Which camcorder should I get?

Mr. Bright

Please read eveything before posting. I want to make documentaries. Also, I have a degree in journlism and want to make good quality docos - about 90 min in lengths wtih decent interviews - that don't have a home made feel to them, but I will be doing EVERYTHING by myself. I want this stuff to sell, or at least get seen by many people. Which camcorder should I get? A consumer one or a professional one?

I am thinking of a professional one, though I don't have that much money, but I can afford about $1700 australian dollars (about the same as the US dollar at the moment :D ). I want it to be HD (High Definition), not SD (standard definition), and I want it to either have a harddrive, or be able to be saved to SD cards. I don't want tape, or Mini DV. This is the camera I am thinking of getting: Panasonic Professional AG-HMC40 AVCHD Camcorder. It has a good rating on amazon.

Is this camcorder that much different from really good consumer camcorders, like: Panasonic HDC-TM700 or anything else like that of the top of the line consumer camcorders. I just don't want to buy a professional camcorder that is nearly the same as consumer camcorders (in terms of visual and audio quality), and is twice the size. I know some SOJO's (solo journalists) use consumer camcorders for their stuff.

I might add more later.

Thanks for your time.

Answer
I would consider Panasonic Pro AG-DVC20 3CCD MiniDV Proline Camcorder
* 3CCD optical system with advanced digital processing for sharp, vivid images
* 2.5-inch monitor with Power LCD and new Zero Lux Night View features
* 10x optical zoom; 500x digital zoom
* 00EE 1394 DV in/out terminal; video and S-video out; mic in and audio out
* Shoulder-mount design with extra-large handle grip and fingertip zoom control

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/446365-REG/Panasonic_AG_DVC20.html/BI/6846/KBID/7390

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-AG-DVC20-Proline-Camcorder-Optical/dp/B000DZH7NA/?tag=nktf-20

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574865779&toolid=10001&campid=5336440665&customid=nktf&mpre=http%3a%2f%2fshop.ebay.com%2fi.html%3f_nkw%3dPanasonic%2bPro%2bAG-DVC20%2b%26_sacat%3d0%26_dmpt%3dCamcorders_Professional_Video_Cameras%26_odkw%3dSony%2bHDR-FX7%2b3-CMOS%26_osacat%3d0%26bkBtn%3d%26_trksid%3dp3286.m270.l1313

Looking to buy a Camcorder. HELP!?

joe

I wanna buy a camcorder that will allow me to shoot in HD for documenting purposes. Id like it to be able to handle loud sound (like live music). I plan on making documentaries with it so give me some advice please. Ive been looking into the sony HDR-PJ30. is that really a good choice? What else is out there that will fit my needs well!

Answer
I could sell you my Canon Vixia HF S21 for pretty cheap. It was on the Cnet top HD Camcorders. Email me if you want to buy: stucko33@gmail.com

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I want to start making documentaries, what are the best cameras under $400, and which is best dvd or mini dvd?

top documentary camcorders image

J.ann

Answer
You mean Mini-DV, as in digital tape.

If you're looking for quality, the Mini-DV format offers better quality and easier editing than DVD, Hard Drive, or Flash Memory camcorders currently. At least potentially... this was originally a professional format.

Now, for under $400, you are not going to find the best Mini-DV camcorder (or any format), but you might find something decent.

Non-tape formats use MPEG compression, which is lower quality than DV. As a plus, they do offer fast transfers to your PC.

My main problem with DVD is recording time... you get about 20 minutes at top quality per DVD, versus up to two hours on a DV tape. I don't like HDD because the drives are relatively fragile, but also, if your drive fills up, you're out of luck -- you need to go unload to your PC (and you need some place to back up dozens of gigabytes worth of video). You can also keep extra tapes around, or buy them at Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, etc. HDD models are also more expensive than tape or DVD.

With that said, in 2007, DVD was the most popular consumer format, followed by DV, but HDD was a very close third.

