Video equipment buying on Monday!... please comment on my equipment list

[Andrew Goodman]

Hello everybody…

This is my first post but I have been on this forum many, many times and have possibly ‘over used’ the search option! I have now been researching cameras and equipment for six months and it all comes down to this, on Monday I will be ordering all of the equipment shown below:

Canon DM-XL2 (20x Zoom XL Lens)
BP-930 Battery 3000mAh
BP-930 Battery 3000mAh
CH-910 Power Adapter/Charger
VL-10LI 10 watt video light
HC-3200 Aluminium Hard Case for XL2
Manfrotto - 515 Tripod - 516 Head
FireStore FS-4

But before I do so, I am really wanting kind people to comment on what I hope to get i.e. should some things be changed, deleted or something else added in? I am starting up my own wedding video business, I have already done one and have another three lined up soon. I have the software and hardware all sorted so its only professional video equipment needed.

I also seen a lot of people suggesting how good the TA-100 Tripod Adapter for XL2 is, but it seems like a lot of money for what it does… or it could be I do not fully understand what it does… does the above tripod not have a quick release?

Any way, if some people could look at my list and comment on it I would be very grateful.

[Mike Marriage]

How about getting an JVC HD100 instead of the XL2. That way HD is an option. Within a year or two, I think you may have wedding clients turning you down for not offering HD. Other people will be selling it to them hard! The HD100 also offers SD recording at 50/60p, which is very handy for weddings - true slow-mo!

It'll give your camera a greater life expectancy IMO.

[Adam Bray]

I have the XL2 and think it's a great choice. The hard case is nice if you're not going to do any airline travel with it. I'm not familiar with that tripod so I can't comment. I like the Firestore idea, but I'm not comfortable in purchasing one yet. I'm more comfortable having the original cassette in my hands. I don't know why. It's just me.

The list looks good. I would change the hard case for a Kata CCC-10, and swap the Firestore for a wireless Lav mic setup. That's just my preferences.

[Matthew Pugerude]

Originally Posted by Mike Marriage

How about getting an JVC HD100 instead of the XL2. That way HD is an option. Within a year or two, I think you may have wedding clients turning you down for not offering HD. Other people will be selling it to them hard! The HD100 also offers SD recording at 50/60p, which is very handy for weddings - true slow-mo!

It'll give your camera a greater life expectancy IMO.

I would agree and if you buy the HD 100 you can get a free battery pack that can give you up to 4 hours of batt life on one batt no need for any other batts the JVc is all so a shoulder mount camera and has a very pro look to it which is always a good wow factor for Clients the HD choice is going to be the way to go. also IMO

this is not to say the XL2 is not a good camera. You just might be finding your self looking for a new camera in a couple of years. I know my pocket book can not handle that

[Matthew Pugerude]

Originally Posted by Adam Bray

I would change the hard case for a Kata CCC-10, and swap the Firestore for a wireless Lav mic setup. That's just my preferences.

I also think that the wireless Lav setup is a good Idea the hard case is nice but the Kata is just a good Now for the HD 100 I would look at a bigger case I think. the Sennhiser G2 seris is what I would get for the Mic set up

[Randall Brown]

I agree. Go HD100U. But dont do it just for the 50/60P though as I dont know any program that edits that. Dont forget it does 60p only in HDV 480. But for a minimal price differencre, you have HD ready when you are.

I actually just shot some work in HD, but delivered 4:3 SD. The HD gave me framing options in post. The client LOVED it.

If you look you can find the JVC for around 4700. Which is cheap.

[Nicholas Valentine]

I just ordered my equipment this past Thursday from B&H. I ordered 2 of everything. XL2, the Canon hardcases, Tripods, wide angle lenses, etc. I've been eyeing up the XL series for a while now and did a lot of research and I'm very happy with my decision. I was considering HD, but where I am at, the demand is very far off and if I had them my company's services would cost too much for the area causing me to have fewer clients. I also do independent short films and this is a dramactic upgrade from our 1 chip cameras. Maybe, if the company is successful I'll upgrade to HD, but for now I'll be fine.

So, the XL2s sound good, I second Matthew's comment and get a Sennhiser G2 mic. I did, and from what I hear they're very good.

[Mike Marriage]

In the UK, there is hardly any price difference between the XL2 and the HD100. £100 or so. So I see little reason to get the XL2, unless you really want OIS or autofocus.

[Andrew Goodman]

Originally Posted by Mike Marriage

How about getting an JVC HD100 instead of the XL2. That way HD is an option. Within a year or two, I think you may have wedding clients turning you down for not offering HD. Other people will be selling it to them hard! The HD100 also offers SD recording at 50/60p, which is very handy for weddings - true slow-mo!

It'll give your camera a greater life expectancy IMO.

Friends… thank you so, so much for all your comments so far… I can safely say your advice has been invaluable!!!

