HD camera help +k

bkap

bkap

Member
So right now i have about one grand to spend, and i want to get a new camera. I was looking at a sony vx2000 and like everything about it except i want a better quality picture so i was thinking about getting a hd camera but thats hard in a $1,000 price range, but my friend suggested getting a dslr for filming. would anyone recemmend that or strongly disagree? just want to hear some opinions on what i should do/get. +k for serious help
 
are you looking for something with manual settings? or like something you can pick up, press a button, point, and go
 
You can't get a dslr setup for 1000 you can barely get one with nice glass for under 1000 but if you look around you could get a nice used or refurbished camera for close to 1000 or less
 
DSLRs aren't good for video if you can't spend over $1,000.

A Canon HV40, tripod, wide angle, and slider will produce amazing results if you're diligent in learning how to film.
 
Yes.

The Canon HFS200 is a good choice too - check out the specs on BH and do some research on that and the HV40.
 
yup, i'd probably suggest a flash one over tapes, they all have very good quality.
 
Advice: Make sure your computer can edit HDV or AVCHD before buying a certain camera. Had it happen to a friend where he bought an HFS100 and then got screwed because the specs on his computer sucked and he couldn't edit any of the footage.
 
Canon vixia hfs100 new/used then depending on how much money you have left, a decent tripod, camera bag then start looking for good lenses . don't go on ebay and buy that dr.broth shit...
 
alright so im a little more advanced than what you guys are suggesting. Right now im looking at a used panasonic ag-hmc40 for about 1,400 maybe 1,600. with extras. My worries is i know very little about computers. I have a like 1.5-2 year old macbook with no firewire port. I think i can get the film of the SDHC cards with like a usb adaptor or something like that if im not wrong. my problem is i have 2 gb of ram. I can most likely add more ram if needed but i do not know how much memory all of my editing and film would take up/ if my computer will work for this camera.
 
If your computer sucks, then an AVCHD camera would not be optimal. Besides, if you spend all your money on just the camera, you won't have any money left over for lenses, stabilization, filters, etc. Having a camera alone will produce crap results, just look at all the shitty RED footage floating around the web.

If you go a bit cheaper for a camera like the hf100 or whatever its called, and spend the rest on the proper accessories, then your footage will look phenomenally better.
 
he didnt mention it but he will have access to a computer with 8 gb of ddr3 ram, a core i7 processor and a ati radeon 5850 graphics card, 7200 rpm hardrive.
 
that will work for editing, but that doesn't change the fact that a handheld stock camera, no matter how nice, won't produce interesting footage by itself. You need to budget in tracking/stabilization devices, and most importantly, lenses.
 
The HFS200 isn't a bad camera, and don't automatically assume that you're "better" than it because it doesn't have a handle. You're only as good as your budget, and that's actually a pretty pimp little camera. Look into it and you may be surprised. I remember, from what I read, something about 24p, which is really nice for a camera at that price. Check it out, for sure.

And Landis is right - allot like 200 for a tripod, think about a glidecam and a wide angle lens for followcams, and keep things like a slider, dolly, filters/polarizers, mics, etc, on your mind.
 
and lighting.
and audio.
and......
it's never ending, but it's all equally important.
Honestly........get a t2i and start to dump money into it. The t2i by itself wont be the greatest, but if you can keep dumping more money into it you'll have an awesome setup.
t2i: 80050mm 1.8: 100tripod (asuming you don't have one?): 400+_____________________________________1300 (less that what your HMC40 is going to cost)
then buy:
-more lenses-stabilization (maybe a glidecam...maybe not)-microphone/solution (zoom h4n i think is a popular one?)
This is coming from someone who opted to get an HPX170 over a 7d.
I'll be picking up a t2i sometime in the next year before I start doing weddings/short films.
Good luck....
Oh and, that computer is going to need to get faster somehow ;). Download footage and see if you can handle it.
 
t2i is an awesome camera, but he knows nothing about cameras. Why would you suggest something that he needs to manually pull focus for? Also he needs to learn about moire/aliasing, glass, separate audio recording, etc.

I'm all for buying cameras with steep learning curves, but too many people who know nothing about filming pick up DSLRs and go "omgz shallow DOF is so professional!!"
 
Yeah you're right. I guess I just have faith that the guy will really try and learn the camera. Realistically his videos will probably blow at first. I'm just the type of guy that wants to suggest the BEST camera for the money. Probably too much camera for this guy to handle though.
Question to O.P.
Do you have ANY experience with a DLSR?
 
Oh hey, good thing you only posted that twice before, because I'm sure he missed those, along with that PM you sent him too. ;)
 
god damnit, i knew someone would call me out on that. sorry for bugging you OP, i just really want a new camera haha
 
alright im not a complete idiot about this. the original money i was saying was purely camera wise. On top of the camera i was planning on getting- a new tripod - a new lens or 2 ( until i have money for more)- backup battery- light- external microphonenow im selling two old camera and once those sell they should cover the cost of all that plus my parents said theyd throw some money down.( i was hoping to try to keep all that below 650ish tho so i have a little extra cash, if not whatever.) All that other stuff will come over time though like a few weeks or so after i buy the camera.
 
I'm not sure if anyone told you this, but camera gear is kind of expensive. $650 will get you a tripod and battery.

