Any help greatly appreciated
 

I know that this is probably a dumb question, but It has been in the back of my mind.
I have a little camcorder (JVC GRD33) that I use to film little things here and there. I want to get into better business which means that I will need to better the quality of my videos, right?

Does anyone know of someone that might be able to get me a better camcorder? Or maybe even something that is very cheap, but good quality?

E-mail me


There it is, plain and simple. (Just had to ask it) :):):)

Thanks,
David Bermejo

I'm not following your question. The only way to get a better
camera is basically to buy one. So you have three options:

1. search around these boards for camera's that might be better for you. Prepare lists of needs/wants/must-have's/wishes etc. and see if you can find a camera. If you can't, post a question on these boards in open dv discussion that you are looking for a camera. List your budget, those lists I mentioned above and other details that could help people steer you in the right direction

2. you already know what camera you want. Go buy it at a store (please take our sponsers into account)

3. you already know what camera you want and would like to get it second hand. Continue responding in this thread and tell what camera you are looking for.

Alright.
My budget is anywhere from $300 to $500 for the camera.
(Probably too small, right?)
I am looking for a shoulder-mount canera.
I would like to have IEEE 1493 (Firewire) if possible. If not, then a camera with good video quality so I can capture the video maybe through composite or S-Video. I would like it to have a Mic, Headphone, and LANC jack.
I most definitely would have to get it second hand.
I wish that I could get a 3-CCD S-VHS camcorder or another 3-CCD camera, or maybe even the Canon XL-1. But I couldn't afford those anyways.
Those are my wishes and what I am looking for.

Thanks
David

I've moved and renamed your thread. You will not find anything
(unless it is an old VHS camcorder I'd say) "new" digital for that
price that includes a shoulder "mount". Heck, only the XL2 basically
has it. Anything else required an additional piece of equipment
to mount it like that and will probably cost at least half of your
total budget.

Please take a look at the forum I moved your thread to as well
to see what other people are looking at in that range.

I personally can't help you futher. I'm sure there will be others
who can help you on your quest.

Good luck.

Need camera advice...
 

Hello all,
I've been sifting through posts on these forums and checking reviews all afternoon, and I thought it might be best to just ask for help in finding what I need. I am supposed to look for a camera to be used here at work, and the budget is $1000 (though I would like to come in lower if possible). It has to be a NEW camera (not used) - this is not my call so I can't make an exception. It would primarily be used for indoor shooting of presentations, etc. and I'm thinking low-light would be important, which seems to be lacking in the majority of consumer cams!!

I can make a list of the top three choices - so please fire away, thanks!!

this one is a bit over a grand, but is probably the best, cheapest cam out:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=319788&is=REG

Don't know much about this one, but:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=338798&is=REG

New Camera - GS400 or Optura XI ?
 

Hi everybody,

I am planning to buy a new camera soon. I've made a lot of research and I can't decide between 2 cameras which are the Panasonic GS400 and the Canon Optura XI (in fact the MVX3i because it will be a PAL). I saw a lot of posts saying both cameras are great but none directly comparing each other.
I will be using it for the family and also to shoot short movies. 16/9 is of first importance to me.
The GS400 is a 3CCD but not the XI. Therefore I am afraid the picture of the XI will not be "at the top".
But some posts say we can capture progressive video with the XI by recording directly to a computer. And I think this is very interesting.
Canon also has a better reputation.
I can have both of them at about the same price.

Anyone can help me on this one ?


Thanks,

Benjamin.

Hey!

I don't have either of these (yet), but I asked a similar question comparing/contrasting the XI, Optura 20/30 and the Pana 400. The consensus was that if you've got the $$, get the GS400. The XI and GS400 are pretty close in price and the 3 CCD advantage over the XI makes the difference worth it. The GS400 also has more manual control over the XI, though both would probably excel at whatever you wanted to do with them.

Hope this helps!

Thanks Patrick.
So I think I will go for the GS400.

And you, did you finally made up your mind ? Did you buy the camera or is it too soon ?

