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What camera do you use?
Up to CameraWhat camera do you use?
I'm trying to get an idea of what cameras people use.
What are you using, and what's on your wish list?
Re: What camera do you use?
Being that I've been wrapped up in animation for the past few years cameras haven't been high on my list but I'm going to change that and I'm hoping the info posted here will help me make my decisions.
T
Re: What camera do you use?
Sony CyberShot DSC T9
The picture suck, the Build in mic suck, My filming suck, My Monkey suck, I suck.
well, that's what i think of my camera.
Java's Advice:
Don't use a Picture camera to take videos.
Re: What camera do you use?
I use the Canon XL-2. Have worked with the new Canon XL-HD 1. The camera on my with list is the new RED camera that Apple came out with to work with Final Cut Pro. It's like a super high def camera.
Re: What camera do you use?
T
Re: What camera do you use?
Previously Tyler Gibb wrote:
Well, I've been doing my homework and the Canon XH A1 does look like the camera to beat. If anybody's got any criticisms of it, by all means I'd love to hear them before I drop next year's rent money on one. Thanks.
>
T
Careful, Tyler! The XH A1 is a beast for its price, but it still shoots on HDV, which is the exact same tapes as Mini DV. That means that beautiful HD Canon imagery is being heavily compressed SD tape quality, and Mini DV is crummy even for SD! We've played with the Canon XL-H1 and viewed the HDV quality and it's superb... to the naked eye! As soon as you start trying to do greenscreen, you may have trouble producing a clean matte. HDV compression really starts to show up on those big HD screens.
Also, you'll have to upgrade to the latest Final Cut Studio 2 to import HDV footage. Plus, their chips aren't progressive, meaning their "24F" isn't REALLY 24P - it's kinda like de-interlacing to get a progressive still frame, which reduces quality.
In my opinion, the Panasonic HVX 200 beats the Canon HD series... at least for now. The panasonic records completely tapeless on P2 cards, which means almost no visual compression at all. It holds up marvelously on big HD monitors and is a DREAM for greenscreen work.
SOON, Canon will go tapeless. When that happens, they'll be the best pro-sumer line of HD camcorders HANDS DOWN! Though Canon is always one step behind in adapting new technology like tapeless recording, their image quality just can't be beat. As you probably know, their gorgeous color reproduction, incredible swappable lens system, lattitude, minimal purple-fringing, and great handling of over-exposure will be incredible when it's finally tapeless.
If it's HD you're looking to produce, avoid HDV for now. Canon's lower-end HD camcorders already have NATIVE 24P chips, so it's only a matter of time before they release the Canon XL-H2 or A2 when it's REALLY 24P, REALLY TAPELESS, and REALLY UNCOMPRESSED HD. Rent for now and patiently await the glorious future.
-Dave
P.S. - That being said, if you get the XH-A1, can I borrow it?
Re: What camera do you use?
Previously Zach Brinkerhoff wrote:
I use the Canon XL-2. Have worked with the new Canon XL-HD 1. The camera on my with list is the new RED camera that Apple came out with to work with Final Cut Pro. It's like a super high def camera.
I loves my Canon XL-2. I loves my Apple. I wants the RED camera. Apple did NOT create the RED camera, but will support it. Me wantee.
-Dave
Re: What camera do you use?
Yeah, I know, I asked for it... And I hear what you're saying, Dave, thanks for the details and testimonial by the way. I considered the Panasonic but any of the "showdown" picture quality test I've seen online all steered me toward the Canon. Cards do make more sense to me than tapes but when I got a look at the prices of those P2 cards for their capacity/recording time what can I say? 8Gbs for 30 minutes of shooting for about $1,000... Tough sell for me - there's always the bottom line to think about. And the idea of having to transfer cards to a drive (there's another cost right there) every half-hour just didn't appeal to me. Of course if Canon comes out with some super card that can record for hours in their next model then I'll be kicking myself if I'm still using tape... But c'mon... I want a camera NOW...
The 24f vs 24p does kind of bug me too, but hey... If I wanted film I guess I'd shoot film.
I'll take the cut in HD quality for now, I guess. I know that as a special effects guy a statement like that must make your skin crawl! (Checked out your reel by the way, and I can see why all the picture quality you can get would be integral - great stuff).
Stay tuned for my ranting and complaining about all the points you just made in a few months once I've gotten my hands on the A1 despite your warnings!
T
Re: What camera do you use?
The P2 card swap process is actually a dream! It's still too expensive for most of us to own, but if you have two cards, you have someone transfering one card while you continue shooting on the other. Playing clips with thumbnails from the camera without having to cue the tape is sweet. Logging your footage without being slowed down by a tape deck and capture process is heaven.
If I had to buy an affordable camera right now, Canon! Buy it and enjoy!
-Dave
Re: What camera do you use?
We use Sony PD170's (MiniDV) for most of our productions.
My DOP and I find it has a great range for adapting varying lighting
conditions from bright sunlight to well after sunset into the dark
without much graininess at all. The inbuilt neutral density filters also
give extra flexibility when shooting in variable and shifting lighting
conditions - gets good levels. We found it a really sweet camera to use...
Re: What camera do you use?
We've been using the XH-A1 for the last 4 months and it's awesome. Most of the videos in our Reel were shot with it. Of course, the video doesn't look perfect on the web, but there's some blue screen/green screen stuff in there so you should get a good idea of what it can do. Our latest music video for "Whomp That Nerd" was shot entirely in 24F mode, and although we probably didn't compress it like we should have for the net, the uncompressed version looks fantastic. It's a great camera and thus far, we haven't run into any problems with it.
I'd like to get my grubby mitts on that P2 card camera if I could afford it, but because of the price of the camera and the cards, it was just outside of our price range when we went camera shopping...
I can answer further specifics if you have any.
Re: What camera do you use?
-Dave
Re: What camera do you use?
I've been test driving it for the past few days and haven't really even begun to tap its potential.
Here's an example of this lack of tapping that was none the less, a fun exercise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnwxstyZp94
Apparently I do special effects now too.
T
Re: What camera do you use?
I use a Panasonic DVX-100 but I'd like an HVX-100 or a RED camera if you have an extra one lying around.
Drew
Re: What camera do you use?
Previously Tyler Gibb wrote:
I'd like to ad the question of what kind of mic do you use as well, and are you happy with the results?
>
Being that I've been wrapped up in animation for the past few years cameras haven't been high on my list but I'm going to change that and I'm hoping the info posted here will help me make my decisions.
>
T
I use the Panasonic DVX 100a. I want an HVX!!! Or better yet(and more unrealistically) a RED!
Re: What camera do you use?
Howdy Folks -
Just thought I'd add my two cents to this posting. I've been in the video production business for more than 15 years now - I've used Sony and Panasonic camera's too - but my camera's of choice are all made by JVC. For SD - I use a JVC DY 300 Pro MiniDV camera - 3 chip - 750 lines of resolution - blows away the Sony PD 170 and the Canon XL's in image quality and durability. For HD - I've been using a JVD HD 100u shooting 720p with a Firestore ProHD hard drive for almost two years - pristine image quality - NO smearing or artifacts that seem to be the biggest problems in 1080 interlaced cameras. Long time Matrox and Adobe fan also - The Matrox RTX.2 rocks with Adobe Production Studio CS 3 !
Dave DotyFocus Video
P.S. - On the microphone issue - Sennheiser wireless and Audio Technica shotguns work great !