to stretch my dollar as far as it can go -- spend around $3k for a used camera and another 2k on gear and such, but then again I don't know how realistic that is). From my discussions with photogs and a friend who works with NBC, American news agencies aren't jumping on the HD bandwagon that quickly. HD would be nice but I don't see it as an absolute necessity right now.

Also about the pal/ntsc question, I thought nearly all PAL equipment will play back NTSC and a PC doesn't care which version it gets. Am I wrong?

For example:

A Sony FX 1 : 3150.00
Lowel Light Kit : 1000.00
Sennheiser Wireless set: 500.00
Tripod Manfrotto: 450.00
Petrol bag for cam: 130.00

Makes: 5230.00

The FX1 is a good and reliable cam, for both DV as HDV. And with this everything is brand new, right out of the box with new video heads etc..


About PAL/NTSC: Non linear edit systems do indeed both NTSC and PAL. But if you want to deliver in another format than you've shot you need a converter. You can do that software based with a plugin.

Thanks, btw, where did you get those prices? One thing that worries me about the Sony, and I know this is a semi-easy fix, is the lack of XLR inputs physically attached to the camera. In journalism that's a huge plus being able to plug right into a mult box.

Just use a cable from RCA to XLR. especially with does multi boxes you really do not need a balanced input. Al the prices are from BH Photo Video.

If you're seriously planning on shooting overseas and doing this for real you should look into the Z1 over the FX1...if you have two years you'll have more time to build up funds for extra gear...the PAL/NTSC thing in the Z1 makes it a no-brainer for international shooting...

Paul

Hello all,

I need to video long meetings for display on the Internet. Meetings last from two to six hours.

Right now my workflow is to

1) Capture the meetings on tape (in DV or HDV)
2) Download the footage to my mac via Final Cut.
3) Divide footage up by meeting agenda item.
4) Compress each section to 320x240 for web display.

I've heard of cameras that will film in 320x240 to hard disk or chip. Seems like that would be a godsend to me. Quality is a low priority as long as the people can be recognized and heard.

And ideas which cameras these are? I'm interested in anything from $200 to $4000...

Your help is appreciated!

--Darin

My Sony DSC-F828 still camera can shoot 640x480 25fps for over 50 minutes on a 4 GB Microdrive. I never tried going lower, but I am sure it'll record a bunch more at a lower resolution, which I know it is capable of doing.

We are looking to upgrade the cheap 8mm camcorder we are using in our church sanctuary. 90% of the time it is on a tripod feeding a splitter then to VCR, DVD recorder and projector in the overflow. The light levels are fairly low. My question is, because of the low light levels, are there any advantages to using a "budget pro" camcorder such as the Panasonic AG-DVC20 over a similar priced consumer model. My main concern is the small 1/6" sensors in the Panasonic.

Im looking to buy a small HDV camcorder, like the Sony HC3. I wanted to know what other choices are there? And in the price range of $1000-$2000. And is there any example footage of the Sony HDR-HD3?
Thanks.

What are you going to be using it for? What, if any, requirements do you have for any potential cameras? Some cameras in that price range are the Canon HV10, and the Sony UX-1 and SR-1, which record to DVD and Hard Drives, respectively.

Well the more professional the better, I'm not going to be using this camera for profit purposes, just my own video for fun. But I still want a camera that can record to a HD, and have HDV.
But out of those couple you listed which would you pick, for quality; image, and device.

Out of all the consumer HDV camcorders, I would (and did) pick the Sony HC-1, which is now out of production. I like it for it's balance of ease-of-use for family members and manual features for my productions. My second choice would be the Canon HV10. The video quality is amazing, although it's lacking in some of the manual features. However, if you can see yourself enjoying DVD or hard drive storage instead of tapes, take a look at the new AVCHD Sony models, but keep in mind, editing becomes somewhat of a pain if you decide to go that route.

Thanks. And why would editing using a Hard Drive camera be a pain? With my old cameras. I just plug it into my Mac, and the .mov files are there ready to be edited with iMovie. And does the HC1 have better image quality then the new HC3?

For right now I suggest the Sony HVR-A1. It is based on the C1 design, but has XLR audio capability and a few other pro functions which are not part of the C1. You can probably get it for under $2000 factoring in rebates.

An alternative, if you don't need to worry about editing for a few months and can tolerate what AVCHD offers, is the Sony HDR-SR1, a small hard drive cam based on the C3 (better low light than C1). It can hold four hours of material at the best quality setting. The problem with the c3 was the elimimination of the microphone jacks, but they are back on the SR-1.

A problem with the SR-1's AVCHD files is that there is currently no way to edit them in applications like Vegas 7. However, it was announced that there will be an update in Spring 07 to allow Vegas to import AVCHD files for editing.

Hello everyone. Im looking to buy a 3chip camera for short films and things. But i am having one problem. I want to see if i can find somewhere to do a pay as you go instead of paying for it all at once. I know B&H has the bill me later but that doesnt work for me. I have searched all over the net and can't fing anything so i figured i'll post on here and see if anyone can help me. The camera i was looking for is the Panasonic ag-dvc7(i know this is 1 chip),30,60 series. or the canon gl2. If anyone has any information of a web site or anything i can call please let me know. It would be very appreciated. Thanks!!

