Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Thanks for the update. You can always get help climbing the learning curve here:
Panasonic AVCCAM Camcorders Forum at DVinfo.net

SInce the HMC130 is new, you may be able to help others that follow in your footsteps.

Long term, as you strive to shoot better and better stuff, you'll be turning off auto-focus and using manual more. At least that's how it was for me. YMMV

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

I've bought cams from B&H but also from Full Compass and recently from Markertek. Both Full Compass and Markertek were great to deal with and have solid reputations. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one from Amazone either. Not knocking B&H, just that there are other options too.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

I've read through the posts on this thread and am still in need of help. I'm totally new to video and am buying my first camcorder, with the main purpose of recording interviews in mostly indoor settings. The recorded interviews will be for clients so the image and sound quality need to be good. I've been considering the Canon XF100 or JVC 150 camcorder which are about what I want to spend (though I'd love to spend less). Does anyone have thoughts about these 2 cameras or others that might be more appropriate for my purposes? Thank you so much for any help you can provide. Trying to choose is a bit overwhelming to me since I know so little!

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Why not get a used AF100 with a Tamron 17-50mm and/or a 50mm prime so you can blur the background on the interviews and really make the subjects pop. Not quite as versatile as a fixed lens camcorder, but if you're just going to be doing interviews, seems like a good choice. The bigger imaging chip will help with providing clean video indoors as well.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Remember to budget a microphone that you can get close to the talent. A wired shotgun on a boom stand like an AT875 or Rode NTG1 or 2 or even a wired lavalier are inexpensive ways to get the audio required for corporate video.

There's also a tripod and some basic lighting gear required.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Nate & Les, thank you for your responses.

-I saw a used Panasonic AF100 at B7H & will investigate that option.
-B&H recommended the Rode NTG2 used within 6 feet of the subject, so it's good to get confirmation of that suggestion. I previously used lavaliers though they weren't recommended on another website due to potential noise...
--B&H also recommended for a tripod the Manfrotto 701 with 190 legs and the Sunpak LED 96 for lighting. Any thoughts on those? In my basic lighting workshop, they discussed 3 point lighting, so I am hoping to use the LED with window/home lighting.

Thanks for helping a total beginner!

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

That's a photo tripod. It will basically work but a video tripod has a bowl at the top and a head that fits in it. You level the head by loosening the head, swivel it until level and tighten. No leg length adjustments.

While this is probably over your budget, the Sachtler ACE, FSB4, Vinten Blue and similar are examples. There may be a cheap bowl system the same price as what they recommended. If you stay with video production very long, you will get a good one eventually.

A window, an LED and a reflector will let you experiment with 3-point lighting. I always recommend starting out small and actually doing lighting....then you know what else you need.

The Rode NTG-2 has a battery compartment. As long as your camera has phantom power (the af-100 DOES), the battery is unneeded and making the thing bigger than you need.When you go to mount it on your camera someday, it'll start to get in the way. The NTG-1 is smaller (I have one) and the AT975 is even smaller (I wish I had one).

Also, if you have time to wait, you can monitor the Classified Listings section of DVInfo. It's a great way to get good stuff as sellers and buyers reputations are at stake here... FWIW.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

If I may play devil's advocate here... Is an AF100 really the best first camera for someone totally new to video?

It may be a fun thing to learn for experienced photo/video people, but some starters may find it terrifying (not least trying to work out what lens is needed for what occasion).

Carla, I'm not saying that it's not a good camera for you, just to give it lots of thought. The two cameras you named (the JVC HM 150 and the Canon XF100) are compact, reasonably easy to use, do a good job on auto, and are more than ample for web videos etc. They both offer phantom power and enough features to make good interviews. Picture quality would be crystal clear, and I dare say not many clients would complain about the background not being too blurred.

Sure you won't get that good shallow DOF you get with a lens on an AF100. But is it really what you need?

