The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!

Steven Gotz · April 30th, 2005, 06:02 PM

I have done it half a dozen times, the last time with my Sony FX1 - a rather large camera.

The fact is that you really don't stray too far from a car or some form of transportation all that often. So it does not really matter that the camera is large. Unless you are planning on taking it under water, which camera is really a no-brainer. Take the better one. If you are going to take it on a small boat, you might want to give some thought to taking one that you won't mind losing.

Which island are you going to?

Stephen Sobel · April 30th, 2005, 06:08 PM

maui and the big island. We'll be doing some hiking.

Steven Gotz · April 30th, 2005, 07:24 PM

Then the most imprtant thing is to find a comfortable bag to carry the camera in.

I will be going to Greece in a few weeks and I think I finally found a bag just big enough for the camera. I don't want to carry everything with me every day. Just the camera and a polarizing lens. And one extra tape.

Don Bloom · April 30th, 2005, 08:07 PM

2 years ago I was in Maui doing a corporate job-seminars, some around the pool, some inside etc :-)...anyway since my wife was with me and we were there for 10 days we figured we use some of the down time to explore on our own. Great fun! Point is I had a PD150 with me at ALL times. I used it for the paying work and also for my own purposes. I didn't feel it was too big or awkward at all.

AAMOF, goning back next year to the big island for the same company to do the job again! Can't wait!

Don

Bob Costa · May 1st, 2005, 08:25 AM

If it was me I would take the smaller and cheaper one.

1. You can be more relaxed about shooting.
2. Your wife and kids(?) can use it easily too. Vacations are supposed to be fun. Maybe you will find another movie-maker in the family?
3. It is easier to bring with you when you take that helicopter trip around Maui.
4. Easier to take with you when you ride bicycles down from the top of Haleakala.
5. Easier to hide in your car or hotel room. It will not attract undue attention to your stuff.

Steven Gotz · May 1st, 2005, 10:33 AM

On the other hand, if you frame some really good shots, you might wish you had your better camera. It is a tough decision. I carry both, since I use my little camera to rewind and tension tapes for my Sony FX1. If I actually needed the smaller one, I would have it anyway. It fits in the bag with my FX1, as does my still camera. But the bag is too heavy for hiking.

Meryem Ersoz · May 1st, 2005, 10:38 AM

i recently took my gl2 to oahu, and i purchased a splash bag (underwater housing) for it, thinking that i would try my hand at some underwater video.

the best thing about the splash bag turned out to be how it protected my camera from sand, not water. i could keep the camera out on the beach and capture footage at will, without worrying about sand infecting it.

out of the water, the bag's lens viewer actually functioned as a warming filter and helped me film some beautiful shots of the kids. it was only a vacation video, but the skin detail was outstanding.

for beach use, i highly recommend a splash bag.

Derek Weiss · May 12th, 2005, 09:32 PM

Total newbi hear who needs advice on an upgrade.

I am just a hack videographer who really enjoys making vids of the backcountry ski trips I have been doing this year. But my silly Canon ZR80 needs to be upgraded.

I am looking for a durable 3ccd cam that is not huge, relatively light, and will shoot a better image than my Canon. I was thinking the Panasonic AG DVC30 might fit that bill. I also don't want to spend 5 grand on a cam because the places I go, they tend to see some heavy abuse.

Any opinions?

To give you an idea of the terrain we are filming, watch a couple of these hacker vids I have made this year.

http://fritzrips.com/pfeifflow.wmv

http://fritzrips.com/twinpeakslow.wmv

Thanks in advance. Great forum here.

Boyd Ostroff · May 12th, 2005, 10:48 PM

I hear good things about the DVC-30 also. Only drawback is the lack of a high resolution 16:9 mode. You might also consider the Sony PDX-10. It has XLR inputs, a short shotgun mike, DVCAM recording, BW viewfinder and shoots excellent 16:9. B&H is selling for $1,600 after rebate.

Bob Costa · May 13th, 2005, 07:19 AM

Panny gs-400. Small, lightweight, manual focus and iris ring, 4MP camera too.

George Ellis · May 13th, 2005, 10:06 AM

The GS250 is around 1#. The 150,250, and 400 are top loaders. So, if you got a monopod, can change tapes while mounted .

Patrick Jenkins · May 13th, 2005, 12:12 PM

Panasonic GS or Canon Optura...

Great taste in music!

Tim Borek · May 13th, 2005, 01:21 PM

Please tell us the location? That was beautiful. You guys are nuts, BTW! Did the camera leap-frog down the mountain from skier to skier, so the first person could always shoot the next?

Hope I'm not getting too far off topic :)

Derek Weiss · May 13th, 2005, 03:30 PM

Location was the Pfeifferhorn near Alta, Utah. The camcorder didn't leap frog, I filmed when I could.

Thanks for the advice.

Derek Weiss · May 13th, 2005, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Costa

Panny gs-400. Small, lightweight, manual focus and iris ring, 4MP camera too.

How is the image quality on this compared to the dvc30 in normal lighting?

