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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Entry Level Video Cameras
Dirk Weaver, Photographer, Assistant
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Charlotte | NC | USA | Posted: 3:17 PM on 07.24.10 |
| ->> I'm looking for an entry level video camera that's elementary enough for me to cut my teeth with, yet will allow me to do some good documentary work. Is there anyone out there who has made the transition that can offer some input/ guidance/ thoughts/ suggestions? Thanks in advance! |
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James Lee, Photographer
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Woodbridge | VA | USA | Posted: 3:12 PM on 08.19.10 |
->> I guess it depends on how entry level. There are "consumer" versions of all the Sony "Prosumer" favorites that are almost identical to their bigger brothers except for lacking XLR plugs. The Sony HDR-FX1000 is a good example which copies the popular Z5U.
Even more entry level are the Canon & Sony Handycams like the Canon HV40 which has great image quality but lacks the control of the Prosumer models. They also make great second cameras or decks if you upgrade, which is what I did.
When purchasing, pay close attention to chip size and number. In general, the larger the chip, the better it will do in low light.
All these are tape based options as I haven't made the switch to solid state or hard drive based cameras yet and am in no hurry to since it's so cheap & easy to archive tape. When I need that functionality, I'll probably just add one of the CF flash card recorders.
Whatever you get, keep in mind that the accessories are often more important than the actual capture device (camera.) Good tripods, heads, microphones, shoulder mounts, software, etc, etc. will add up and are absolute requirments to use these small cameras at a professional level. |
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James Lee, Photographer
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Woodbridge | VA | USA | Posted: 3:22 PM on 08.19.10 |
| ->> BTW: I made that transition with the Canon HV30 and the Sony HDR-V1U and they've both been good cameras. If I were buying today, I'd probably go with the HDR-Z5U for it's larger sensors, and would be considering the NX5U for it's memory card based recording. If I needed anything better for a specific project, I'd rent. Also worth considering: The Sony Z1u and V1u are a few years old now, still capable of great work, are very robust, and can be had at bargain on the used markets. |
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Doug Holleman, Photographer
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Temple | TX | USA | Posted: 6:51 PM on 08.19.10 |
->> I have two Canon HV30s that I play around with. I bought one about a year and a half ago, and I was so impressed with the image quality that I bought another one several months later to play around with mixing multi-cam productions. I like the DV tape format for archiving. Tapes are cheap.
My last one was a refurb from Canon for pretty cheap. You can get an HV40 now at a great price.
http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10051_10051_249... |
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Peter Huoppi, Photographer
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New London | CT | USA | Posted: 12:22 PM on 08.20.10 |
->> If you're just looking to point and shoot, the HV40 is a great option. If you want more manual controls and feature like XLR inputs, the Sony A1U is something you ought to check out.
I learned on the A1U before switching to the Z1U and now the EX-1R. |
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Bradly J. Boner, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Jackson | WY | USA | Posted: 12:44 PM on 08.20.10 |
| ->> iPhone 4. |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 3:21 PM on 08.20.10 |
| ->> Ditto the A1U. You can probably get one on the cheap. Best quality of it are the two XLR inputs, which are very adjustable, and you can split one channel into two levels, which you can't do with the souped up V1U. |
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Francis Specker, Photographer
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Riverside | CA | USA | Posted: 5:33 PM on 08.20.10 |
| ->> How about a Canon DSLR like the Rebel T2i. Shoots 1080p. You can always record sound on a ZoomH4n and sync via Plural Eyes in Final Cut Pro. Regular video camera footage with their small chips don't look as good as a DSLR. |
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Doug Holleman, Photographer
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Temple | TX | USA | Posted: 7:47 PM on 08.20.10 |
| ->> Or if you are a Nikon shooter, the new D3100 looks promising for a fairly low cost video option and backup DSLR. |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 8:12 PM on 08.20.10 |
->> My .02: Dirk, as much as I love my Canon DSLR, I'd strongly recommend you learn on a regular video cam with XLR inputs, the sound on something like an A1U is really clean. At some point, DSLRs will get a little bigger and contain XLR ports and sensible ways to hook up an external monitor (mini HDMI is a joke). But, for now, if you want to learn video, use a video camera.