As I sit here writing my mind is in a pickle… all I know is that I will not be ordering anything on Monday as I think I have a few more days of research to do. The SD vs. HD is a topic I had problems with and I still have a lot of questions and problems with and I maybe seemed to be taking the easy way by going with the SD (Canon XL2) as I know SD and HD is a little out of many comfort zone… so to speck.

Having read up a little on the JVC HD100 I must say I am really impressed and IMO too it will have a greater life expectancy then the canon XL2. Over the next few days I will again carry out more research but if some of you could answer a few of these questions it would be great…

Where in Britain could you order the JVC HD100?
Could it be too soon to go HD as over the next while the camcorders could get much better in this area or would this camcorder really last the test of time?
How does this camcorder compare to other HD camcorders?

I will be trying to find out the information on these questions myself but it would be nice for a few quick answers… as my head is spinning at the moment as its a lot of money and making the correct choice is key, although I now think HD is the way to go as in a year or two I don’t like the thought of upgrading so soon as this means more money.

Again comments will be greatly appreciated.

[Adam Bray]

Keep in mind if you go the HD route, youre going to need specific editing equipment too. So that would be another expense if you dont already have it.

[Richard Hunter]

Originally Posted by Adam Bray

Keep in mind if you go the HD route, youre going to need specific editing equipment too. So that would be another expense if you dont already have it.

It's certainly a good point. However, it is worth considering that when you get a new camera, you also tend to buy accessories for it, and some of these can be expensive. You could buy the HD100 now and use it exclusively for SD if that is all you need. Then when you move on to HDV, you only have to upgrade the editing setup. The accessories on the camera will still work.

If you buy the XL2 now and use it for a year, the resale price is going to be quite low I think, with SD being seen more and more as a dying format. This makes the overall cost of moving on to HDV much more expensive, and you'll still have to upgrade the editing setup.

Personally, I think it is not the time to be buying an expensive SD-only camera. If I could get a half-decent price for my XL2 kit I would buy an HD100 tomorrow.

Richard

[Mike Marriage]

Andrew, where abouts are you in the UK?

I may be placing an order for one or two HD101s next week. If you are near me, you are welcome to take a look at it. I may be able to get you a good deal on one if I make a multiple order with the same dealer. At present I have quotes of under £3K for the HD100 and just over £3K for the HD101 (which has video inputs).

Send me an e-mail by clicking on my name next to my post if you want.

[Martin French]

Originally Posted by Mike Marriage

How about getting an JVC HD100 instead of the XL2. That way HD is an option. Within a year or two, I think you may have wedding clients turning you down for not offering HD. Other people will be selling it to them hard! The HD100 also offers SD recording at 50/60p, which is very handy for weddings - true slow-mo!

It'll give your camera a greater life expectancy IMO.

Sorry, never heard such nonsense. It's all well and good buying HD cameras (and you could question if these cameras are genuine HD or not) but the fact is nobody can watch your hi-def footage in its original format, especially not in the UK. No Hi Def DVD for several years (mainstream use that is). It's kit over creative ability.

[Mike Marriage]

Originally Posted by Martin French

Sorry, never heard such nonsense. It's all well and good buying HD cameras (and you could question if these cameras are genuine HD or not) but the fact is nobody can watch your hi-def footage in its original format, especially not in the UK. No Hi Def DVD for several years (mainstream use that is). It's kit over creative ability.

Martin,

Firstly the HD100 is about £50 more than the XL2 and has the same running costs.

Secondly, the cameras clearly resolve far more than SD if you watch the output on an HD monitor. This is handy for weddings because you can also offer screen grabs with double the res that an XL2 can provide. The client can select a grab from any of your footage and it will look "reasonable" when printed. SD does not.

BTW, in the UK you also get the editing software FREE, so no expense there either.

I agree there is no common distribution format in the UK yet, but you want to plan on this being your A camera for 4-5 years. After that you may want to use it as your B camera. I'd bet that few companies will be shooting SD weddings in 5-10 years.

Also, you are in a highly competitive market. If everyone else is selling your client HD, you will loose customers if you don't offer it. This isn't a big deal now, but it will be in a year or two. You may think it is a gimic, but gimics sell products!

Finally, even if the HD100 was SD only, I would pick it over the XL2. It looks more professional (which wedding clients value), it does 60p in SD and it has a proper lens, unlike the horrible XL series servos. I have to give the XL2 credit on its excellent OIS though.

I fail to see why this is "nonsense."

EDITED TO ADD:
...and having an HD camera doesn't make you any less creative. £50 seems very little to pay for all the advances you will get.

[Adam Bray]

Originally Posted by Martin French

It's kit over creative ability.

Could not have said it better myself. My friend has competiton (doing wedding videos) pushing HD on it's customers now. But all they get is some stupid looking home video like everyone else, in HD. Blah, who cares. My friend shoots in SD. And blows away the competition every time with his presentation, and charges more than the HD pushers, and wins the bid more often than not. You can have the worlds sharpest video. But if your presentation stinks, who cares that it's in HD.