Accessories and tracking/stabilization will run you roughly $1,000. Add a camera to that. Oh and don't forget lenses...
 
wait, wait are you kidding me are you fucking kidding me, i am yes consider a legitimate filmer in my area ive been hired by my skate shop for filming, #1 a great tripod with a fluid head will cost you roughly 200$ #2 depending on the battery it should only cost 15 bucks a battery, #3 i picked up my mk1 for my vx for 500$ but no one needs an mk1 so you could get an opteka for 100-300$, #4 uv filters are very very cheap, #5 you can build your own dolly's for very cheap maybe 60$, #6 no one needs a glide cam vvery very over priced
 
Are YOU kidding ME? There is enough in that post for chuckles all around! Your points on tripods, lenses, filters (clearly you know nothing about filters/polarizers nor did you read the posts above), and glide cams are seriously misguided.
 
You film skateboarding. Feel free to leave this discussion...... the door is that way ------->.
When we say lenses we don't mean a fisheye ;).
 
I once purchased a "fluid head" tripod for 200 dollars. Let's just say that bad boy has been sitting in my trunk for months. I used it as a light stand a few times during the winter though! It even failed at that. It couldn't handle the 2 pound light and it kept tilting (while locked off).
Real tripods start at 800+
There's some "acceptable" solutions that start around 400-500, but those have their big flaws.

 
alright so i think everyone should calm down a little. but alright i guess im a little off thats fine. Im just looking for help. What would you suggest for filters. i was planning on getting just a skylight or uv filter and maybe a stabilization filter. Ill look into others i guess though. Lenses i was looking at getting a fisheye because yes i do film skating sometimes and overall just like fisheye lenses, and i was going to look into other types of lenses that i would need. suggestions? hoping to get lenses in the under 500 range.
 
Skylight and UV filters are practically useless. You can use them to protect your lens, but thats about it.

A polarizer boosts color saturation, and makes more detail appear in whites. Polarizers are a MUST if you're buying a filter set. NDs are good for adjusting exposure as well. If you want to do any scenery, Grad ND filters work wonders, since they compensate for the light differences between ground and sky.

As for stabilization filter...am I missing something? Because I'm pretty sure that doesn't exist.
 
As for lenses, the only lenses worth buying for video cameras are Century/Schneider lenses. They aren't that nice, but its the best you can do as far as auxiliary lenses go. It depends on your filter size/bayo mount, but an ultra wide for my DVX was $500 (which is pretty cheap, relatively speaking).
 
no i actually dont know what i was trying to say. as far as i know they dont exist ether. my bad
 
1) What is your budget? How much money can you spend right away, and do you think you can get more money to invest in the future? I can throw down about 1,400 for the camera itself. Another 600-800 shortly after. Slowly add more and more as i get a job.

2) What experience do you already have with cameras? Have you ever even used one before? Have you helped your friend out with his camera? Have you owned your own? Ive been filming for 6 years. this is my 3rd upgrade.

3) What gear, if any, do you currently have? (tripod, old camera lenses, mics, etc)
t ripod(which i will most likely sell, it kinda sucks)
4) What are you planning to shoot and how do you want to use your camera? Are you going to use this with the sole purpose of shooting skiing? or do you think you might try other stuff as well (movies, documentaries, short films, etc)
skiing,skating, and im starting to film bar mitzvah
5) Do you want a camera that you can hand to your friends, that could or could not have film experience, and let them shoot you? or will you be doing all the filming? I will be doing all the filming. looking for pretty manual controls

6) When filming skiing, how do you tend to shoot? (follow cams, leave it on record on a tripod and hike, film from a tripod, etc)
follow cams,tripod,creative shots
7) What computer do you currently have/use to edit (if not currently editing, what would you most likely use)? If you can provide specifics, such as hard drive space, RAM, processor size, that would be great.

7) What program do you currently edit on? How familiar are you with it (1- just learning; 10- I can make tutorials and know the keyboard layout) Cyberlink very comfortable, but im going to get a new one on my mac. in the mean time editing will be done on a friends computer

---------------------------Optional Section, for those seeking a more intensive upgrade/purchase------------------------
1) Do you think you might consider using a DSLR?
maybe
2) Do you have any knowledge about the HDSLRS?
no not really
3) Do you know the limitations to using HDSLRS?
no not really
4) Are you willing to take the time to learn about a DSLR, and how to shoot with manual lenses?
yeah
5) Again, do you want a camera that you can hand to your friends, that could or could not have film experience, and let them shoot you? or will you be doing all the filming? ill always be filming.
 
Haha if you had specified this initially, we wouldn't have wasted 43 replies bickering over nonsense.
 
Yeahhhhhhh.
Go with the t2i body (no kit lens) and start out with a good prime. You actually have enough money to make this happen, BUT it's not going to be easy to learn. You'll have to do a ton of learning and stay committed.
The rest of the money goes towards
1. Lenses2.Stabilization3.Audio
 
well i take back my dvx comment, because you have just said that you can spend 1400 on the cam alone then 800 on accesories, well then imo get a used hmc40 and then get a real nice tripod idk which kinda because im not big into tripods, but if you can get a century optics fisheye since you said you would like a fisheye, but if you cant get a century optics then settle for an opteka(i have one and i really like it personally) and i dont know if you really want a uv filter but you can if you want, and you could also grab a telephoto lens too if your gonna do any back country shots, and thats about all i can think of, oh wait buy some extra batteries off of amazon for real cheap and i thnk thats all youll need for now
 
haha sorry yo. it was just i could get it for like 850 with a light,mic, and high quality tripod, and a waterproof bag with like 3 backup batteries. it was a good deal.
 
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