But, the best advice is to hit the best pro shop in your area during a slow Tuesday afternoon and fiddle with the cameras yourself!
Good luck! |
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David Manning, Photographer
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Athens | GA | | Posted: 10:37 PM on 08.20.10 |
| ->> Just make sure that it records in a file format that you can easily edit/convert like an avi or mov rather than an MT2. |
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Chris Wilson, Student/Intern
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Bowling Green | Ky. | US | Posted: 12:07 AM on 08.21.10 |
->> Mini HDMI isnt a joke. New macbook pros use them, they're smaller and function exactly the same. I use an adapter to make it a regular HDMI port when using dual-monitors.
But, mini HDMI is NOT a joke, it's probably very handy for DSLR's, as you can't fit a regular HDMI port on the side of one, just as you can't fit XLRs on their side, either. |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 7:57 AM on 08.21.10 |
->> @Chris,
Correction: mini HDMI is a joke on the side of a DSLR. Hardwire one up to a monitor, use it for a small project then please report back. |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 8:21 AM on 08.21.10 |
->> Sorry, feeling a bit sadistic a few minutes ago.
The reason why it sucks is you'll rip the end off your mini HDMI the second you pan/tilt/move/jar your camera. The plug is simply not strong enough to withstand even moderate movement. It's even worse if you're not mounted to a tripod.
At worst, you'll quickly waste a $70 male HDMI/male mini HDMI cable. At best, you'll end up buying Female HDMI to male mini HDMI adapter plugs for $3-$15 (online vs. Frys) by the dozen. It's just not a realistic way to mount a working camera to a monitor. If you want more DSLR mini-HDMI war stories, shoot Vincent Laforet an email.
The other options for "tethering" your camera involve wireless systems or hotshoe mounted mini monitors go into four figures pretty quickly. There's a $200 homemade transmitter available, but you still need the monitor. |
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James Lee, Photographer
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Woodbridge | VA | USA | Posted: 8:37 PM on 08.21.10 |
| ->> Agree the A1U is probably a good option to start especially due to it's XLR ports. I haven't used them much but remember being frustrated by the single 1/3" chip for lower light and some difficulty in controlling the gain (sensitivity). Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you have to dig into the menus on the A1U to adjust the gain manually? Just like with DSLRs, I'm a big believer in having complete control of the sensitivity ("gain"), aperture ("iris"), Shutter speed, and mic levels. IMHO, lack of manual control is the biggest problem with most of the smallest cams. I don't know the newest batch of cameras but I'd be looking for something that had easy to access manual controls, and 3 chips. XLRs I consider important, but at least they are easy to add on later via a beachtec or juicedlink box. |
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Peter Huoppi, Photographer
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New London | CT | USA | Posted: 9:15 AM on 08.22.10 |
| ->> James- That was my biggest complaint with the A1U, that most of the manual options are buried in the menus instead of connected to external controls. Problem is, I haven't come across an "entry level" video camera with external controls for gain, iris, shutter and white balance. |
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Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
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James Lee, Photographer
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Woodbridge | VA | USA | Posted: 10:13 AM on 08.23.10 |
| ->> PMR - Interesting, I've been wondering when, instead of trying to fit video into a DSLR body, someone would start adding DSLR sensors to Video cam bodies. To me, it makes the most sense to add these larger sensors and lens mounts to bodies that already have proper audio controls, ND filters, handling, etc. This looks like the first step towards what I consider the "right" direction. Hope Canon & Nikon will jump on board so we can use our current lenses. |
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Peter Huoppi, Photographer
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New London | CT | USA | Posted: 12:20 PM on 08.23.10 |
| ->> Patrick- That Sony is certainly a step in the right direction, but it still lacks some of the basics - most notably XLR input and external controls. Why must everything be controlled from an on-screen menu? I would love a video camera that had a shutter dial and aperture ring like me beloved old Canon AE-1. |
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