What would u recommend for a video camera?

Question

i want a new video camera....here's what i need: a REALLY good zoom, that is gonna be clear NOT fuzzy, a feature that will make it stable even if i shake a little, and i need for it to be small, i need a good light on it, and just basically an all round good video camera that would be easy to take on trips and such. and i dont wanna pay a TON for it! do u guys have any suggestions???

thanx a bunch!

Answer 1

you haven't mentioned your budget so its hard to judge exactly what you need. so here is a guide to help choosing a camera.

first, look at budget and then work out the best you can get for the money spent. try to steer clear of second hand units as they are usually more trouble than they're worth.

second, decide on a format to suit your style. most people are getting Hard drive cameras without thinking of the implications of the design. i will keep using mini dv tape myself until the bitter end as i think they are still the best format for low budget film making. you can use them in many HD cameras and will offer better archival storage and far superior image quality compared to DVD and HDD.

stick with mini dv - you can't miss. (btw mini dv only comes in 2 sizes - 60 min or 80 mins - it's true that you can set cam to shoot Long play and get 90 mins + on a tape but it's not worth it - always shoot SP)

on the subject of storage, i would seriously recommend getting an esata internal drive or a separate fire wire linked external drive (assuming ou have at least 2 fire wire ports)

the general rule of thumb is that 1 hour of DV/HDV will use around 12 to 15 gb of hard drive space. most people shoot a ratio of 10:1 as well. this means that for every minute of useful video you may have 10 mins of c**p. look at your shots carefully before you import and only start and finish importing the parts if you are concerned about space.

i have around 2 terabytes (2000 gb) and i always need more!

third - what sort of shooting are you looking to do? indoor studio? or outdoor sporting events etc. many cameras are good for one but might be lacking for the other. try to find something that suits your needs and work out features you may find useful. eg - night vision sounds great but it's highly unlikely that you'll use it regularly. but if you found something with decent mic inputs and separate sound controls you may find that FAR more useful.

consider you applications, decide your format and look at how much you want to spend. make a short list then try them out.

steady shot is available on most cams. see which ones make the cut. there might be a few cams that have cold shoe accessories mounts which would be good for add on lights and mics as you see fit.

anyway, sorry about the rant. hope it helps!

ps - i use a sony hvr-v1p. i am smitten. it looks like super 16mm film!