Digital Video Recording
Hey guys,
The company I work for is a graphic design / print company. We have a full photo studio and everything we print is in-house - from business cards to banners. The only thing we outsource is stupid stuff like pens.
Now here's my question:
We are going to be taking on a film project. We've done it before, but this time we want to own all of our own equipment. We have all of the lights and everything. We really just need the Digital Video Camera. We'd like a really good one. We pride ourselves on always delivering the best quality around for the most competative price. We really don't have a budget because price is no deciding factor. But if I had to name a price - I'd say no more than $1,500.
Thanks in advance!
[QUOTE=furleyguy;948580]Most of the "pro-sumer" cameras start in the $3000 range. The cheaper ones can be frustrating to use because they favor auto controls over manual ones.
The main thing I'd look for is the chips. You want 3CCDs, and the biggest ones you can afford. Panasonic's PV-GS400 has these in that price range. Don't get an MPEG2 camera, stick with DV. Also look at the types of audio inputs.
Personally, I'd track down a used Panasonic DVX-100. That's a great, versatile camera, pretty prevalent in the market, with tons of accessories available when you get more $$ later. I own a newer version and recently invested in a contraption to mount my 35mm lenses on it.[/QUOTE]
Really we have the money. I just don't want to spend more than that on something that we are only going to need for a few projects here and there. I'm trying to hold a budget. The other guys here don't seem to be as concerned. lol. Last month we added about $300,000 worth of stuff to our already close to a million dollar inventory.
How important is it to be able to manually focus?
A lot of our photography - we just put the cameras on auto. We aren't trying to be artist (although we have all sold art - see my avi) we just want to get jobs done.
Depends on what you're shooting. I realize auto is highly desirable in still cameras. Manual is a must for video shots where the camera doesn't move. In auto, there's the risk of the camera "hunting" and focusing back and forth between competing subjects in the frame.
If you're running around all over the place, auto can be okay sometimes. I personally use manual exclusively and press a momentary auto "bump" button when something unexpected happens.
Most consumer cameras will still have a manual mode, it's just a matter of how easy it is to use. Get one with lots of control so that it's there when you want it. Same with the exposure, especially in low light; you don't want the camera gaining up all the time (that's what it wants in auto), you want to use your shutter and iris to dial in the best possible image, which sometimes should remain dark.
I learned the hard way that when dealing with DV cameras it's always better to rent than to buy. In two years when the heads don't work anymore, it'll be more expensive to fix them than it would be to replace the camera. Most professionals rent anyway. The trouble is finding a rental house that carries DV equipment because a lot of them deal exclusively in film.
And if you have your heart set on buying a camera, I'd recommend the Sony PD-170. It's extremely simple to operate, provides better image that the Canon XL1 (and XL2 I think) and it's fairly cheap to buy.
Another good one is the Canon GL2. It has pretty great picture and is also pretty simple to operate, but costs a little more. However if you want to look professional, the Canon XL1/XL2 are your best choices because of the size and look of the camera. The Canon XL1 and XL2's are highly over rated and tend to look dull.
None of these cameras are Hi Def, but that saves you $$$$.
Manual focus is extremely important as well. If the camera starts rack focusing between a reflection off a picture frame and whatever you're shooting no one will be impressed. A good tip is to shoot from a great distance and zoom. This gives greater depth of field and helps your viewer focus on whatever you want.
Last thing I'll say is that furleyguy is 100% on the ball about those chips. The 3ccd chip is the most important feature in image quality. The bigger the chip the better the image.
I use the Panasonic HVX-200, top of the line stuff from my producers. But in any case, it doesn't matter what camera you use, as long as you use it in a original manner. Then again, if you want crystal clear images, you are prolly gonna pay more.
But if you ain't using it that much, rent a camera on a 'per job' basis. Much cheaper.
Most of the "pro-sumer" cameras start in the $3000 range. The cheaper ones can be frustrating to use because they favor auto controls over manual ones.
The main thing I'd look for is the chips. You want 3CCDs, and the biggest ones you can afford. Panasonic's PV-GS400 has these in that price range. Don't get an MPEG2 camera, stick with DV. Also look at the types of audio inputs.
Personally, I'd track down a used Panasonic DVX-100. That's a great, versatile camera, pretty prevalent in the market, with tons of accessories available when you get more $$ later. I own a newer version and recently invested in a contraption to mount my 35mm lenses on it.