For my purposes (going to be used for some high school projects), I'm actually going to get the GS400 (instead of the XI - main camera) and a couple of Optura 20s (dumping to edit, misc. student pick up stuff, etc).

Both companies have plenty of good reputation, and for a variety of reasons.
I haven't used either of these cameras, but I say go with the 3ccd cam.
The Gs400 is a solidly fine looking entry point image maker's dv cam. The Xi is a curious looking consumer experiment with subsequently mixed reviews.

Thanks everybody,

I've made up my mind. I read everywhere the GS400 is better so it will be the one.

I just need to find where to buy it (maybe in Singapore) and open my wallet (so painful but so good when I can play with a new toy).

Which Cam
 

I realize this is gonna open a can of worms but.......

I would like to purchase a "good" dv camcorder for my son (broadcast major in college). I am not looking for a production or pro model, but rather one that he can use when the urge hits him. (no doubt there will be more footage of parties than anything else)

My requirements are: auto/manual focus; auto or manual aperature/shutter; firewire in/out; component or svhs out, audio (stereo) in/out; external mic and headphone jacks. Prefer at least a 14x zoom.

I don't have a clue if this is within a budget of $1,000 or less (new or used).

Assistance would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks - David Bird

You really cannot get there from here with your budget.

Also, no camcorder I know of has component output in the sense Ithink you mean. They have Composite and S-Video plus firewire.

Without having a specific camera model in mind, you probably will have to come up with around $500 more to match your requirements even for a reasonably new camera.

Canon Optura Xi, Optura 30/40, Optura 300.
Panasonic GS200/GS400

The Panasonic GS400 is probably the best "cheap" cam out there right now. A little more than a grand, though, I think.

Save up another thousand or so and go on eBay and purchase him a Canon GL2. It has 20x zoom, and great features, and is a 3 chipper.

Be very careful if you plan to buy electronics off Ebay.

An alternative to spending $2000 on a GL2 is to save up about $1200 and buy a used GL1.

If you feel like you're going to buy from Ebay, be sure to read Dylan's article, "How Not To Get Scammed on Ebay"

For school, it probably doesn't make sense to get ANY camera if you can borrow them for free. Some don't let you borrow stuff for personal projects, but they will let you borrow equipment for school projects. The school should have $3-4k mini-DV cameras or better.

For personal use it might make sense to get a camera (i.e. family videos, personal film/video projects you feel like doing). A professional-quality camera will run about $3-4k upwards (and the accessories cost about that much too). For family videos and such, $1k is definitely enough.

You can still do film/video side projects with a $1k camera. The video quality from consumer cameras now is pretty good. You may need to pay attention to sound however- leave a few hundred for accessories. You can buy a microphone when you realize the sound is crappy.

2- For film/video projects, you can always manage to borrow stuff or rent stuff for free. Some classmates might have their own cameras.

3- Be careful on eBay. You can certainly get a great deal. But:
-You might get scammed (they like to sell expensive items like camcorders and laptops)
-If you buy used/refurbished the camera might need repair. Check for important accessories (battery, charger, A/V cable, lens cap). You can ask the seller why they are selling the item and how much it has been used.

Bidding on eBay:
Avoid getting into bidding wars there. When I see people bidding on an item I am interested, I want it more and will pay more to win the item. That doesn't make sense however- other people bidding on an item does not change the value of it. You can get a program called Bid-O-matic to bid so you don't get bidding crazy:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/bom/

It takes some effort to configure it properly.

Bid-O-Matic should be set to bid at the last moment. This is one of the best bidding strategies as you do not generate greater interest in an item by doing so (and you don't get into bidding wars).