Hi Derrick. If possible I'd suggest separating the financing from the vendor. Get a credit card with terms that work for you, then use it to buy from a reputable dealer - we urge you to use our sponsors: http://www.dvinfo.net/sponsors/

But regardless, don't end up getting caught in some sort of scam or settle for poor service just because a vendor offer a finance plan.

I have two credit cards but no where near the limit that it would cost to buy a camera

It really sounds like you simply can't afford one then.

Rent, borrow? How did you expect to pay for one?

I dont have 2 grand to shell out right now. I can save but what im trying to find out if there are some places around that offer these services. I coudl afford it if i waited a few months but i just wanted to see about my options. Is there another way?

Absolutely wait the couple of months and pay cash.

First of all, because you won't be in debt with payments due.

Second, you can use whatever spare cash you can scarpe up after the purchase for accessories, lights-audio-COMPUTERS AND PROGRAMS FOR EDITING, and on and on.

Thirdly, and hold on for this one, the urge to buy the camera and the enthusiasm to go forward with your project may wane and you will save yourself a lot of money and grief!

Mike

I'm pretty much with Mike on this. If you can't afford it, don't buy it. If you can't get the credit card companies to raise your limit then they're sending you the message that it isn't a good investment. Can you get a part time job and put the earnings into an account to be used for the purchase?

I know you don't want to hear this, but you really need to learn the discipline to live within your means. Waiting a few months while you earn some more money isn't going to make a lot of difference in the grand scheme of things, and the prices of the cameras you mentioned will go down in the meantime.

You didn't say if you have any cash saved up, but if you do, you might consider buying used. That would have the effect of getting you to your destination sooner.

Mike and Bob are offering excellent advice, but in the event you *do* decide to go on credit, a merchant's own financing plan should absolutely be your last choice at the bottom of your list of options, even below credit cards. Merchants don't actually carry their own credit for the most part, they sell the contracts to finance companies. Interest will be high and they usually aren't very flexible or understanding. Far better to talk to your bank about a personal loan. Even better, if you can join a credit union and arrange financing through them, do it! Their loan terms are generally more flexible, interest rates much lower than other sources of financing, and they're generally more understanding and more likely to be on your side and disposed to work with you should you have unexpected downturns before the loan is paid off.

You are getting a lot of "spot on" good advice here and I have to strongly second all of it.

Financing, when you really shouldn't, can be a real killer, I've been there in the still photo studio business. The financing I carried kept me from ever seeing any profit from which I could support my family in that venture.

If you have no video equipment at present and just have to get into it, consider lowering your expectations for now and look into "open box specials" at Best Buy and Circuit City in your area. Moving from Sony Digital8 to MiniDV, I found a Sony HC21 for $219 (Not only open box, they couldn't even find the box although all accessories were there in a manila envelope).

Extremely limited, yes. But I did two training video DVD's (Defensive Carry and Defensive Shooting Skills) with it and started upgrading a previous production to widescreen with it. You can actually learn a lot even staying within the limitations of such gear; all the time saving towards what you really want to work with.

I still use that "half ham sandwich size" Sony running as a second camera in a two camera setup where I need "cutaways" and picture in picture inserts, and it will replace the Digital8 in "high risk" roles when that one finally craters.

Limitations: No external mic so you learn to work close to your talent to get useable audio from the built in mic. No real manual control although many controllable functions may be there in on screen menus; exposure adj, white balance, some focus control, etc. No headphone jack so you have to run short tests and playback to get some idea of what your audio is doing.

So if you have to, consider getting something you can easily afford, learn it's limitations and then use it within those limits as skillfully as you can learn to do. A few inexpensive reflector floods with 100W bulbs on inexpensive stands can teach you some about lighting, and one of the $99 video editing packages can take you some distance once you learn it.

The magic word is LEARN, but don't go into debt to do it right now.

Hope this helps by supplementing the excellent advice others here have given you.

Everyone Thank You for all of your advice. I will certianly look into getting something cheaper. I saw the Panasonic 3chip cameras for a real cheap price and they are about the same size as a minidv cam. I thought about it and decided that i am not going to do the financing. Once again thank you for all of your support and i will post up my video when im done with it over hear.

What about editing the SR1 on final cut pro 5? Do you see any difficulty with that?

Well the more professional the better, I'm not going to be using this camera for profit purposes, just my own video for fun. But I still want a camera that can record to a HD, and have HDV.

The HC3 does not record to a HD, it records to tape.

_______________________________

For manual control - the HC1 - although it may be hard to track down now it is out of production.

For great sleek design - the gorgeous HC3 - also the cheapest priced of the consumer HDV cameras.

For sheer image quality - the Canon HV10 - although it lacks audio inputs, so you can only use the bulit in mic or a separate external audio capture device.

For convenience - the Sony UX-1 or SR-1, DVD and HD recorders - no capturing to do, just plug in and drag off your chosen clips, although the image quality of both these cameras is not up there with the other cameras - and the AVCHD editing issues can be a problem.


