Julie-Anne
While looking at the 2009 releases from Sony/Canon/Panasonic, I've noticed that a lot of the camcorders being released will be formating to AVCHD. This causes me to continue to remain apprehensive about purchasing an newer HD model.
QUESTION #1) Is it true that AVCHD recording onto hard disk drives (HDD) will not produce as good a picture as camcorders formating to HDV on MiniDV tapes?
And I want to stay eco-friendly with my film making....
QUESTION #2) Is there any Hard Disk Drive (HDD) camcorders available out now that don't format to AVCHD? (That is, if it DOES degrade the video quality.)
QUESTION #3) Is HDD a good investment for me considering I'm a film student? Can I stay eco-friendly and switch to HDD or is it a smart decision to stick to MiniDV?
** A FEW MORE FOR THE CAMCORDER SAVVY**
QUESTION #4) Which has better video performance/quality: Sony's HDV HC-1 camcorder (despite its' age) or the Canon Vixia HV30?
QUESTION #5) Is there any cameras coming out this year, in consideration to what I'm looking for in a camcorder/your answer to QUESTION #1, that you know is worth waiting for?
QUESTION #6) Given what you know, do you think that the new video features on the Canon Vixia HV40 (March 2009) without a doubt are worth waiting for, despite it being similar to the HV30?
Answer
Q1) Yes.
Q2) Yes. But not consumer-grade internal hard disc drive. External hard disc drives connected to miniDV tape based camcorders (like the FireStore from Focus Enhancements or the external hard disc drives Sony sells in their HVR pro-series line up) are available and they write DV and HDV.
Q3) It depends - If you know all your video capture will not include high altitude (over 9,800 feet) or high vibration (really loud crouds, music - amplified or not, loud engines, etc.) that can cause the hard disc drive heads to park resulting in no video recorded, then maybe. What is your plan for video archiving? Remember - with miniDV tape, that original tape IS the archive - just lock it and don't re-use it - and store it in a cool, dry, place. Otherwise, eliminate the potential for the problems by not investing in the the camcorder with the known problems. MiniDV tape and flash memory do not have the vibration and altitude problems HDD camcorders have.
Q4) If you stay in 1080i (HDV) or standard definition DV or DV widescreen, under good lighting conditions, the HC1 and HV30 will provide similar experience. Their lenses and imaging chips are similarly sized. The HV30 has a better 24p capability which provides for a more "film-like" appearance. The HC1 has a built-in infrared emitter for low light monochrome video capture in zero light. The HC1 is a bottom tape loader which can be a problem when changing tapes if mounted to a tripod or quick release - the tape door is blocked, but there are "spacers" available that remedy this. I have a HC1 and have happily used it for years - augmented - not replaced - with a HDR-FX1.
Q5) There is always something "new and improved" coming out. As long as DV/HDV stays in miniDV tape in this range, I'll stick with miniDV tape. HDD and flash memory have to many extra steps for archiving that I don't like dealing with.
Q6. The HV40 adds 30p (in addition to "real" 24p). I don't know how current video editors will deal with that. I *think* that is the only real, "material", difference - though others can probably come up with more detail - the differences between the HV30 and HV40 are actually pretty minimal (you already know this).
Tip: As a film student, you will want to be using good mics, too. All of the camcorder mention in this reply have a 1/8" (3.5mm) audio-jack. Good mics use XLR connectors. You will want to investigate XLR adapters like those from juicedLink (preferred) or BeachTek. As well, flexible mics like those from NRG Research (I like my SA-568 switchable shotgun mic a lot) and a universal shockmount like the Sabra SMM-1 need to be in your kit.
Have you discussed your thought process and short list with a trusted instructor? What is their opinion?
Q1) Yes.
Q2) Yes. But not consumer-grade internal hard disc drive. External hard disc drives connected to miniDV tape based camcorders (like the FireStore from Focus Enhancements or the external hard disc drives Sony sells in their HVR pro-series line up) are available and they write DV and HDV.
Q3) It depends - If you know all your video capture will not include high altitude (over 9,800 feet) or high vibration (really loud crouds, music - amplified or not, loud engines, etc.) that can cause the hard disc drive heads to park resulting in no video recorded, then maybe. What is your plan for video archiving? Remember - with miniDV tape, that original tape IS the archive - just lock it and don't re-use it - and store it in a cool, dry, place. Otherwise, eliminate the potential for the problems by not investing in the the camcorder with the known problems. MiniDV tape and flash memory do not have the vibration and altitude problems HDD camcorders have.
