Need some advice guys....

[Kevin Wakeman]

Hi Everybody,
I'm not a big camera person, but I could use some advice. I'll be shooting video for a TV show and need a couple of decent cameras. It's a fishing show, so I'l be in bright sun, wind, rain, overcast, and all kinds of other conditions except night-time/low light. I'm going to have cameras in fixed positions, running continuously as we fish, no cameramen. So I'm looking for some models in the $2000-3000 range that can perform adequately on AUTO mode, in a variety constantly changing outdoor light conditions, especially bright sun. This spring I rigged the boat with 4 cameras in the $500 range just to test my theories, and find out which positions worked best. The results were better than expected, but in bright sun the colors look a little smeary, and with the bright sun reflecting off the water a few shots had exposure problems. Over all, the video thus far has been on par with most fishing shows I see on TV. But I'd like it to look better. Keep in mind that I'm a fisherman, not a cameraman, so I just want to push a "Record" button and start fishing, while the AUTO mode takes care of the rest. I know the better cameras can make much better video in the hands of a cameraman, but will they make a difference in the hands of a hack like me, using only auto ?? Any input will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Barry Goyette]

Kevin

Based on your requirements, most cameras in the market would accomplish your goals. The gl2 would be an excellent choice as would any of the 3 chip offerings from sony, panasonic etc. The primary difference you will find with these 3 chip cameras versus the single chip cams you have been using is in the color rendition, which should be much more saturated and realistic on the 3 chip cameras. Relative to glare off the water, you may want to outfit each camera with a circular polarizer as well, this will keep your contrast down, and help somewhat with burnouts caused by reflections such as this.

The panasonic dvx100 does have a slightly flatter tonal curve than the other cameras (which would help in your situation) however it is really designed as a manual camera...it's auto functions are somewhat limited. The Gl2 has the Green box mode (which we usually recommend against) but in your situation is probably a perfect match in that it controls all of the camera functions automatically. 3rd party battery options for this camera will give you 3-5 hours of recording time, which would be nice when that 10 lb largemouth leaps into your boat, rather than suffer the indignity of being hooked on camera.

Barry

[Kevin Wakeman]

Thanks for the info !!! Will a GL2 run off of regular household AC current, or just battery ?? My boat is rigged with a power inverter, so it's just like plugging into an outlet in your house. Thanks.

[Barry Goyette]

Yes...its a little screwy...you have to plug into the battery charger, and then into to outlet. But it works just fine. I have been told that image quality is superior when run off a battery, I guess the voltage is more stable, but I don't know whether this is a fact, or just conventional wisdom.

Barry

[K. Forman]

Kevin- There is an adapter, that attaches to your battery charger and the back of your cam, where the battery goes. You plug the charger into your house outlet, and it will power your cam. It should have come with your camera.