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

OK, great information. I will try to find a cheaper tripod system to start and will keep those other ones on my list. I am just starting a business and don't want to sink too much $ into it yet. Thanks much for the other suggestions and for explaining things at my novice level.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Thank you, Mike, I think you are right. I am not a very technical person so I do need something that is more user friendly, especially as a novice. I took a workshop and borrowed a Sony Z5 from my community media center and it was a bit intimidating for me. I will be interviewing people in order to preserve personal and family histories so good image and sound quality are important, but perhaps I should work up to a more sophisticated camera like the AF100.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Hi Carla,

I may not be right in the end, but "look before you leap" is always a wise choice I think. Can you get hands-on with any of these cameras? I'm not going to recommend an exact model of camera as a first response, as that would be unfair on your decision-making process.

One big question is - what is your budget? AF100 + lens + tripod might be more than you are willing to pay.

A benefit of the smaller cameras is they can look a lot less intimidating to the people who you are interviewing. You can break down the JVC (take the handle off) and be left with a very small, compact camera that you can take anywhere, and not look like a TV crew.

For interviews, you could stick one of theses cameras on a simple Manfrotto 701HDV-type tripod and it will get you started, and may even be everything you'd ever need. You also have less to carry with a compact camera and simpler tripod. It's all part of the equation.

As always, if you can try a camera in a store, or borrow one, or find someone who'll let you fondle their camera(!) - it's the best way to see what suits you best.

Think of the editing too; the 50Mb/s highest output of the Canon is probably overkill for you, and may lead to headaches when editing - a lower bitrate would suffice on this camera. You also have to buy reasonably expensive Compact Flash cards, instead of the relatively affordable SDHC cards in the JVC - and the JVC records native Quicktime files if you have an Apple Mac, which can be useful.

Will the compact cameras give the same results as an AF100 or similar spec of camera? No, I don't think so. But do you _need_ that higher spec of camera? Only you can tell!

There is a lot to think about here! This is only scratching the surface... But ask away, one thing you're not going to be short of here are opinions.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Mike - Thanks for this additional info. It all helps me think this through. The editing is one reason I was leaning to the JVC, since I just got Final Cut Pro X. I am concerned about the intimidation factor, since I have interviewed elderly people who are even nervous about an audio recorder. But I guess the main concern I had with these Canon and JVC models is the frequently repeated remark in B&H reviews about being them bad in low light, since most of my interviews will be indoors. So I guess I will just have to be sure that I do the lighting setup properly!

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

I don't have one but from the people here on DVInfo I trust, the AF-100 a fine camera and does well in low light. It's a manual lens camera so you'll be zooming, focussing and exposing manually using the focus and exposure assist features of the camera. There's a learning curve to all cameras and each one has negatives.

I suggest you take the B&H reviews with a bit of a grain of salt. There's an AF-100 forum here with lots of information and users willing to help you figure out if it's good for you. They'll also be there to help you out if you decide to get one.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Thanks for letting me know about the AF-100 forum. I will check that out!

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

One thing about that though.... (and I am generalising, and not trying to offend)

If you go to the AF100 forum, the advice leans towards "buy an AF100"!

If you go to the NX5 forum, the advice leans towards "buy an NX5"!

etc.

The only exception is the NX70 forum, where the advice tends to be "don't buy an NX70"! <grin>

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Yes, I have noticed that tendency in reviews :-). I would love to see a "top ten" type of rating somewhere. I know that would be of limited use, but does such a thing exist?

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

@Carla, don't outsource this decision. This isn't a toaster or a car. There are plusses and negatives to each camera and there are situations for which some cameras are not suitable and other situations they may ONLY suitable for.

A camera may be FANTASTIC for a certain kind of shoot and that's what people may rave about but in another type of shoot, be less than suitable. A feature that's a positive in one case may be a don't care in another. As you read DVInfo, you will hear cameras commonly referred to as tools in a toolbox and that you pick the right tool for the job.