Things to consider when bidding:
-what past auctions have gone for
-retail value of item (Check B&H... bhphotovideo.com)
-taxes (possibly none on ebay)
-shipping
-can you pay for item? does the seller ship to your country?
-risk of getting scammed; You can guess the % of the time you get scammed. It should be at least less than 20%. I chose that figure because it's very highball. Take that percentage and add it onto your expected bid price. That's about how much the item will cost you *on average*. However this does not take into account emotional costs- I would feel really bad if I got scammed on eBay.
-risk of defective used item
-trustworthiness

Other eBay notes:
Items which start off at $0.99 generally sell for a higher prices than items listed at reasonable prices. Paradoxically, the items which ARE deals are the ones that list at higher prices. What usually happens is that bidding wars ensue. Sometimes the item sells for higher than retail value.

However, DO bid on items that list at 99 cents... some of them will pickup less interest and sell at a low price. I would use a bidding program or service (i.e. bidsnipe) to bid on these items.

Thanks for all the responses..

I personally own a Pana AG DVC200, which I am NOT going to give my son....then he could have professional quality footage of his parties...

I have looked at several cams that seem to fit my requirements if not my budget...

Have had realitively good success on EBAY, but I'm aware of the pitfalls...AND I am definately aware of the good old "bait and switch" that many of NYC shops use.

I think my best bet is to decide on the cam, then start hitting the forums that I trust (like this one) in the "for sale" areas....

Thanks - David Bird

Help for new camcorder purchase...
 

I am currently caught in a mini dilemma and getting any help would be appreciated.

I want to purchase a new camcorder and I'm looking at the Sony VX2100, PDX10, Canon GL2, Panasonic DVC30. I've already done a search on the comparisons between all of them, but I still can't make up my mind.

1. I'm on a tight budget and would prefer to spend under $2100-2300 USD ($3000 CAD w/tax included), the less the better.

2. Are there any authorized dealers (in Toronto prefably or any U.S./CDN online retailer) who still carry the VX2000 brand new, or perhaps could get ahold of the left over inventory if they are even available?

3. One thing I like about the VX, GL2, & DVC30 is not only the manual features, but the handle, which I find useful for my purpose. However, is it possible to find aftermarket handles for the Sony PDX10 or any other camcorders which don't have a handle?

4. My use of the camcorder will be for shooting car enthusist events (day & night shots), sporting events (day), and occasionally social or wedding events (indoor/outdoor) to help a friend out with his filming business. I am leaning towards the VX2000/VX2100 due to it's low light shooting advantage, but is there a big difference from the rest I listed if I shoot indoor low lighting events, the downtown nightlife on streets, or car cruises at night with little street lights?

5. I currently use a Sony DCR TRV-17 and was wondering if I would see a big difference for shooting in low light (indoor with only an incandescent light) with the GL2, DVC30, PDX10?

Sorry for the long post.

Those are all good cameras and you won't go too far wrong with any of them. None are perfect, ofcourse, and I can't tell you what camera to buy, but I will say that I am very happy with the vx2000. It does a great job with lowlight.

I am not comfortable buying high end used equipment. The price difference usually isn't that great, and you never know what you are getting. The vx21k looks even better so I think you'd be better off with the latest model.

I bought mine throug B+H, I'm sure they could advise you about shipping to Canada.

Bear in mind, that you are going to have to budget for a wide angle filter (about $200) and some audio (low end about $200 on up)

Good luck
Joe

There are after market handles out there that attach to the tripod mount and wrap around the side of the cam to the top like a sideways U. I was looking for a handle that could attach to the accessory shoe, but was informed that a company most likeli wouldn't make one becasue of possible damage (ans subsequent complaints) if the shoe can't support the weight of the cam.

Hi Mike,

I think your question is going to be tough to answer, because probably very few, if any, of us have done hands-on, side-by-side objective comparisons of all the cameras you mentioned. Opinions on the cameras tend to be quite subjective anyway -- usually biased in the direction of what the person has most recently bought him/herself.

Undoubtedly, they're all good cameras...but as consumer cameras, they all have their limitations, as you'll read throughout DVinfo.net.

If you are doing a lot of work with your friend, perhaps you might lean toward a camera compatible with the work he does? I'm guessing car shows wouldn't generally demand widescreen, but if weddings will be a big part of your work, I'll bet a lot of brides these days expect nice widescreen DVDs (just guessing because I don't do weddings!).

