• Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

  Best Consumer HD Camera, Good FCP Workflow

  Posted by Eric Pedicelli on February 21, 2011 at 8:51 pm

  I’m producing a series of web docs for a client, who will buy an HD camera (under $1000) to lend to subjects so they can document their experiences.

  Which camera would you recommend?

  here’s a wish list

  – good FCP workflow
  – good in low light
  – have image stabilization
  – internal storage, ideally
  – audio inputs
  – ND filter

  Thanks for your suggestions

  Eric

  Bob Couture replied 15 years, 1 month ago 6 Members · 6 Replies
• 6 Replies

• 

  Steve Eisen

  February 22, 2011 at 2:10 am

  Consumer camcorders work well with iMovie. They can get pretty complicated with a Professional program like FCP. They also are not great in low light and audio is consumer level.

  Personally, I could not recommend a consumer camera. For under 1k, you can get the Canon T2i that can shoot stills and video. Keep in mind, it’s not a point and shoot camera.

  Since this is only for the web, you can find some decent DV cameras that will give you the quality you are expecting.

  Not all HD cameras are created equal. With decent lighting, you can shoot HD video with an iPhone or a Flip camera. Well under 1k.

  Steve Eisen
  Eisen Video Productions
  Vice President
  Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group
• 

  Jim Glickert

  February 22, 2011 at 3:55 am

  Take a look at the Canon VIXIA videocameras. I’ve owned two consumer-level Canon videocameras over the past ten years (a standard definition model for seven years, and a high definition HV-20 for the past three), and have had nothing but great luck with them. My HV-20 works fine with FCP.

  Jim
• 

  Ken Jones

  February 22, 2011 at 1:34 pm

  I will second the Canon VIXIA cameras. I own a HF100 and I am continually amazed at the image quality.
• 

  Thomas Morter-laing

  February 22, 2011 at 3:07 pm

  I second the idea to get a DSLR- far better quality for that price than most consumer camcorders (well… actually probably ALL consumer camcorders). A T2i is a good bet, just may need to invest in a cheap tripod as well.

  😀
  Tom Morter-Laing
  Freelance Editor
  Certified Apple Product Proffessional, 2010
  http://www.depictproductions.co.uk

  Sony Z5, with Rode NTG2.
  iMac 27″ intel i7 2.93GHz, 12GB RAM, ATI HD5750 [1GB GDDR5], 2TB Int. SATA with 2TB External HDD; (FW800), with Elgato Turbo H264HD.
• 

  Eric Pedicelli

  February 22, 2011 at 4:38 pm

  Thanks for your suggestions.

  The Canon Vixia and the Sony HDR-XR550V were to cameras that have come up in research and seem like the best bet for this job.

  While the T2i will capture higher quality images, due to the 35mm lenses, we need a camera that is easy for everyone to use. The shooters will not be able to download footage on the fly, so big internal storage is important. Also, shooters will not have tripods, so image stabilizer is key.

  Eric
• 

  Bob Couture

  March 31, 2011 at 8:47 pm

  I have several Canon Vixia HD30 and HD40. I can’t get FCP to recognize, log and capture. What do I have to do?

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