All that said, from what you describe as your main use, how you describe yourself and the fact that on your own you avoided a very common pitfall and arrived at a reasonable selection (AF-100), I think it will be a good selection provided you are willing to climb the learning curve. From what I see and read, you will get stunning results. There are other cameras that wouldn't be good but if you outsource the decision, you may end up with a great camera according to someone else but for you, be a poor choice. BUT, if you don't want to learn to get the most out of your camera and want it to do everything then the AF-100 isn't a good choice. You won't get as good a result either and that's the rub: point and shoot camera to get bad-mediocre results vs a quality manual camera that with skill is capable of getting stunning results.

When you read the AF-100 forum, keep an eye out for posts by Olof Ekbergh. He's an AF-100 user with a bazillion years of production experience with all kinds of equipment. He and his wife run Westside AV and they are a sponsor of DVInfo.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Just to clarify a little, there are plenty of very good video tripods that don't use bowl heads. On some of these you can buy a ball leveller to have the best of both worlds with a flat mount head.

And with the NTG2 mic, whether there is a battery installed or not, it's the same size. Adding the batt affects the weight, not the size, as the compartment would just be empty if you used Phantom. If the point was that a batt-compatible mic is bigger inherently than a different non-batt mic, that's usually true, but many people like having the versatility of two power choices.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

The NTG-2 is 10.94 inches and the NTG-1 is 8.54 inches long. My point was that the NTG-2 is longer than the NTG-1 and when phantom is available, the extra length unneeded and unwanted if/when camera mounted. I was not implying it was longer when the battery was in it.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

My challenge is trying to evaluate cameras when I know so little (hence the outsourcing impulse :-). Ideally I would have more experience before buying, so I may try renting for awhile. Thanks.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Hey guys,

Thought i'd post this here instead of starting a new thread. I know this question gets asked over and over again, but after sifting through a lot of threads and reviews, i'm still a bit lost.

I'm looking for a video camera for event videography and the occasional short film, budget of no more than $4000 or so. I have a XA10 currently, but i'm in need of a second camera.

I've been set on the Canon XF100 for its MXF file format and broadcast friendly 50mbit recording, but after doing a lot of reading it seems that there may be better options out there.

Any advice/tips appreciated! Cheers.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Have you considered a DSLR?

I used an XA10 as the master camera at a speaking event recently while shooting the tight stuff with a 5D2. With the 5D2 in the Natural picture style and the XA10 in Movie (or is it Cinema) and both with minimum contrast and sharpness, they cut together really well. Dialing both to the same color temperature really nailed it. The XA10 did a fixed wide shot and ran continuously, capturing audio. The 5D2 only runs for 12 minutes at a time, so it was great for the tight shots as I had to tilt and pan and could stop/restart the recording during transitions.

Clearly, the 5D2 doesn't work well at events on it's own, but the XA10 makes it quite viable - especially with its XLR inputs and phantom power. I just set the 5D2 audio to Auto and use it for sync.

Of course, a DSLR really shines for short films. The 12 minute limit isn't an issue. The artistic control over DOF is empowering. Light sensitivity simplifies setups. The range of available lenses is huge.

A 5D3 would eat most of your budget before lenses. A 5D2 with a Mosaic Engineering VAF anti-aliasing filter would leave more change on the table. A new T4i or 7D2 could be introduced soon. (Disclaimer: I have no inside info. Just reading tea leaves.) Just be aware that the camera and lenses make a package and that a full frame 5D2 would lead to a completely different set of lenses than a crop cam T4i.

Whether this is viable or not probably depends most on what types of events you shoot and how you shoot them. The more that the camera and subjects move, the more challenging it is for a DSLR. Shooting video of speakers at a podium is a piece of cake. A toddler who jumps up and down to stick her face in the camera will be tough to track. Style matters too. At weddings, out of focus moments can look romantic. At a court proceeding, an out of focus moment looks like a mistake.

The irony for events is that I find the 5D2 easier to operate than the XA10 for video. The 5D2 has a number of buttons and informative displays that make the settings easy to set and double check. I found the XA10 touchscreen menus to be much slower for accessing key items.