None of them will do everything best. I would say to make sure that the camera will at least do all of the kinds of work that you anticipate needing it for, then pick the one that best does the one thing that you've decided is most important.

Depending on your work, you may need to leave a little budget for audio gear, too. By way of example: after I got my GL2 a couple years ago, I realized that I needed better audio, especially for voiceovers. A couple of XLR mics (AT897 and a Senn 815s), a Sign XLRPRO adaptor, and various accessory bits cost me somewhere around another $400 (not counting the Senn G2 ENG that I bought later and now couldn't live without). Even with my new XL2, the audio gear is essential.

Probably not the kind of answer you were looking for, but I hope it helps you to weigh the various features of cameras you might buy.

Camera advice
 

Hi,
I'm looking to buy my first good quality camcorder for movie making but I'm stuck with a bit of a dilema...

Should I pay out something like 1500GBP now for a XM2 ( this sounds like the kind of kit I need for getting quality of a serious standard ) or should I pay out 500GBP now for a XMV250i which isn't up to the same quality but does get excellent reviews and while only 1CCD does have some good manual options, with the intention of learning as much as possible before paying out the big bucks!

On one hand I can see the benefits of learning with the cheaper camera but on the other hand, would it be better to learn how to make the most of the more expensive one from the begining?

All opinions and experience of these 2 cameras would be very welcome!!

Cheers
Paul

Well, before we can give you advice, we need to know what you want to shoot with the camera. Sports, family, event, weddings, corporate video, travel, indie film, commercials, etc... Certain cameras are more well suited to certain things.

I'm aiming at Indie films. I want to give it a real go and see what I can do.

Different ways of looking at this:
A- You could hook up with other independent filmmakers in your area and borrow equipment from them. If you are friends with camera people or other people interested in independent films, you could help them out and they'll help you out on your shoots.
A cheap-ish camcorder still gives excellent images and can act as a deck if you want to edit footage.
B- Camera's don't depreciate in value that much (halve in price every 8 years?) so if you are sure you want a good camera for years to come, you could take the plunge now and get the better camera.
C- Make sure you have money for other stuff that would really help, like a tripod, lighting gear, and sound gear. These kinds of gear will last you a lot longer than the camera. Tripods, lighting gear, and sound gear will hold their value really well. Money spent on these three things will also improve your films' quality a lot more than spending it on a camera will.
D- Another way of looking at this is to spend a little extra on items you won't replace. An XM2 you might be tempted to replace with something a little more expensive (i.e. XL2, DVX100) so maybe that's not a good idea. With 1500GBP there's not that many really, really good gear you can get. But for some bits are pieces, it doesn't cost that much for excellent quality stuff (i.e. grip equipment, microphones).

Shoulder Cam...
 

Hey
I currently am lookin into buying a shoulder camera. I currently have a GL2. I am goign to be looking for used. I know very little about the shoulder models. I want to find one under $4,000-$3,000 used. Any suggestions? I was thinking abou the GY-DV500? Is that a good bang for the buck?

Please help me out.

There are some systems you can attach to the camera to gain better stability. The following is one of them:

http://www.global-dvc.org/html/DV%20RIG%20PRO.asp
"DV RIG PRO"

It's kind of like a watered down Steadicam. That might be a better choice???

Maybe try to get a used one for now.. A SONY dsr 300 maybe? not sure you can find one for that price but I think it's possible. I have one and I've never looked back.. =)

camera choices for documentary type recording
 

i am looking for a good quality camera for documentary type recording.

more than likely will be filming 95% of it inside and in normal/low lighting conditions.

will have about $1000 to $1500 to spend

not looking for a shoulder type mounted camera, but if one is set at a good price, will consider.

I did find:

DCR-HC1000 MiniDV

with that said, any suggestions?

Try the TRV 950, it's more refined big brother the DSR-PDX10 or even a good used PD150 or VX1000. All are great but only the PDX10 is still being made. The 150 is now the 170 and around $3500 new. Just below that is the new VX2000.