As far as models go, the DV camcorders under $400 are generally pretty basic... most advanced users have moved on to high-def formats. I can recommend the Panasonic PV-GS320. This offers three CCDs, like professional DV models, rather than the single chip. The consumer Pannys aren't great in low light, but in sunlight they're among the best cheap standard-def models.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/477103-REG/Panasonic_PVGS320_PV_GS320_3_CCD_Mini.html

One lower cost camera I like is the Canon FS-11.. this is MPEG based, and it records on SD Flash cards (16GB internal memory), but it has a fair set of advanced features for a low-cost camcorder, such as microphone input (you will eventually want an external mic... sound is the weakest thing on cheap camcorders).
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/539222-REG/Canon_2685B001_FS_11_16GB_Hybrid_Flash.html

Another option, if you like the idea of an HDD camcorder, is the JVC GZ-MG330 or MG335. This does record on HDD (JVC is the leader in this kind of camcorder), but it can also record on SD cards... so you have some option if you fill up the HDD while shooting. This is a 30GB model... most HDD models are a bit more expensive.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/537783-REG/JVC_GZ_MG330BUS_GZ_MG330B_30GB_Hybrid_HDD_Micro.html

Another option is to buy a slighly older model being liquidated, or a used model. Both of those are a bit harder to do if you're not an expert on camcorders, though.

How can you make an animation with a computer using your sketches?

batboyph88

i have been trying for years but i just can't get it.

Answer
What exactly is the problem you're having? If you look up "pencil test" on youtube, you'll see tons of people who're able to draw with pencil and paper and turn it into animation. Are you lacking software?

If you're doing old school drawn on paper frame by frame stuff or stop-motion or 2D, I'd suggest MonkeyJam. It's free.

http://www.giantscreamingrobotmonkeys.com/monkeyjam


If you're on a Mac, use Pencil(there's PC and Linux versions as well).

http://www.les-stooges.org/pascal/pencil/index.php


If you want to do Flash animation like the stuff on Newgrounds.com, either break down and buy Adobe Flash or you can try Creatoon or Synfig, which are free. They're not Flash, but they also do vector based symbol oriented
animation.

http://www.creatoon.com/index.php

http://www.synfig.org/



Here are some online resources about the basic principles of animation.

http://www.idleworm.com/how/index.shtml
http://www.awn.com/tooninstitute/lessonplan/lesson.htm
http://www.animationarchive.org/2006/05/media-preston-blairs-animation-first.html
http://www.animationarchive.org/2006/05/media-preston-blairs-animation-1st.html
http://www.animationarena.com/principles-of-animation.html
http://www.animationmeat.com/notes/notes.html


Or is the problem that you don't know what you're "supposed" to be doing? Are you unfamiliar with how drawings are usually turned into finished animation?


Disney animators used to draw their animation on paper. After which, the drawings were traced onto celluloid transparencies with ink and paint. These cells were then filmed frame by frame on top of painted backgrounds to make the entire film. This old documentary shows the process step by step:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=819e2isEfEg

Since frame by frame animation takes a lot of work, someone doing it by themselves have to simply the process. But essentially, all you need is a lot of paper, a way to register your drawings, and a way to shoot/scan your drawings. There's also some animation software that can help you shoot your drawings and help compile them into an animation.

You're better off using a webcam or camcorder since they can be hooked up to your computer and be recognized by animation software. That way you can use the software to capture frames, preview the animation quickly, and easily make changes. It's probably the quickest solution for line testing your animation. It's what I do. Scanning takes too long, it should only be used once you've completed your animation and are happy with the final results.

If you want to use your digital camera, you need to find or build a support system so that it can be suspended pointing down at your paper. You also need a flat surface where you can lay your paper down underneath your camera. Ideally your flat surface where the paper is being laid down would be connected to the support that's connected to the arm. With everything connected, it stabilizes everything and eliminates unwanted movement. When shooting with a digital camera for animation, make sure it is completely on manual settings. No autofocus, no auto-exposure, no white-balance, etc. If your camera makes tiny auto-adjustments from picture to picture, your animation will have weird flickering effects throughout the video.

Your paper also needs to be registered. Traditionally, a peg bar is used with appropriately hole punched paper.

http://www.lightfootltd.com/images/New-pegbar-chart-4b.gif

The peg bar with the rectangular slit - round hole - rectangular slit configuration is called an ACME pegbar and is considered to be the industry standard. However, since it can be hard to find a ACME hole puncher and buying pre-punched paper can get expensive, many independent and amateur animators use other methods to register their paper. Any system you can think of for keeping your papers in the exact same position while drawing or taking pictures should be fine.

To do the actual drawings, animators usually work on a light box, which is essentially just a box with a light in it. Cheap ones 10" X 12" ones can be bought from art supply stores. You can also try to build your own. But you don't really need a light box to animate. Any glass or transparent or semi-transparent plastic over a light source can be used to help you animate. Even that's not necessary. I carry around a clip board (ripped the clip part off) with a pegbar taped onto it so I can animate when I'm at school in non-animation classes, at cafés, or on long bus rides. I just flip pages constantly to not lose track of volumes, arcs, timing and pacing.

E-mail me if you need any more help or info.

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