I'm making an actual movie and I'm in need of a camcorder, which would you recommend

Question

I'm making an actual movie and I'm in need of a camcorder, which would you recommend

Answer 1

Can you wait until 2009? If so, you could get the RED Scarlet, which is supposed to come out in the first quarter of 09, and cost $3,000. That's a total steal, considering what it can do. I don't want to get too lengthy on you, so I'll just give you a rough outline, and you can contact me later if you have any more questions, k?

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RESOLUTION: Scarlet has better resolution than ANY Sony, Canon, Panasonic or JVC you'll ever find (even at $100,000). This is because the Scarlet shoots in 3K raw, an uncompressed format about 3 times the resolution of HD at its highest. That's called Ultra High Definition.

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IMAGE SENSOR: The Scarlet has a 2/3" CMOS sensor called the Mysterium X. Now, 2/3" is pretty big. Most cameras under $10,000 have 1/3" sensors. The general rule of thumb is the bigger the better cuz a large sensor gives you a narrow depth of field.

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FRAME RATE: Most HD cameras can shoot up to 60frames per second. The Scarlet can do 120, (and even 180 for short periods of time). These high frame rates are good for action shots or professional quality slow-mo.

And a there's a billion other cool features in Scarlet, some we don't even know about yet :)

My only concern is that you'll need a pretty powerful computer with a pretty powerful editing system to cut 3K footage. I'd say a good iMac with Intel and Final Cut Studio 2 (for now, RED works better on Macintosh systems and Final Cut Studio).

http://www.red.com/

of course, if you can't wait until 2009, or don't want to have to deal with a complex workflow, you could get the SONY PMW-EX1, or Panasonic HVX200A. They're excellent cameras in their own right. But I'm just telling you ahead of time, they are a lot more expensive, and don't have quite the resolution of Scarlet.

Well, that's about it. So anyways, good luck with your movie!

Answer 2

1080p hd with electronic image stabilization.

Answer 3

well it really depends on your lighting style and style of shooting.  Too many people get caught up in saying "oh this camera is the best one, no this one is the best one..."

The camera is just a tool.  I've seen really great stuff come from a consumer camera bought from Wal-Mart and I've seen absolutely terrible stuff come from HD cameras.  If you have everything well thought out and have rental houses in the area, I'd suggest renting the camera.  That way you don't have to spend a crapload on the camera and you can use your funds for lighting or other props or whatnot.

Send me a message and we can talk over your needs.  That way you'd have a better idea of what you can get.