Hi everyone,

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum, but here goes:

I am looking at buying a sub-$2,500 camera (preferably tapeless, but tape would be ok). It needs to be HD. What is the best bang for the buck? What is hot right now?

In other words, if you had $2,500 dollars to spend on a camera to make a documentary, what would you buy?


Best,
Paul

Do you already have: decent tripod, lighting, mics, mixer, recorder, boom, editing software etc.?

Or are you including these things in your $2500 budget?

Paul -
I think your original post got moved to the Sony A1U section - you've got some answers already there, and there's not a lot to add...

Do you already have: decent tripod, lighting, mics, mixer, recorder, boom, editing software etc.?

Or are you including these things in your $2500 budget?

I have a great Vinten tripod, and all the other stuff. I'm strictly looking for the camera.


Paul -
I think your original post got moved to the Sony A1U section - you've got some answers already there, and there's not a lot to add...

Yeah, I created the new post hoping to get suggestions without the influence of my previous question about the A1U.


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One other thing I neglected to mention earlier: I really need it to have XLR inputs, or (in the case of something like the HMC40, a good adapter solution).

Well, keeping in mind that the XLR is just an add-on box on the A1U, and that it may be hard to find any cams under that $2500 with XLR (new at least, maybe a used V1U could be had in that range, but it's bigger and almost as "old" as the A1U relatively speaking...), you may want to look at some of the XLR adapter boxes?

Dave,

Panasonic HMC40/41 and JVC HM100 both come with XLR and are in that price range. (Not sure of exact US prices, I am guessing a bit on the JVC). You can certainly get the Panny for around $2200 including the XLR module.

Both are tapeless (SDHC cards - the JVC has two slots) and are pretty decent cameras.

The JVC has the edge quality wise, but I went with the Panasonic because it was cheaper and supports a Lanc-type control if required. But they are both capable cameras, both with XLR, both small, both solid state.