Anyway, a DSLR is worth a consideration, but it really depends on the type of events you shoot. For narrative short films, a DSLR is an easy choice.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Thanks for the reply Jon.

I should have mentioned that I have a 600D too. It's obviously not a 5D but in terms of picture quality I think it comes close enough.

I do tend to use my XA10 more often due to its simplicity compared to a DSLR. I love the control over the DoF with the 600D but I just find the post production workflow to be quite tedious.

Plus I shoot more events (sports, weddings, etc) than short films, so I think a video camera is the better choice. And I think the XA10 would be a great B camera if I had something with more buttons/manual controls and a better shooting format (AVCHD is good but i'd prefer MXF).


Thanks for the comments, much appreciated :D

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Yeah, the 600D definitely qualifies as a DSLR. :)

Regarding post, have you tried NeoScene and Plural Eyes? If you transcode directly from the card to the hard drive, it's not much slower than copying AVCHD files - if you have a fast computer. I generally sync by hand, but PluralEyes can help simplify the audio part.

I generally think of the production part (keeping focus, rolling shutter if handheld, aliasing, changing lenses) as the bigger limits to event production, rather than workflow. For a 90-minute event, I can transcode and sync pretty quickly, compared to the time it takes to make creative decisions, add titles, transitions, color correct, and (especially) render. Then again, every minute saved can help!

The XF100 looks like a nice choice. It should match the XA10 well, and it has many of the buttons that I wish we had on our XA10. I haven't used it, but it's likely a really nice choice - unless some surprises appear next week at NAB...

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Obvious ones in that price range you probably already looked at are the current crop of 3-ring, 3-chip solid state cameras from Sony (NX5u, AX2000) and Panasonic (AC130 and AC160). The 3-ring cameras tend to have the manual controls and non-menu buttons you probably refer to. There's also the idea of picking up a used EX1 in that price range. You have to go up to the $6K range to get 3-ring, 3-chip, solid state in the Canon line as they've abandoned the sub $5000 market with that kind of camera. You'll want to have decent control of the image so as to match it with your other cameras.

A newcomer in that price range is the just announced PMW-100 but it hasn't shipped so you won't find much other than Sony's press release stuff.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Interesting comments, thanks.

Yes i've looked at the cameras mentioned above. There's a lot of choice and the decision gets a bit daunting.

What is the general consensus on CMOS vs CCD? In my price range I could go for either one... but both seem to have pros and cons..

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

CCDs are really no longer being used in new cameras. Especially at this price point. There are however, old cameras like the tape based XH-A1s that is still being sold that uses a CCD. JVC has a CCD based solid state camera... the HM100 I think. I looked at it as a B-camera and decided against it because of it's poor low light performance. In it's day, it was well received and there are things about it you may like. But according to what I read it needs light. FYI, Luminous Landscape did a pretty thorough and seemingly independent review of it. I have not used it so caveat emptor.

Cameras with CCDs do not have as good low light performance as their equivalent CMOS endowed cameras (e.g. the Sony Z5 1/3" 3-CMOS was slightly better than the similarly equipped Canon A1s). Research will reveal that CMOS cameras have varying levels of "Rolling Shutter" effects. Some cameras are worse than others. Your 600D, XA10 and the XF100 are all CMOS. It's just the way modern cameras in this price range are made.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Thanks, that pretty much confirms what I thought. I personally don't have issues with rolling shutter on my XA10 unless there's camera flash or similar.. and even then I don't hate the effect.

I'm tossing up between the XF100, AC-130, and a couple of the Sony models at this stage.. I guess it's just a matter of research and hopefully making the right choice!

Do any cameras in that price range have any significant control over depth of field (in comparison to a DSLR for example)? My one complaint about the XA10 is a very wide DoF. I realise it's the nature of that type of camera with that type of lens/sensor, but it'd be nice to get something with a slightly shallower DoF.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

The XF100 should be good enough for your work.

Caveat: Don't assume the 'broadcast-ready codec' of the XF100 as being acceptable. The codec definitely meets the high specifications of major broadcasters, but the sensor fails.

