Best Video camera for film making?

Question

I need the best video camera for film making. This camera will be a one time camera that i will to use for another 5 years probably so i want it a good one. Something around $3000-$6000 with mostly all the features.

I was thinking probably the Canon XH-A1 but the no progressive scan feature set me off .

Can i get any suggestions for good video cams?

thank you

Answer 1

If you're spending $6k on a camcorder, "mostly all the features" is a bit vague.  If you could draw up a list of mandatory and desirable features it would help.

Answer 2

That is an excellent question; I am especiall relieved that your budget is reasonable (unlike many people) and I would consider either the JVC GY-HD200U, Sony PMW-EX1, Panasonic HVX200. If you want to go off the traditional route, I believe the best camera for the money maybe the RED Scarlet. I will discuss each independantly. All have your typical features you should expect on a pro camcorder (HD, 24P, XLR mic inputs, great manual controls, 3 image sensors, etc), so I will focus on features that set them apart from the rest.

     1) The JVC GY-HD200U often flys under the radar with big name Sonys, Panasonics and Canons stealing the show. However, I believe the HD200U is arguably the best camera (along with the more expensive Canon XL-H1) in terms of picture quality. My favorite thing about the HD200U is that it has interchangeable lenses (not common in the "prosumer" category). Interchangeable lenses gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of zoom length (obviously), which also gives you more options in terms of depth of field (how much of the foreground and/ or background is in focus). It is a great value at about $5,500

2) The Sony PMW-EX1 is a nice mid-sized camera that comes with something never before seen on an inexpensive handheld camera, a larger image sensor. Most consumer and prosumer cameras have 1/3" CCD or CMOS chips. Before larger chips were reserved for shoulder mounted ENG cameras used for news gathering, which go for over $10,000. The Sony PMW-EX1 utilizes a 1/2" CMOS chip that gives you the same benefits as the larger 2/3" in the ENG cameras. The advantage is not too noticeable, but may be something you really want. The larger CCD chip gives you more flexibility to shoot is a narrow depth of field. The PMW-EX1 however, does not have interchangeable lenses. the EX1 is a bit over $6,000



3) The Panasonic HVX200 does not have the extra features like the other two cameras (it does not have interchangeable lenses or a large image sensor). However, it is an all-around excellent HD camera, utilizing a P2 card. It is about $5,000

   Regarding the Canon XH-A1, I really like this camera; it is one of the most affordable HD prosumer cameras out there. It is well rounded, easy to use, and has all the basic features that the pros demand. However, it does not have the special features described in the cameras above. Apart from progressive scan, the XH-A1 is also missing a 24p mode. It does have a 24f mode, which Canon claims to be identical to 24p, however, it looks nothing like film to me, at least until post production. Still, the Canon XH-A1 is always a good option.

The final camera, is one you may not know, but is possibly the best one out there. The RED Scarlet is a new model to be released in early 2009. You may or may not know about RED, but they have created quite the buzz in the filmmaking world. IN 2006, the popular sunglasses company, Oakley, came out with a camera by the name of RED ONE. The RED ONE is a $17,500 camera that records raw, uncompressed footage at resolutions of 4K (that twice the resolution of HD!!!). However, I do not recommend this camera for the average filmmaker, it is best suited on large movie productions, however, a couple years later, RED developed the RED Scarlet, a much more compact, and much cheaper camera (it is said to be under $3,000 when it comes out). It may not look like much, but this little camera packs a punch, recording at resolutions of 3K! Explaining what I mean by 3K and 4K: true HD can be found on cameras of your typical brand (Sony, Panasonic, etc) at prices anywhere from $700 to the tens of thousands (for ENG and broadcast applications). This true HD records at resolutions of 1920 x 1080, which is slightly lower than 2K. In comparison to an HD camera that can go for $30,000, the RED Scarlet records at 3K for less that $3,000! I really like what I am hearing from RED, but I am still a bit skeptical. For one thing 3K for $3,000 sounds almost too good to be true. Also, I don't know much about its audio capabilities, manual controls, etc. The description on the Red website was very vague, I'm not even sure if there are mic inputs, or good manual controls, so I would wait until more info comes out. I also do not know how well built it is, being a new company, relatively untested (several movies have already been made on the RED One though). In conclusion, I strongly believe in RED. I think that they have the potential to revolutionize the industry, finally completely replace film with digital. However, I would give them time to sort out their growing pains. Still, the RED Scarlet is potentially a total steal and DEFINATELY worth considering.

see www.red.com

I am sorry if I made things more complicated... Good luck and have fun :)