Q4) If you stay in 1080i (HDV) or standard definition DV or DV widescreen, under good lighting conditions, the HC1 and HV30 will provide similar experience. Their lenses and imaging chips are similarly sized. The HV30 has a better 24p capability which provides for a more "film-like" appearance. The HC1 has a built-in infrared emitter for low light monochrome video capture in zero light. The HC1 is a bottom tape loader which can be a problem when changing tapes if mounted to a tripod or quick release - the tape door is blocked, but there are "spacers" available that remedy this. I have a HC1 and have happily used it for years - augmented - not replaced - with a HDR-FX1.
Q5) There is always something "new and improved" coming out. As long as DV/HDV stays in miniDV tape in this range, I'll stick with miniDV tape. HDD and flash memory have to many extra steps for archiving that I don't like dealing with.
Q6. The HV40 adds 30p (in addition to "real" 24p). I don't know how current video editors will deal with that. I *think* that is the only real, "material", difference - though others can probably come up with more detail - the differences between the HV30 and HV40 are actually pretty minimal (you already know this).
Tip: As a film student, you will want to be using good mics, too. All of the camcorder mention in this reply have a 1/8" (3.5mm) audio-jack. Good mics use XLR connectors. You will want to investigate XLR adapters like those from juicedLink (preferred) or BeachTek. As well, flexible mics like those from NRG Research (I like my SA-568 switchable shotgun mic a lot) and a universal shockmount like the Sabra SMM-1 need to be in your kit.
Have you discussed your thought process and short list with a trusted instructor? What is their opinion?
Is there a camcorder you can buy for under £2000 that produces almost movie-quality videos?
Lord Herpo
I know absolutely nothing about camcorders and have never owned one, however my brother is an avid youtuber (mostly producing videos of people outdoors) and would like to buy him a mid-range to high-end one for no more than £2000 for his 21st birthday. All good advice and recommendations appreciated.
p.s. please don't start yapping on about what price boundaries constitute 'high-end' and 'mid range', I couldn't care less, I really just want a decent camcorder.
p.p.s. Also, before anyone mentions it I already know that imax and other movie cameras can cost hundreds of thousands, so I'm not expecting that. But I'd like a camera that produces smooth, deep colour saturated and all round quality footage
Answer
You're absolutely right about the cost of cinema cameras, they cost far too much for most of us to buy. Before I go on, there is a key point to consider: Cinema cameras (even lower end ones) fall into two categories; film, and digital.
Film is mostly used in big budget productions, and even if it was affordable, it would be nigh-on useless for a YouTuber. So we can rule out any film camera.
Digital cameras are a lot cheaper and easier to use. However, most cinema ones record at a very high resolution (I am sure you are aware how resolution works as in a simple count of how many pixels make up the image). Most of our entertainment systems, including YouTube, are designed to cope with anything up to HD. This has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Digital cinema cameras record anywhere up to 8 times this. If you try uploading this to YouTube, it will fail dismally. For this reason, you should only shop for HD or 2K cameras. HD will be a lot cheaper.
The best image quality for price ratio comes when you look into a DSLR cameras. Primarily, they are designed for taking pictures. However, they are built very similarly to cinema cameras in the way that they are made up of modules: the lens, the video recorder, the audio recorder. Most modern DSLRs come with HD video recording. Although there are limitations, for your price range they are the best option. Because of the module-like system they use, they will also be a perfect way for your brother to learn about how cinema cameras work. I personally think learning is the best gift you can give someone. This way, when he moves into the industry, he will have learned the basics.
I've put a list below of the gear I would recommend for low budget filming. Most of the following items I personally own. Remember, audio is just as important as video, which is why I've listed some pricey audio gear. Another great thing about the audio gear is that it will last a lot longer than the video gear. Should, in a few years time, the actually camera body become out of date, that will be the only thing your bro will need to replace. All the other gear will still be perfect. I'll link to all the gear on Amazon.