April 30th, 2005, 06:02 PM	#751
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	I have done it half a dozen times, the last time with my Sony FX1 - a rather large camera. The fact is that you really don't stray too far from a car or some form of transportation all that often. So it does not really matter that the camera is large. Unless you are planning on taking it under water, which camera is really a no-brainer. Take the better one. If you are going to take it on a small boat, you might want to give some thought to taking one that you won't mind losing. Which island are you going to? __________________ Steven Gotz http://www.stevengotz.com

April 30th, 2005, 07:24 PM	#753
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	Then the most imprtant thing is to find a comfortable bag to carry the camera in. I will be going to Greece in a few weeks and I think I finally found a bag just big enough for the camera. I don't want to carry everything with me every day. Just the camera and a polarizing lens. And one extra tape. __________________ Steven Gotz http://www.stevengotz.com

May 1st, 2005, 10:33 AM	#756
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	On the other hand, if you frame some really good shots, you might wish you had your better camera. It is a tough decision. I carry both, since I use my little camera to rewind and tension tapes for my Sony FX1. If I actually needed the smaller one, I would have it anyway. It fits in the bag with my FX1, as does my still camera. But the bag is too heavy for hiking. __________________ Steven Gotz http://www.stevengotz.com

May 12th, 2005, 09:32 PM	#758
Derek Weiss Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 214	Advice for durable, light, quality cam. Total newbi hear who needs advice on an upgrade. I am just a hack videographer who really enjoys making vids of the backcountry ski trips I have been doing this year. But my silly Canon ZR80 needs to be upgraded. I am looking for a durable 3ccd cam that is not huge, relatively light, and will shoot a better image than my Canon. I was thinking the Panasonic AG DVC30 might fit that bill. I also don't want to spend 5 grand on a cam because the places I go, they tend to see some heavy abuse. Any opinions? To give you an idea of the terrain we are filming, watch a couple of these hacker vids I have made this year. http://fritzrips.com/pfeifflow.wmv http://fritzrips.com/twinpeakslow.wmv Thanks in advance. Great forum here.

May 13th, 2005, 07:19 AM	#760
Bob Costa Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Venice, FL Posts: 850	Panny gs-400. Small, lightweight, manual focus and iris ring, 4MP camera too. __________________ You are either growing or dying.

April 30th, 2005, 06:08 PM	#752
Stephen Sobel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 408	maui and the big island. We'll be doing some hiking.

April 30th, 2005, 08:07 PM	#754
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	2 years ago I was in Maui doing a corporate job-seminars, some around the pool, some inside etc :-)...anyway since my wife was with me and we were there for 10 days we figured we use some of the down time to explore on our own. Great fun! Point is I had a PD150 with me at ALL times. I used it for the paying work and also for my own purposes. I didn't feel it was too big or awkward at all. AAMOF, goning back next year to the big island for the same company to do the job again! Can't wait! Don

May 1st, 2005, 08:25 AM	#755
Bob Costa Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Venice, FL Posts: 850	If it was me I would take the smaller and cheaper one. 1. You can be more relaxed about shooting. 2. Your wife and kids(?) can use it easily too. Vacations are supposed to be fun. Maybe you will find another movie-maker in the family? 3. It is easier to bring with you when you take that helicopter trip around Maui. 4. Easier to take with you when you ride bicycles down from the top of Haleakala. 5. Easier to hide in your car or hotel room. It will not attract undue attention to your stuff.

May 1st, 2005, 10:38 AM	#757
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	i recently took my gl2 to oahu, and i purchased a splash bag (underwater housing) for it, thinking that i would try my hand at some underwater video. the best thing about the splash bag turned out to be how it protected my camera from sand, not water. i could keep the camera out on the beach and capture footage at will, without worrying about sand infecting it. out of the water, the bag's lens viewer actually functioned as a warming filter and helped me film some beautiful shots of the kids. it was only a vacation video, but the skin detail was outstanding. for beach use, i highly recommend a splash bag.

May 12th, 2005, 10:48 PM	#759
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,797	I hear good things about the DVC-30 also. Only drawback is the lack of a high resolution 16:9 mode. You might also consider the Sony PDX-10. It has XLR inputs, a short shotgun mike, DVCAM recording, BW viewfinder and shoots excellent 16:9. B&H is selling for $1,600 after rebate.

May 13th, 2005, 10:06 AM	#761
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	The GS250 is around 1#. The 150,250, and 400 are top loaders. So, if you got a monopod, can change tapes while mounted .

May 13th, 2005, 12:12 PM	#762
Patrick Jenkins Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 382	Panasonic GS or Canon Optura... Great taste in music!

May 13th, 2005, 01:21 PM	#763
Tim Borek Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Westfield, IN Posts: 353	Wow! Please tell us the location? That was beautiful. You guys are nuts, BTW! Did the camera leap-frog down the mountain from skier to skier, so the first person could always shoot the next? Hope I'm not getting too far off topic :)

May 13th, 2005, 03:30 PM	#764
Derek Weiss Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 214	Location was the Pfeifferhorn near Alta, Utah. The camcorder didn't leap frog, I filmed when I could. Thanks for the advice.