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Best Camcorder or Camera for the BlackMagic Intensity Pro
Hello,
I am new to video recording & editing so please forgive my ignorance.I have recently been looking for a camcorder that I can use for personal / amateur business recording. I have a BlackMagic Intensity Pro and my understanding is that I can connect certain camcorders directly to the Intensity Pro and bypass the camcorders compression and record at full HD quality correct?
I do not need any professional equipment but I am trying to find the best budget high-def camcorder that I can purchase at a low cost (below $500) that will benefit when used in conjunction with my BlackMagic Intensity Pro.
I have the following questions about using a camcorder along side the Intensity Pro that will influence which camcorder I end up purchasing.
1. Does the camcorder have to be connected to the Intensity Pro while recording in order to avoid compression? In other words do I have to be tethered to my PC while recording with the camcorder to take advantage of the Intensity Pro bypassing compression?
2. Are there camcorders that don’t compress the video footage? In other words is their a possibility that I buy a camcorder that won’t benefit in any way shape or form from the Intensity Pro? (I don’t want to accidentally pay extra for something that the Intensity Pro can accomplish for me.)
3. Would the BlackMagic Intensity Pro be able to record “high speed” footage? I have been looking at some EXILIM High-Speed Cameras which seem to be Digital Camera’s on steroids and they have a feature where they can record low resolution high speed footage (up to 1000 FPS). I have always loved high speed footage since you can create some of the coolest slow motion pictures ever! If I was to capture footage in high speed could I then take it off the camera via the BlackMagic Intensity Pro and retain the high speed footage?
If any of you have any input or advice for me about camcorders to use in conjunction with the intensity pro or if any of you have some suggestions on good camcorders to look into purchasing please let me know.
Thank you in advance
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3 Replies
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Most consumer HD camcorders that have HDMI outputs can be captured live by the Intensity Pro’s HDMI input without recording unless the camcorder has a battery timeout then it needs to be connected to the mains to record live without recording to media, or use a camcorders component out to the Int Pro’s component in if no HDMI
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Hi Trent,
Yes, and you’ll have to record ‘live’ to your computer via the Intensity Pro card as that will bypass the compression block on your camera.
However, there are also benefits to recording via HDMI to Intensi Pro even if the footage is already on tape. As HDMI is a uncompressed video signal, you also gain the flexibility to recording (to the computer) in another format of your choice as some native camera formats are not optimized for editing.
regards
Kristian Lam
Blackmagic Design -
Thanks Kristian,
If you don’t mind do you happen to know the answer to my 3rd question about high speed footage? Don’t you have to capture the footage at the same FPS and resolution as the source?
The camera’s in question are located here:
https://www.casio.com/products/Cameras/EXILIM_High-Speed/3. Would the BlackMagic Intensity Pro be able to record “high speed” footage? I have been looking at some EXILIM High-Speed Cameras which seem to be Digital Camera’s on steroids and they have a feature where they can record low resolution high speed footage (up to 1000 FPS). I have always loved high speed footage since you can create some of the coolest slow motion pictures ever! If I was to capture footage in high speed could I then take it off the camera via the BlackMagic Intensity Pro and retain the high speed footage?
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