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goodonpaper
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Belfast
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2007-06-21, 16:50

Any advice? On my trip to Canada (check my older posts ) I plan on picking up a video camera to make short films with, but I've only ever worked with cheap MiniDV cams before. I wanna have the option to make short films, so something decent would be good - what should I be looking out for?
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2007-06-21, 16:53

Well...what's your budget?
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Bryson
Rocket Surgeon
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The Canadark
 
2007-06-21, 17:02

Budget?

Sony PD170's are great, solid workhorses. One of those will set you back about $4000CAD. The Sony FX1E, or (better) the Z1E are also nice cameras, and capable of HD. They're not as solidly built as the 170, though, especially the FX1E.

Canon make nice cameras, too, although I've never been able to get on with the XL1/XL2 - the strange shape bothers me. They seem to be a bit more suited to "low, hand-held skateboarder films" style than normal filming. If you have any of the compatible Canon lenses already, then they're good to go. Lower down the price range, the XM2s are perfectly capable (I used to have 2 XM1s and they're very similar) cameras and nice and compact, too.

Panasonic also make good cameras, but i've never had one, so can't comment really. (I have had a PD150, PD170, XM1, XL1, XL2 and an FX1E, though. )

Also, don't forget to budget for: A proper bag (Portabrace make the bees knees of bags), a good tripod, (ie: a proper Manfrotto) spare batteries, spare charger...and maybe a Fig Rig!
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goodonpaper
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Belfast
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2007-06-21, 17:11

What about in and around £200-300? (double that USD)
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Bryson
Rocket Surgeon
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The Canadark
 
2007-06-21, 17:15

Ah! That's why you must tell us the budget!

I don't really have much experience down at that end. The one thing I will say is: Counter-intuitively, buy a big camera, not a little tiny one, because:
a: You're not paying for the cost of miniaturization
b: Big lenses = better
c: Big screens = also better
but mainly: D: Small cameras are harder to handle and move smoothly - they make video that looks "cheap" to my eye.

I bought a JVC camera (I forget the model) that was cheap because it was pretty big by modern standards, but the lenses, screen and handling were great.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2007-06-21, 23:21

goodonpaper: You want something that has 3 CCDs - one for each colour. When I bought my camera about a year and a half ago, Panasonic was the only company that made 3CCD cameras in that price range. I'm not sure if that's changed.

camcorderinfo.com is a great site.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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