What Camera/Camcorder?????

Common_Cents

Common_Cents

Member
) 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?
900-2500. Nothing more. Im trying to keep it under 2000.

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?
Quite a lot. Owned a couple. Canon Gl2 is what i use now. Have used a Canon xh A1

2) What gear, if any, do you currently have? (tripod, old camera lenses, mics, etc)
Tripods about it.

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)
Im going to use it for skiing AND short films including school projects.

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?
Yes i want my friends to be able to use it.

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)
Tripods shots and follow cams.

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.
MacbookPro 15inch. Good specs.

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)
Final cut pro. 7

---------------------------Optional Section, for those seeking a more intensive upgrade/purchase------------------------
1) Do you think you might consider using a DSLR?

Possibly but i would have to have a good mount/handle for it and i feel like it gobbles up hardrive space.
Cameras ive looked at:
Panasonic DVXSony HDR FX7Canon 60d
PLEASE HELP

 
The last thing you want is an fx-7. 60d is a good choice if you want to do anything manually but you might aswell buy a 7d for a couple extra hundred bucks. but thats my input
 
Thanks! Im still a little iffy on the DSLR's though... I would prefer a mini DV and for mic inputs im just not sure about them. Im going to be using this for school too and our Video tech center is mostly set up with Mini Dv's in mind
 
Also about the FX7. yeah i heard the learning curve is awful(aka not a camera for friends to film with) and the audio control is bad,
 
I've heard very very mixed opinions on the XH-A1, and was seriously considering buying one. Really the only negative I've noticed people saying is that they don't like recording to tapes, which means importing in real time. Their quality is amazing and you can buy them refurbished off Canon's website with a warranty for $2500. I would keep it in mind if I were you
 
1. get the 60d body only and pimp it the fuck out with a baller lens (SIGMA 17-50mm f/2.8)
2.then buy a follow focus (http://www.idcphotography.com/kart/index.php?p=product&id=142&parent=30)
3.then buy a glidecam.
4. ???????
5. PROFFIT!!!!
 
images
 
If you want your friends to be able to use it, you probably don't want a DSLR.

...and unless you're just really retro, skip MiniDV - theres better media/codecs out there. Please don't go that route now.

Look into a Panasonic HMC40. Its got a great sharp picture and similar image control to the DVX - its the HMC150s aspiring brother. You can probably pick up a used one for not too much.

900-2000 is a BIG price range. Trust me, if you want anything decent you'll be paying at least 1500
 
yeah i really don't think im going to get a DSLR i was just leaving it as an option.. And i have looked into the HMC40 and so far i like what i see/hear about it.
Also as far as miniDV. Im not restricting myself to them but it would just make it easier. The canon XH A1 in mini DV and looks sharp as hell.
 
i know its a nice camera but i'm really planning on buying new. I might considered a refurbished but only if its from the company or a legit dealer
 
No moving parts homie, just save yourself some money and buy used. There are plenty of "like new" ones out there, don't limit yourself.
 
Yeah. I just bought an HPX and it was "like new".
Honestly though it's scary to buy used. Buying new is VERY comforting buttttttt I saved 800 bucks. Now I have to drop 600 on more p2. Shit's expensive.
 
1. Slave away at making something that wont be able to preform anywhere near the level of a real glide-cam (iv built and tested 3)
2. ??????
3. waste money.
 
I'd recommend if you're serious at all about having a good stabilization, to buy a real one. Sure, its 200-300 bucks but its so worth it. Making your own is very cheap and could be pretty fun to do, but for a camera over 2lbs its gonna get really tricky/annoying.
 
First of all that made no sense because in many instances you do touch it, second of all follow focus means you don't have to crane your wrist around the front of your camera and fuck up the balance to pull focus while you are doing follows off of 40 foot jumps.
 
If you're moving shit on your camera while its on a glidecam, then you're doing it wrong. The only person ive ever seen touch there camera while filming (very impressive) is duncan, you have to use both hands to control the glidecam.
 
Yeah agreed. If i end up getting the 60d that homemade steadicam *might* help but anything like a DVX100b or HMC40 (which im most likely going to get) wont work with it at all.
 
Light ones can be tricky too, id just recommend buying a real one if you're actually serious.
 
Can someone tell me what's so bad about FX7's

i've never looked into them...

Oh and get a 7D I think it's a good idea...
 
Its just a shit camera, the fx1 is 1000 times better and was only like 1000 bucks more i think when they came out. The colors are weak, the whole camera in general is just a dumbed down fx1.
 
I was never a fan of the FX7 - it felt like a poop camera in a cool shell.

And if you read the thread, you wouldn't have said 7d - he wants his friends to be able to film.
 
If his friends are competent filmers, this will work, but they'll have to know at least slightly what their doing, if for nothing other than keeping the right distance for focus.
 
THREADJACK...anyways its cool that it has room for the arms, that sounds handy for sure. If it really is fully waterproof then what the hell, its 30 bucks.

And no, you can't just teach someone to focus - focusing with a DSLR takes practice; lots of it. On professional movie sets they pay a guy who's job is solely to make sure everything is in focus. It's more than just teaching someone with a DSLR because the DOF is so small; even shot composition plays into how you focus the camera with them.

And let's not even get into follow focusing...
 
I bet you only use autofocus because it seems you have no idea how hard it is

I have had my HDSLR for almost a year and have tons of trouble keeping shit in focus, and I film a lot.

It takes lots and lots of practice, you cant teach your friends overnight...
 
Do you own a dslr? If you have yet to get the t2i you won't stop talking about, then you should stop participating in threads about them. Your post was not funny or helpful.
 
Suck my dick eheath your such an asshole ever since I joined this site uv been a total dick to me, when I tried a Dslr it dint seem that hard to focus. You should stop hating and try to be nice, it feels alot better to be nice, people will enjoy you alot more.
 
DSLR's are nearly impossible to focus correctly without a lot of learning. It took me a day to learn to focus my 50mm f/1.8 right.
 
Thanks for all of the input!
As for the handing the camera to friends issue... Most of my friends that i will be skiing with have canon gl2 experience so something like a DVX or HMC40 shouldnt be TOO hard to use. (i could be wrong) however if i DO decide to get a DSLR i will probably NOT be letting my friends use it or if they do i will make sure they are stationary/in a predesignated spot.
On a side note if i get a DSLR i will probably but something like this for ithttp://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&q=dslr+handle&cid=6152567105955595297&ei=mjd8TM7zA5G6NZL_4f0E&sa=title&ved=0CA4Q8wIwATgA#p
 
Ok I'll stop giving bad advice but just get off my fucking back, whenever I do anything on NS it's just a big hate train with you.
 
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