The PDX 10 has a few issues but is a great camera and shoots beautiful 16:9.

There is a forum on the TRV950\PDX10 here, check it out.

Also I hear good things about the Canon Optura line.

Happy hunting,

Sean McHenry

For low light, get a 3 chip camera (I think all of the ones mentioned are 3 chip). I have heard that the TRV900 is better than the TRV950, but can't remember why off of the top of my head (it was in the PD170/VX2100 forum).

Other options:

(Sony)
PD100
PDX10
VX2000
VX2100
(Panasonic) AG-DVC30


The PD150 will most likely run much more than $1500. If you are lucky, or patient enough, you could get a VX2000 on eBay for right at $1500. You will have to be patient though, as they usually go for higher, but I have seen them more than once go for less than $1500.

When I say patient, I mean you may be constantly checking eBay and other places for over a month, but patience will pay off if you can wait.

Another option is the Panasonic AG-DVC30. Real nice. Again, it will take some patience to find one on eBay for $1500, but I have seen them for that price.

The VX1000 does not really have good low light capabilities, and truthfully, neither does the PDX10, BUT the PDX10 might have low light performance that is "good enough".

Personally I would look for a $1500 VX2000. THat is the best bet.

When I was looking for a camera, that is what I was looking for. I also googled for

vx2000 "for sale"


and found some hits on various local classifieds web sites (not local to me). For example I saw on a New England for sale BBS a VX2000 for $1500 with low hours and it even included a Canon WD-58 wide angle lens! I *immediately* called the guy up, but he had already sold it. :-(

I ended up getting a low hour PD150 for a few hundred more than $1500, but I feel that I really lucked out in getting that for the price that I did.

Be careful though. If it looks too good to be true on eBay, it very likely is. I would say about half of the VX2000/2100 auctions that I saw on eBay were scams. Don't buy from anyone out of the country, and watch that the seller location and the item location are the same (a red flag is something like seller location = NYC, item location= castellona Spain).

Also, if they are keeping bidder's IDs private, that is another BIG red flag. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for doing so, but most often it's a signal that you are about to be scammed.

You can also look on this site, and places like bizrate.com for info on online places.

Places like Broadway Photo will sell you a VX2100 for $1500, but it is a grey market camera, and they want to upsell you on WAY overpriced accessories, etc. If you refuse, they suddenly don't have the item in stock (grey market means that you will get no warranty whatsoever, and NO accesories - no lens hood, no battery, no cables, etc. The menus on/in the camera may very well be in Japanese as well.

Alex F

i think im going to end up getting either:

PV-GS400

or

DCR-HC1000

personally i cant really afford to go over $1000 much less $1500, so these seem to be in the best price range for what im looking to do.

it would be nice to get a higher end camera, but my funds are whats holding me back.

Good Prosumer Camera? Panasonic PV-GS400 or Canon Optura Xi
 

I'm looking for a good small prosumer cam - one I can take on a vacation and not have people look at me strange like when I pull out my DVX100a --- are either of these recommended? or does anyone have a suggestion for a $1000-$1300 smaller DV cam?

Thx in advance>!

$1000 dollars(roughly) for Camera. Wich one to get for interviews?
 

I have been told i can spend around 1000 dollars on a camera.as a gift. I would really like to get a 3ccd camera. There are used trv900 's on ebay. I want to have a profesional look to my documentary type video. I would just wait and save but is there a camera that would fit the bill untill i could aford more . I don't know what to do. Any help?

I've been looking at cameras in this kind of range for quite a while. I think I've finally settled on the Sony DCR-HC1000. Its a similar spec to the GS400 though seems to have slightly better features and gets excellent reviews everywhere.

I don't think there is, but I'm not sure. Did you try a search here
in this forum? (click on the link in the upper right corner and make
sure you are searching in the Open DV Discussion forum)

There have been numerous threads on people looking for "cheap"
camera's etc.

Anyone else have some tips for Chris?