Looking for a Video Camera

R

rerun1187

Member
im tryna buy a good quality video camera, i have a basic minidv now but the video isnt all that great.

i have a good amount of money but dont know which model/brand to buy any help is appreciated
thanks
 
i recommend the canon and jvc hd cams. they are good and have great quality. check vimeo for vids shot in hd with those cams. do not check utoob, the quality (even the 'watch in high quality' movies) is terrible compared to Vimeo. they have hd vids and most people will list the equipment they shot and edited with. as for the medium, i'd look into the cams that recored on flash memory, you don't get as much recording time as the HDD cams, but it makes for lighter cams with no moving parts, so you don't have to worry about the sound if you use the built in mic.
LevLove
 
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thanks for all the advice i was lookin at a hv30 in bestbuy and had prior knowledge of the hv20 so yea i thought about buyin that one

but im gettin hooked up with a Panasonic DVX100B
 
Oh I've used Panny's DVX100B, and in my own opinion, they're not that really on par to Canon's HV30. That's just my opinion though, the DVX100B's advantage I think is its controls. But I dont' worry about that now coz most of my editings are now in my computer and what's matter to me is only the quality of the video. And judging from my eye, HV30s HD quality and its 24p feature makes it a hands down better than Panasonic's DVX100B.
 
Good Camcorder

If you're looking for a good HD camcorder look into the Canon XA-A1. I bought it about a year or so ago. It's a good Pro-sumer CAmcorder with HD capabilities. Also if you want to get a Film look get a (depth of Field adapter) that along with some filters from magic bullet and you can make some high quality videos. And remember you need lighting. That can make or break a video.
 
HV20/30 does not beat a DVX100B any day. I own both. The HV20 does shoot a nice picture because of the HD, but its a straight consumer cam with no manual control. When it comes to video, control is king. My recommendations based on your budget. (24p can be a pain to work with from this cam....you have to deal with a convoluted workflow)

Less than $1000...get the HV20. It is hands down the best cam you'll get for under 1k.

If you have around $2000, go for the DVX100B and learn to use its manual controls. You'll get a better picture because you'll have full control. I've seen some sick video shot on these. (It was actually the 1st digital camcorder to give 24p and has the most support edit-wise)

IF you have the loot to spend around $3500 than I recommend my personal favorite... the Panasonic HMC150. All the conrtol of the DVX100B, full HD (1080p and 720p), native 24p, shoots to inexpensive SDHC cards (I've managed to squiz around 3hrs of 1080p onto a single card).
 
If you're semi-serious about photo or video you NEED a camera with manual controls. Other than the lights, the next MUST-HAVE thing is manual controls.
 
DO NOT, I repeat NOT! buy a simple hand held autofocus camera. Buy a DSLR! They are HD, Used to make almost all professional music videos and are perfect for your budget, also you should buy a ring light, because that is what gives the best look for closeups and that is what the pros use. also you may need external lighting for low-light situations
 
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