Which Video Camera for making Documentaries?

Question

which video camera would you suggest for someone who wants to make documentaries. I don't need a 10,000 $ camera but something good and affordable. Thanks

Answer 1

It depends on your requirements... and I wouldn't put my whole budget into just the camera - you will want a few mics (if you don't already have them or an audio person working with you is not supplying them - a shotgun and good boom, a couple of clip-on lavs and a couple of condensers), good fluid head tripod, maybe some lights... a SpiderBrace... Maybe even a field audio recorder like an M-Audio or Marantz unit...

For cameras, my short list of standard definition and high definition would include:

Canon XHA1 (hidef and standard def)

Canon XL2, GL2 (standard def only)

Sony HVR-V1U HVR-Z1U (hidef and standard def)

Panasonic HDX200  (hidef and standard def)

Panasonic DVX100B (standard def only)

JVC GY-HD110U (hidef and standard def)