Camera Body (part that records the video):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-600D-Digital-Camera-Body/dp/B004MPQXS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360147601&sr=8-1
Lens (inputs light to camera body):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-S-18-200mm-3-5-5-6-IS/dp/B001E97GIA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360147887&sr=1-1
Ref Mic (records audio into camera for reference audio when editing and viewing rushes):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/RODE-VideoMic-Directional-On-Camera-Microphone/dp/B004K8WPUQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360147999&sr=1-1
Rig (Adds a focus system and mattebox which improves image quality):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/CamSmart-Follow-Camcorder-Cameras-DSR-PD198p/dp/B007QJ76H8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=243WVOLRWPVHV&coliid=I1745IZKF8DUI6
Boom Mic (Gives high quality XLR audio for use in final edit):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/NTG2-MICROPHONE-KIT-WITH-BOOMPOLE/dp/B003RAJ0LK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=243WVOLRWPVHV&coliid=I1PP0PR0MQS4X7
Audio Recorder (plug boom mic into this and record audio to be synced in post using clapper):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoom-H4n-H4N-Digital-Recorder/dp/B002WQFJII/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=243WVOLRWPVHV&coliid=I3HFQJPQ6EKW3J
Tripod (to mount camera rig):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Konig-Professional-Camera-Camcorder-Tripod/dp/B00158SB34/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360148248&sr=8-1
Clapper (sync audio to video in post, and to easily log shots):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0085RVDIS/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all&qid=1360148295&sr=1-1-catcorr
High Speed Memory (for both camera and H4n to store video. Buy 4 - two for each device):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-3A114807-64GB-FFP/dp/B007PYBQKC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360148354&sr=8-1
There we are! A total of under £1950. It will give your brother great video and audio, plus a huge amount of learning to do. He is a lucky guy! Hope this help you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
You're absolutely right about the cost of cinema cameras, they cost far too much for most of us to buy. Before I go on, there is a key point to consider: Cinema cameras (even lower end ones) fall into two categories; film, and digital.
Film is mostly used in big budget productions, and even if it was affordable, it would be nigh-on useless for a YouTuber. So we can rule out any film camera.
Digital cameras are a lot cheaper and easier to use. However, most cinema ones record at a very high resolution (I am sure you are aware how resolution works as in a simple count of how many pixels make up the image). Most of our entertainment systems, including YouTube, are designed to cope with anything up to HD. This has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Digital cinema cameras record anywhere up to 8 times this. If you try uploading this to YouTube, it will fail dismally. For this reason, you should only shop for HD or 2K cameras. HD will be a lot cheaper.
The best image quality for price ratio comes when you look into a DSLR cameras. Primarily, they are designed for taking pictures. However, they are built very similarly to cinema cameras in the way that they are made up of modules: the lens, the video recorder, the audio recorder. Most modern DSLRs come with HD video recording. Although there are limitations, for your price range they are the best option. Because of the module-like system they use, they will also be a perfect way for your brother to learn about how cinema cameras work. I personally think learning is the best gift you can give someone. This way, when he moves into the industry, he will have learned the basics.
I've put a list below of the gear I would recommend for low budget filming. Most of the following items I personally own. Remember, audio is just as important as video, which is why I've listed some pricey audio gear. Another great thing about the audio gear is that it will last a lot longer than the video gear. Should, in a few years time, the actually camera body become out of date, that will be the only thing your bro will need to replace. All the other gear will still be perfect. I'll link to all the gear on Amazon.
Camera Body (part that records the video):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-600D-Digital-Camera-Body/dp/B004MPQXS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360147601&sr=8-1
Lens (inputs light to camera body):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-EF-S-18-200mm-3-5-5-6-IS/dp/B001E97GIA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360147887&sr=1-1
Ref Mic (records audio into camera for reference audio when editing and viewing rushes):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/RODE-VideoMic-Directional-On-Camera-Microphone/dp/B004K8WPUQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360147999&sr=1-1
Rig (Adds a focus system and mattebox which improves image quality):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/CamSmart-Follow-Camcorder-Cameras-DSR-PD198p/dp/B007QJ76H8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=243WVOLRWPVHV&coliid=I1745IZKF8DUI6
Boom Mic (Gives high quality XLR audio for use in final edit):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/NTG2-MICROPHONE-KIT-WITH-BOOMPOLE/dp/B003RAJ0LK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=243WVOLRWPVHV&coliid=I1PP0PR0MQS4X7
Audio Recorder (plug boom mic into this and record audio to be synced in post using clapper):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoom-H4n-H4N-Digital-Recorder/dp/B002WQFJII/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=243WVOLRWPVHV&coliid=I3HFQJPQ6EKW3J
Tripod (to mount camera rig):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Konig-Professional-Camera-Camcorder-Tripod/dp/B00158SB34/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360148248&sr=8-1
Clapper (sync audio to video in post, and to easily log shots):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0085RVDIS/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all&qid=1360148295&sr=1-1-catcorr
High Speed Memory (for both camera and H4n to store video. Buy 4 - two for each device):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-3A114807-64GB-FFP/dp/B007PYBQKC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360148354&sr=8-1
There we are! A total of under £1950. It will give your brother great video and audio, plus a huge amount of learning to do. He is a lucky guy! Hope this help you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment