The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!

Thomas Langdale · January 6th, 2005, 05:35 PM

I don't see the Elura series cutting it either. I'm looking for a pretty major step up from the disappointing image quality and night capabilities of the ZR90.

Boyd Ostroff · January 6th, 2005, 07:23 PM

Is that $5,000 CDN? How much in USD?

Your list seems to fit a PD-170 or VX-2100. Is high quality 16:9 important? The PDX-10 is a good value and does excellent 16:9, but about 2.5 f-stops slower than the VX-2100, so not ideal at night. But the PD-170/VX-2100 only do cropped and stretched 16:9 which isn't so great. Is the DVX-100a out of your price range?

Thomas Langdale · January 6th, 2005, 07:33 PM

I don't think the DVX100a is out of my price range. Infact, it's one of the cameras I am considering but I'm not sure how it performs in an assortment of lighting situations.
5000$ USD is what I meant. I believe 5000$ CDN is about 4200$ USD.

A good 16:9 isn't really necessary and that can presumably be done in post if i felt so inclined to have a film in widescreen :)

I'm looking for a camera that can perform well in most lighting situations while still being stock. I know it's a lot to ask for with a limited amount of money but I suppose I'm still naive enough to think it's possible to make a good looking movie with a stock 5000$ camera.

Shawn Mielke · January 6th, 2005, 07:49 PM

The hard and fast answers:

The PD170/VX2100 are best in low light.

The DVX100A offers the most cinematic image, but is not as good in lower light levels as the PD/VX series.

If you can deal with turning on a few lights, and have some setup time, the DVX100a is probably your best bet.

Thomas Langdale · January 6th, 2005, 08:42 PM

Yeah, I've been leaning towards the DVX100a, thanks for the help!

Jesse Bekas · January 12th, 2005, 09:25 PM

I know you're looking for a cam that can go its own without lights, but your work won't look cinematic without them.

Put aside $1000 for a small lighting kit (Britek makes decent quality smaller/less expensive sets), and try to get get the best cam you can after that. DVX100(A) if you can still afoord it.

Dylan Couper · January 13th, 2005, 09:55 AM

Good point Jesse. I'd rather have a ZR90 and a light kit, than a DVX100 without one.

Kevin Galliford · January 24th, 2005, 09:37 AM

Guys I want to buy a used Shoulder camera using it for ENG. I have 2,500 to spend what kind of camera can I get for that price or under? I was looking at a JVC GYDV5000, but there too new to find used under that price.

I would appreciate any help whatsoever!

Mathieu Ghekiere · January 24th, 2005, 01:51 PM

I don't know anything about ENG cam's so don't take my advice, but I think 2500 dollars is a little bit too short for an ENG cam.
Maybe you'd better pick up a good 1/3 minidv cam?

Good luck.

Don Bloom · January 24th, 2005, 05:41 PM

You can find many JVC500's on Ebay in that range. Do your 'due diligence' however with the sellers AND the camera.

The 500 is a very good solid camera but the is NO LCD and it will only use full size tapes. Trade offs!

The 5000 has come down in price with the advent of the 5100 but it will be a long time before you'll find a 5000 in your price range.

Good luck and happy shopping!

Don

Kevin Galliford · January 25th, 2005, 12:17 PM

Ya,
Thanks. My GL2 takes GREAT pictures, i mean for a 2,000 dollar camera it autta. Its just that it has some drawbacks but i guess for myself being 21 and broke its good for now. I t has no XLR inputs but I can allways buy a beachteck. Also places to mount the wireless mic parts and lights, cant use pro lights which kinda suck but there are allways alternatives.

Ed Liew · January 26th, 2005, 05:02 AM

here is my 2cts. dv500 is good for it price but they seem to have this problem with tape get jam. when this happen, the only way to get the tape out is to open up the whole right side of the casing. with the dv5000, they have a manual eject knob by the side of the camera to over come this problem.
one question, does your job really call for a shoulder mount camera since most of the newer dv camera can perform almost to par?

ed

Mike Rehmus · January 26th, 2005, 10:34 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Don Bloom : You can find many JVC500's on Ebay in that range. Do your 'due diligence' however with the sellers AND the camera.

The 500 is a very good solid camera but the is NO LCD and it will only use full size tapes. Trade offs!

The 5000 has come down in price with the advent of the 5100 but it will be a long time before you'll find a 5000 in your price range.

Good luck and happy shopping!

Don -->>>

Don, the 500 only takes mini-DV tapes.

Don Bloom · January 27th, 2005, 06:34 AM

Mike,
MY BAD!!!!

Sorry, I was thinking about the Panny 200 while writing that. See, should never try to do 2 things at once. Thanks for the clarification!
(o) (o)
|
\_____/

Don

Glenn Chan · January 27th, 2005, 03:25 PM

Panasonic sells the DVC60 which is shoulder mount and within your price range. 1/4" CCDs, XLR inputs

January 6th, 2005, 05:35 PM	#616
Thomas Langdale New Boot Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 13	I don't see the Elura series cutting it either. I'm looking for a pretty major step up from the disappointing image quality and night capabilities of the ZR90. __________________ Thomas

January 6th, 2005, 07:33 PM	#618
Thomas Langdale New Boot Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 13	I don't think the DVX100a is out of my price range. Infact, it's one of the cameras I am considering but I'm not sure how it performs in an assortment of lighting situations. 5000$ USD is what I meant. I believe 5000$ CDN is about 4200$ USD. A good 16:9 isn't really necessary and that can presumably be done in post if i felt so inclined to have a film in widescreen :) I'm looking for a camera that can perform well in most lighting situations while still being stock. I know it's a lot to ask for with a limited amount of money but I suppose I'm still naive enough to think it's possible to make a good looking movie with a stock 5000$ camera. __________________ Thomas

January 6th, 2005, 07:49 PM	#619
Shawn Mielke Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Santa Rosa, California Posts: 745	The hard and fast answers: The PD170/VX2100 are best in low light. The DVX100A offers the most cinematic image, but is not as good in lower light levels as the PD/VX series. If you can deal with turning on a few lights, and have some setup time, the DVX100a is probably your best bet. __________________ Breakthrough In Grey Room

January 6th, 2005, 08:42 PM	#620
Thomas Langdale New Boot Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 13	Yeah, I've been leaning towards the DVX100a, thanks for the help! __________________ Thomas

January 13th, 2005, 09:55 AM	#622
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Good point Jesse. I'd rather have a ZR90 and a light kit, than a DVX100 without one. __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

January 6th, 2005, 07:23 PM	#617
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,801	Is that $5,000 CDN? How much in USD? Your list seems to fit a PD-170 or VX-2100. Is high quality 16:9 important? The PDX-10 is a good value and does excellent 16:9, but about 2.5 f-stops slower than the VX-2100, so not ideal at night. But the PD-170/VX-2100 only do cropped and stretched 16:9 which isn't so great. Is the DVX-100a out of your price range?

January 12th, 2005, 09:25 PM	#621
Jesse Bekas Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA Posts: 572	I know you're looking for a cam that can go its own without lights, but your work won't look cinematic without them. Put aside $1000 for a small lighting kit (Britek makes decent quality smaller/less expensive sets), and try to get get the best cam you can after that. DVX100(A) if you can still afoord it.

January 24th, 2005, 09:37 AM	#623
Kevin Galliford Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: USA Posts: 139	ENG Shoulder Camera Guys I want to buy a used Shoulder camera using it for ENG. I have 2,500 to spend what kind of camera can I get for that price or under? I was looking at a JVC GYDV5000, but there too new to find used under that price. I would appreciate any help whatsoever!

January 24th, 2005, 01:51 PM	#624
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	I don't know anything about ENG cam's so don't take my advice, but I think 2500 dollars is a little bit too short for an ENG cam. Maybe you'd better pick up a good 1/3 minidv cam? Good luck.

January 24th, 2005, 05:41 PM	#625
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	You can find many JVC500's on Ebay in that range. Do your 'due diligence' however with the sellers AND the camera. The 500 is a very good solid camera but the is NO LCD and it will only use full size tapes. Trade offs! The 5000 has come down in price with the advent of the 5100 but it will be a long time before you'll find a 5000 in your price range. Good luck and happy shopping! Don

January 25th, 2005, 12:17 PM	#626
Kevin Galliford Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: USA Posts: 139	Ya, Thanks. My GL2 takes GREAT pictures, i mean for a 2,000 dollar camera it autta. Its just that it has some drawbacks but i guess for myself being 21 and broke its good for now. I t has no XLR inputs but I can allways buy a beachteck. Also places to mount the wireless mic parts and lights, cant use pro lights which kinda suck but there are allways alternatives.

January 26th, 2005, 05:02 AM	#627
Ed Liew Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 226	here is my 2cts. dv500 is good for it price but they seem to have this problem with tape get jam. when this happen, the only way to get the tape out is to open up the whole right side of the casing. with the dv5000, they have a manual eject knob by the side of the camera to over come this problem. one question, does your job really call for a shoulder mount camera since most of the newer dv camera can perform almost to par? ed

January 26th, 2005, 10:34 PM	#628
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	<<<-- Originally posted by Don Bloom : You can find many JVC500's on Ebay in that range. Do your 'due diligence' however with the sellers AND the camera. The 500 is a very good solid camera but the is NO LCD and it will only use full size tapes. Trade offs! The 5000 has come down in price with the advent of the 5100 but it will be a long time before you'll find a 5000 in your price range. Good luck and happy shopping! Don -->>> Don, the 500 only takes mini-DV tapes. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

January 27th, 2005, 06:34 AM	#629
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Mike, MY BAD!!!! Sorry, I was thinking about the Panny 200 while writing that. See, should never try to do 2 things at once. Thanks for the clarification! (o) (o) \| \_____/ Don

January 27th, 2005, 03:25 PM	#630
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Panasonic sells the DVC60 which is shoulder mount and within your price range. 1/4" CCDs, XLR inputs