OHMIGOSH!!! I finally did it! Please rate my purchase.

[Meeko Gray]

I'm looking to film events and commercial spots to make money. I'll also be making short films and a television show. This is what I got with a $3000 budget:
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Canon GL2 Mini DV 3CCD Camcorder: 1,949.00

Libec TH-M20 Aluminum 2-Stage Tripod with 65 mm Ball Base Fluid Head: 179.95

Sony Vegas Movie Studio+DVD v8 Platinum Edition Video Editing Software: 109.95

Panasonic 60 Minute Mini DV Video Cassette, 10 ct.: 24.90

Rode Stereo VideoMic - Stereo Camera Mounted Microphone: 249.00

Belkin FireWire 4-pin to 6-pin DV Cable - 6 ft: 13.95

Canon CAUV58 58mm Haze UV-1 Glass Filter: 12.95

Canon BP-945 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack: 100.95

Litepanels LPMICRO Micro LED on Camera Light: 299.95


Total (including shipping and tax): 2,974.15

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I plan on eventually getting a 3-head tungsten light kit and a mic stand for the Videomic, plus lav and hand-held mics. I had the $3000 budget so I bought everything I thought could get me by. I'm on the fence about the wide-angle lens, but it would probably be purchased after everything else.

Well...how did I do? Everything is BRAND NEW!!! Also, what else do you guys think I'll need? Thanks in advance for all replies. I'M SO EXCITED!!! :-)

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Meeko Gray

I'M SO EXCITED!!! :-)

Yup . . kinda got that! Well done. But why didn't you go High Def? I know it just HAS to be money, but aren't TV and advert spots requesting HD content? It would also come with native 16x9 - the XM2 isn't.

OK, I have the Canon wide angle adaptor and it is a permanent fixture/feature on my XM2.

Other considerations? Many . . but/and in no particular order:

* Headphones - Audio is more important than most people think, so you want to hear it.

* Another battery

* More than one extra tape. My tape consumption is driven by never having to reuse. I am serious!

* A good bag to carry this lot about.

The next stage will include even more kit. But this is what got me going and held me in good stead for the first 2 years. When I started the Rode Vidmic wasn't available so I plumped for the Canon XLR adaptor and got the Sennheiser K6+K66 setup with XLR cabling. This then forced me to look down the split channels options, which in turn taught me the value of having 2 channels. If you are plugging the Rode Vidmic straight into the mic input then you are just one swamping both channels with the mono output. But having the split XLR adaptor made me eventually to obtain a Beachtek XLR adaptorhttp://www.beachtek.com/dxa4.html, which in turn revealed to me what I COULD do with audio with this remarkable camera.

Originally Posted by Meeko Gray

I'M SO EXCITED!!! :-)

- YES!!!

Have fun,

Grazie

[Meeko Gray]

I'll try to comment on everything you said:

I didn't go HD because of the money like you said. I only had the $3000 budget for everything. The HV30 was a HD cam I was considering, but it doesn't look professional enough for clients. I'm also partial to Canon. The gl-2 should be good enough for everything I need until I can get enough profit to buy a xh-a1 or something better...

I already have professional headphones from my days as a d.j. I will be using those...

Like I posted, I got a BP-945 to go along with the battery that comes with the camera. I think the two will be good enough until I can buy another battery...

Like I posted, I'm startng with 10 60-minute tapes. I'll order more once I start using them...

I'm buying a less expensive bag from Target. I don't want a case that screams "expensive camera inside please steal me." I'll either buy a baby bag, a backpack, or a $30 camcorder bag from Target...

Like I posted my budget didn't allow me to get everything I wanted. I think I got everything I need to start doing all the things I listed. I'll get the XLR adapter once I buy new lavs and hand-helds...

Thanks for replying to my post!!!

[Tom Hardwick]

The HV30 may not 'look professional enough' Meeko, but it sure turns in the goods on the day. Who or what will want 4:3 footage delivered on a professional basis? I ask, because here in Europe the answer is, 'virtually no-one'. You spent $300 on a movie light but you can't shoot sharp SD 16:9?

tom.

[Frank Simpson]

Meeko-

I have three GL2s, and thus far I have had asolutely NO ONE request HD. Do I wish I had it? Sure. Am I getting along wihtout it? Absolutely. Many people are a bit confised as to what it means when broadcast TV goes digital in Feb '09. It means just that...digital, not necessarily HD.

Of course the types of clients for whom you shoot will steer your future purchases, but as we all know, the gear you buy wants you to buy more gear so that you can buy more gear... it never ends...

For event work I really love having the additional cameras. So start saving the pennies you make with your first rig. There is always more to be acquired!

Have fun!

[Meeko Gray]

Frank: I could have sworn the gl-2 could shoot in 16:9. I don't think I'll have to worry about that. The HD30 is a consumer camcorder and I don't look at it with the same respect I do for a prosumer/professional camera. If I decide to go HD, I'll get a xh-a1 or something better. HD30 is a great camera though. If I was focusing on just making my own television show and youtube videos, I'd get it.

