Standard camera for TV shows?
 

Anyone know what the standard camera used for hour long TV dramas? Like what's the most popular choice ?

There's no standard camera per se because it depends upon what you're shooting.

For example, shooting surf from shore has totally different requirements from shooting surf out on the water. What works with "Deadliest Catch" won't work with David Letterman's "The Late Show".

"Dirty Jobs" uses a mix of cameras, both full-sized shoulder mount and smaller camcorder designs.

I do a one-hour fishing show and use Sony EX1's for field and studio. I'd like to upgrade one of the cameras to an EX1r for the pre-record feature.

Give a Sony F900 a try.

I was more referring to TV dramas, not so much shows like you mentioned.

More along the lines of Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Dexter, Smallville, 24, ect...

It's more likely something along these lines:

http://www.panavision.com/product_de...8&id=63&cat=78

One-hour dramas have yet to fully make the transition to video.

Wow really? Thats interesting to know, how would you convert film to HD for broadcast though?

Film, especially 35mm, is already HD -- its potential resolution far exceeds the HDTV spec. It just isn't tape or even digital.

Related thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/totem-po...-pictures.html

A bit of trivia: When Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz started producing "I Love Lucy", they decided at the start to shoot it on film, then transfer for TV broadcast. They kept the rights.

Industry experts at the time thought they were nuts due to the cost of film production.

When it came time to provide reruns for syndication, it turned out to be a gold mine.

Today, because the originals are on film stock, it can easily be transferred for HDTV presentation. Although it's in black-and-white, their legacy is retained a half-century after their first show was aired.

Ah, makes sense, see I know nothing about film/film stock. I have more experience in video.

Kodak have lots of on line education info:

KODAK: The Essential Reference Guide for Filmmakers

KODAK: Technical Information