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Camera Upgrade advice – what camera has it all or there abouts?
I’ve been shooting with an HV40 for a little while now without any major complaints but a new job contract and Boss requires me to take a step or step two closer to an introductory level “prosumer” grade camera, but with a $2-2500 dollar budget it leaves me with few options.
For me it’s all about image quality – I don’t need any in-camera effects, 10x digital zoom, fancy new native mics etc. Face Detection would be the only “gizmo” that could prove helpful. The content recorded is intended to be edited by both Avid MC and FCP then burn’t straight to Blu-ray & DVD.
I’m recording sit down interviews so face detection and the ability to blur out the background behind the talent would really enhance my operation.
I’ve read a few articles that suggest AVCHD with the right CCDs can achieve superior results to HDV? So with that and the budget in mind so far I’ve found the:
CANON LEGRIA HFG10 HD CMOS VIDEO 10x
ticks the boxes but after using tapes forever and having HDDs fail/die on me, the switch over to using HDDs for archiving will be very new. Other suggestions have been:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821133-REG/JVC_GY_HM150U_GY_HM150U_ProHD_Handheld_Memory.html and the Canon XF100.I’d love to hear and receive advice from the users and not just bloggers reviews.
Please fire at me with any advice, opinions for I would really appreciate to hear and receive advice from the users not just bloggers reviews.
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3 Replies
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Well, if you wanna stay in the tape world and make a huge move up, rather than buying a new camera I’d suggest hitting eBay and snagging a low-mileage Canon XLH1.
It’s an awesome camera… I’ve used it since they were introduced (only recently retired ours in favor of the C300) and it’s one of my all-time favorite cameras.
Originally about a ten-grand camera, you could get a used one maybe close to within your budget. It’s a pro camera (a gigantic step up from that HV40), yet keeps you in the Canon family, and keeps you shooting on tape. You could even keep your li’l HV as a source deck.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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I’m all ready to make the jump from tape to Memory cards. Have you had a go with either of those cameras I listed?
It gets a bit confusing for I’ve been in the 1080/50i world, I don’t really know what kind of format will produce the image that will bring me a little bit closer to the prosumer world. I’ve read that 1920×1080 is full HD and AHCHD 1920 x1080 is a really high quality codec, better than standard HDV.
Which is the best format/codec to shoot documentary style footage? The answer to that will make choosing the right camera a bit easier….
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Think about sound quality. I know you said you don’t need “fancy native mics”, whatever that means. But you seriously need XLR ports if you want to step up a level (unless you’ve already got a JuicedLink or Beachtek adapter with that HV-40)
The biggest difference between my two XH-A1s and my two HV-30s is the XLR ports. Sure, the 3 chips make some difference in the video quality, but using professional microphones off the cameras and closer to the subject gives the most increase in production value.
If you get a camera that just has the 1/8″ jack like your HV-40, you severely limit your options when it comes to audio.
Nothing aggravates a client more than poor audio.
Roger
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