Tom: I assumed this, but it's good to get confirmation. I feel like the gl-2 is a good starter camera for everything I want to do.

Thanks to both of you for your comments.

[Brian Boyko]

I went with a similar setup, though I sprung for a new MacBook Pro and FCP. I use the pro version of Vegas at work, and it's good, but I greatly prefer FCP. For starting out, I guess it'll be okay.

I decided to get two HV20s, mostly because something always happens to one camera on the worst possible day, you know? Plus, it allows me to do two-camera setups, allows me to loan a camera to a friend, allows me to hire crew that doesn't have their own gear, that sort of thing.

I also went with the mono videomic - just didn't see the point in recording stereo. It causes problems.

Of course, that's different from what I would get now.

If I knew THEN what I know NOW, this is how I would spend a $3000 budget:

Canon HV30: $800
UV Lens Shield: $25
A Good Tripod & Head: $300
Beachtek Adapter: $200
Rode NTG1 Shotgun: $250
Mic Stand: $20
Sennheiser GW/EW wireless lav: $500
Samson Zoom H2 backup field recorder: $200

That leaves me about $700 of playing around money. That's 1/4 of the way to an XH-A1, 2/3rds the way to a Letus Mini, or 3 days of hiring talent and crew.

[John Ekis]

The GL2 does not shoot in "true" 16x9. It ends up cropping the frame and you technically lose a bit of resolution. I own the GL2, and to be perfectly honest, I've been happy with it for 3 years. I'm at the point though where I'm looking around quite a bit. If I could do it all over again 3 years ago, I would have gone with the Panasonic DVX100B-- it wasn't too much more cost wise, 24p shooting, XLR inputs on-board, amongst a slew of other features. If I could trade in my GL2 for what I paid, which isn't much more than what it costs now ( I think I paid 2000 after the rebate) I'd put that money toward the XH-A1. From what I've seen, that baby has some nice looking footage. Of course you can't neglect the fact that the single most important component of a camera is the space that lies just behind it. Keep that in mind and you'll do just fine.

[Meeko Gray]

No 3 chip camera in my price range shoots "true" 16x9 anyway, so it isn't really an issue at all. The XL2 doesn't. The DVX100B doesn't. Why are people harping over this when, unless you have some $12,000 camera, you're not shooting in "true" 16x9 with a professional camera either.

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

Wrong. The XL2 shoot true 16:9 SD footage.

[Meeko Gray]

The XL2 shoots true 16:9. I stand corrected.

Ok, let em add this up. I have two people that say I made a decent purchase and a lot more that say I should have bought a one chip consumer grade camera to do professional work. I'll accept that.

From my research, I've read that if I need 16:9, it's better to shoot in 4:3 and fix it in post. I'll try out both ways when my camera arrives and see what I like best.

[Chris Harris]

Originally Posted by Meeko Gray

Ok, let em add this up. I have two people that say I made a decent purchase and a lot more that say I should have bought a one chip consumer grade camera to do professional work. I'll accept that.

I'll throw my two cents into the mix and say that I agree with Brian on how I'd personally spend the $3000.

A couple years ago, I did a two-camera shoot with a GL2 and a Sony HC1 (comparable to Canon's HV20/30). As "professional" as I looked walking around with that GL2, the single-chip HD footage was worlds ahead of the GL2 footage to the point where I ended up not using a single frame of footage from the GL2.

On the other hand, I know that there are some clients that would be less inclined to take you seriously if you showed up with the same camera that Uncle Bob brings to the family reunion. It's just human nature.

It looks like you're confident in your purchase, as you should be, because the GL2 is a great SD camera. As long as your clients aren't demanding HD, you will be fine.

[Tom Hardwick]

Originally Posted by Chris Harris

As long as your clients aren't demanding HD, you will be fine.

I think I'd add to that 'As long as your clients aren't demanding 16:9, you will be fine.'

Fixing things in post is fine for the unavoidable, the gotchas, the cameramen's surprises. It shouldn't be the plan of action you resort to when the originating cam wasn't ideal for the job.

tom.

[Frank Simpson]

At the end of the day, you'll be shooting with the equipment you have. No matter what gear you buy, you can always find ways of second-guessing it. This is an exercise in futility, and only gets in the way of producing good video. You can always upgrade as time and budget permit.

Chris' comments about shooting with a GL2 and a HC1 are relevant in that they point out differences in the cameras shooting the same event. What is far more important would be to shoot with 2 GL2s or 2 HC1s. By doing this the client wouldn't have a basis of comparison. As as mentioned above, unless they're specifying HD (and again I'll mention that NONE of my clients ever have) there's nothing to wrry about as long as you are competent with your shooting and post-production work.

Talent transcends gear, but gear doesn't transcend talent. So stop worrying about the minute details of your set up and go shoot some footage!

[Meeko Gray]

I plan to shoot footage right away Frank!!! Everything is supposed to arrive today. Now it's time to get some clients!