For shallower DOF you might want to stretch the budget and aim for an AF100 or FS100. If it is a paying business it might turn out to be a sound investment. You could sell one of your existing equipment to cover some costs.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Could you explain a bit more about what impact the sensor has on broadcast specifications?

I was under the impression that 1920x1080, 50mbit, 4:2:2 colour was all that really mattered.

Thanks for the input.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

The specifications call for a minimum sensor size. In the case of BBC for example, cameras must have a sensor with a diagonal size of greater than 0.5 inches per CCD. The XF100 is 1/3 inch CCD and does not qualify. You'll need 1/2 or 2/3 inch 3 CCD cameras to meet that requirement.

You really didn't expect a $3,000 camera to be eligible for broadcast when the same company has a $16,000 monster that offers roughly the same codec, did you? AFAIK, the C300 is the cheapest production worthy broadcast-ready camera that does not require an external recorder. The Scarlet might be close, but I wouldn't go to the trouble of assembling a complex system with an unconventional workflow if all I wanted was HD broadcast, but that's just me.

Technical specifications for each network is available online. Some of these specs are from the dinosaur era and don't make sense in today's age, but are strictly enforced nonetheless. Networks work in tandem with camera manufacturers, and the latter have to protect their expensive babies, some of whom cost more than the Sony F65 or Arri Alexa.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

I think the matter was expressed well by Alister Chapman in a similar discussion about the PMW-100 which also has a single 1/3" chip and 4:2:2 CODEC:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/digital-...ml#post1725851

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Hi,

I'm needing some advice, I'm wanting a 'cheap' camcorder for filming my little one. Just to keep a video diary '(of sorts) for her future. I've tried using a basic 100 pound camcorder but when i transfered the footage to disc, to show on a TV. The image quality was poor!!

Some, I'm needing a camcorder that has a reasonable quality when transfered to disc, to show on a TV, I don't mind if it using mini dv tape, i'd prefer one that records to a card.

thanks
andrew

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

100 pounds is way too heavy to be convenient!
:-)

Seriously speaking, I occasionally use a Canon Vixia and the results are very nice. Good enough to intercut with my Sony EX1 without it being too obvious.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Greetings:

I need to recommend a camcorder for a friend who will be recording teacher's training seminars at NYC Education Department for the next three years. The sessions are held in an auditorium where light levels are about 80-100 Lux ( ¼ sec F 2.8 ISO 100 on my Sekonic meter)

Their budget is around $6000 for a camera which should have AF and along OIS will full manual controls.

I was thinking about suggesting either Sony EX-1R or Panasonic AF-100 with 14-42mm Panny lens.

Need your advice.

TIA

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Sony FS100 with the sony 18-200 lens and the f2,8 wide angle sony lens with the super wide angle (11mm) adapter. Camera and both lenses should run around 6k.
That's what I shoot with.
Bruce
Yarock Productions

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Thanks Bruce.

Initially, I was shying away from FS100 due to awkward form factor.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

I'm not sure if the 18-200 would be quick enough aperture wise at F6.3/200mm for extensive indoor work. I mean, the camera can do it with gain and all, but I can't help but think that an EX1R would just be...easier? Not to mention the power zoom and faster lens. Just as long as you're fine with SxS cards.

I just got done doing some event work with AF100 and 70-200mm F2.8 and it is a CHALLENGE to keep speakers in focus with the large sensor. I take it these seminars don't necessarily need to be "pretty" but instead functional and more or less seamless. It will still look good! I'm also assuming that the person recording them doesn't necessary want to spend a ton of effort follow focusing, zooming, etc.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Thanks Nate.

I would suggest to them a couple of SD Card Adapters instead of SXS cards for EX1R.

Also I am looking into upcoming GY-HM650U.

JVC is touting F11 sensitivity at @2000 lux for 1/3' Sensors.

Re: The gigantic "which camera should I buy" thread!
 

Not too many places have these cameras in stock.

Is samy's camera a reliable place?