All of these will plug into your Mac and play happily with iMovie/FCP.

You could always rent one, if your heart is set on a more high-end Dv camera. Many dealers have weekend rentals.

Saving up is also good... :-)

Hello. I need some help deciding what camera to get. I have about 1200 dollars to spend. Should I get a JVC GR-HD1 or something else?

I think you need to be much more specific about what your needs and requirements are. If you had asked the same question about a car we could recommend a Landrover, an E type Jaguar or a Lincoln Continental.

So - are you after new or used, good low light performance, compactness, CMOS or 3 CCD, XLR capability,16:9, HiDef?

Are you planning a vacation or planning on shooting a wedding?

tom.

Well, I'm looking to start shooting some short films. I have a Panasonic PV-GS120, although it may be the model below the 120. I've had it for about 2 years and was looking to upgrade. I'm only 19 so I don't have much money. I can scrape up about 1200 dollars. I was going to get the HD1 used. I don't care much about low light performance because I want to start lighting my shorts. I don't care about size. I know the HD1 is only 1 ccd and I wasn't sure if the picture quality was better or worse than a used dv camcorder such as the GL1 or XL1. I have a RODE video mic with a 1/8 jack so I'm not looking for XLR capability yet. I do want to shoot 16:9 and as for hidef I'm just looking for what will look better for filming shorts. I may also get a Letus35 in a few months if that affects any suggestions.

That's better. The 16:9 requirement is the clincher and really rules out a lot of pretty good 4:3 three chip cameras such as the GL, XL, VX2k, DVX and so on. They will all do 16:9 of sorts, but they were designed as 4:3 and that's what they do best.

I'd suggest a good one to aim at might well be the Sony PDX10. Not sure if you're talking Singapore, NZ, Canadian or US dollars, but the PDX10 does 16:9 very well indeed. It's a three chip, pretty compact, XLR in, big side-screen camcorder that is SD, top loading and not much good in poor light.

Panasonic also do a modern line in 16:9 cameras that are amazingly good value. Of course they're up against the Sony HC1, which - right out of the box, does HDV, 16:9 and a lot more besides.

I'd hold fire on the Letus and stretch yourself into a really good camera to start with. At 19 there's a whole lot to learn, and you don't want to under-buy and curse every time you fire the machine up.

tom.

Does the HD1 Not shoot 16:9? I am speaking in USD. I don't have enough money for any other hidef camcorders. How does the HD1 preform compared to the PDX10?

That's better. The 16:9 requirement is the clincher and really rules out a lot of pretty good 4:3 three chip cameras such as the GL, XL, VX2k, DVX and so on. They will all do 16:9 of sorts, but they were designed as 4:3 and that's what they do best.

tom.

Tom....how much do you really lose using a DVX in 16:9?

I'm in a similar position as Charles...(although I'm 50, not 19 hahaha)
I also have a Pany Consumer 3CCD and want to add a second, better camera.
I also have a limited budget...max of $1500....
A used DVX100 is top of my list right now, but everything I do is 16:9.

Bob T.

How much do you lose shooting the DVX in 16:9 Bob? Quite a lot really, which is why Panasonic have a 1.33:1 anamorphic in their accessory list. But before you rush out and spend lots on this lens (and suffer the distorted v'finder image and aberations at each end of the zoom), do try the DVX in its electronic 16:9 mode and see what you think.

Remember the DVX and VX/PD and XL and GL were all designed as 4:3 cameras. Good ones all of them, but they come with 4:3 chips, and if you start using only 3/4 of that chip to extract 16:9, something has to give, and does.

Which partly explains the second-hand prices. As 16:9 chipped camcorders come tumbling out of the manufacturers' doors, 4:3 cameras are worth less every week.

Charles - a word from my experience. I've never had much joy with JVC kit and nor have a lot of my colleagues. In fact I feel rather sorry for the firm, because the latest Hi-Def (720p) machine with interchangeable lenses looks to be a goodie. It's just that Canon and Sony are reaping the benefit of making super-reliable kit in the past, and JVC gets bypassed all too often.

tom.

Currently I photograph sports events(junior high and high school. I use a Canon Mark D 1II, which takes stills at 8 FPS which I sell to parents grandparents, etc.
I use Photoshop CS. However, I am thinking of trying video. Would need one that could do quality 4MP+ stills as well as video and do well with poor lighting that is often found at relatively primitive facilities. Further how much can be done with a capture of a single frame from a video?

I would recommend keeping your still and video camera seperate. No video camera will match your canon still camera in quality especially enlarged. Many video cameras can also tale stills but not at the quality of your Mark D.

As far as taking a still from video, again you are better off with the Mark D.
If your using a DV camera the resolution will only be at 72 Dpi.

Hope this helps.

If you have $17,000 you can get the Red 4K camera. You should have some aqequate stills from that. :O)

But all kidding aside, you're not going to find a DV camera that takes good stills, especially in low light, just like you wouldn't find a digital still camera that takes good video.

I don't expect it to do as well as the Canon and would continue to use the Canon, but I saw a Sanyo that advertises 8MP stills. Possibly something like this could augment my business and get videos also? Yeah 72dpi would be hard to work with.