Dslr Camera and lens good for shooting outdoor golf events

[Steve Crow]

The T4i would be a great choice…get the body only and then buy the Canon 50mm 1.4 as your basic lens to go with it – it’s great. Next get a Fader ND or a set of ND filters for filming outdoors, you will also need some kind of LCD hood/magnfier, I use the Zacutto Z-Finder but there are less expensive options, without this you won’t be able to see the LCD screen when filming outdoors on bright days.

You’ll need a wide angle lens, for that I’d suggest a 24-70mm fixed aperture lens, Canon makes a good one but other brands can be considered too.

Next be sure to get the Manfrotto Monopod – the 561BHDV-1 – don’t even consider another model just get it and you will thank me later.

Think hard about your sound requirements if you plan on doing any sort of interviews – it’s going to take some budget.

This is a bare bones kit but will serve you very well – at a later point you can upgrade the camera to the Canon 7D but for now the T4i will be just as good for you.

Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com

[Sareesh Sudhakaran]

I would recommend the GH3 above all else.

Get the Free Comprehensive Guide to Rigging ANY Camera – one guide to rig them all – DSLRs to Reds to the Arri Alexa.

[Kevin Rag]

I agree with Sareesh. You should consider the Panny GH3, a great camera. Also the 12-35 lens, a great lens for the money.

Kannan Raghavan
The Big Toad Films Pte. Ltd.

[Mike Drew]

You are going to need some serious glass to shoot golf. Figure on everything from a wide-angle to at least a 300mm. If you’re thinking of shooting for tv, you are going to need to shoot a variety of angles and for that you’ll need to cover everything from wide-angle to tight upper body stuff with a long lens.
Personally, if you only want to shoot video, I’d bypass the DSLRs entirely and spend the money on an actual video camera. If you want to shoot stills as well, that’s another story. I’m guessing by your question that you are just getting started in the video game and that you’ve heard DSLRs are the way to go. For many things, they are excellent tools. But they are compromise tools. Good as they are, they’re designed to be still cameras first. I think, for this particular use, you’d be better off with a dedicated video camera.

[Chad Allen]

First Thanks to everyone for your replies,

Mike I’m especially about your reply. I’m not exactly new to video I’ve shot weddings and a few corporate events a few years back, at that time I was using a Canon XL1 video camera. Now, I’m looking to get back into video and my concerns are that most of the new hd prosumer video cameras don’t shoot as good of video as you would get with some of the new dslrs unless you climb the price ladder. I’ve recently had someone suggest the Sony Nex VG-900 which doesn’t look back accept for the current price. I am more comfortable with a “regular video camera” so do you have any suggestions on them. As my previous post stated I’m shooting for tv and web. Once again, any information would be appreciated,

Chad
AlabamaGolfReview.com

[Mike Drew]

Sorry, I made an assumption I shouldn’t have but I know a lot of folks want the look of DSLRs without realizing the amount of difficulty involved in making them do a job they’re not really designed for.
As far as video cameras go, the Sony you mentioned is about the only one I know of in your price range that comes close. Canon also makes a couple of models that shoot HD to cards that you may be able to find used that could fit your budget as well.
Do you have any lenses at all? The reason I ask is that any crop-frame Canon DSLR will give you similar video. They all use the same sensor with more or less the same processing all the way from the cheapest T3i to the 7D so you could get something in the middle like a 60D and get great video.
The problem is that you’ll need a suite of lenses – or at least something like a 17-70 and a 70-300 to get you started – as well as sound gear and rigging to allow you to shoot the moving subjects you will be concentrating on. Even if you have stuff left over from your earlier video forays, it is likely that none of it will work with the DSLRs. Your $4000 will disappear in a hurry.
You may find that the Sony with an 18-200 will do the job well enough to get you going. The used Canons will come with lenses as well. You’ll still need sound gear, of course, and some sort of support system but at least you can get shooting right away.
Hope all that helps and that I haven’t been too much of a downer!!

[Steve Crow]

Here’s a little motivation as to what can be accomplished with a HD DSLR from the guys at StillMotion and the Callaway series

https://vimeo.com/25030632

Now they used the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV which would eat up your entire budget but they also had Canon 7D shots in there and you probably can’t tell the difference. I don’t know what your vision is for these golf videos but I would concentrate on profiles and not trying to capture every shot. For that reason I disagree on the long telephoto lens…I just don’t think you will need them – you aren’t likely to be able to capture much of the long drive type shots anyways as far as “play by play” goes, I think of these like small films, not documenting games…therefore I know I will be reasonably close to my subjects even if I am filming from where the spectators stand around the tee.

Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com

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[Mike Drew]

I agree that this is indeed inspiring but – and I hate to make another assumption – I don’t think Chad will be shooting for Callaway. Great things can be accomplished with practice but even Usain Bolt had to take his first baby steps.

[Steve Crow]

ha ha yep probably not but my point was to really show what can be done with a DSLR versus a traditional videocamera and I’ve used both. The beauty of those DSLR shots can’t be matched by traditional videocameras unless you spend huge dollars…but the same approach, creativity and style StillMotion used can be done for a local golf club tournament – it doesn’t have to be a Callaway Series and, like you said, probably won’t be to begin with.

Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com

[Mike Drew]

You bet, Steve, I agree. I shoot exclusively with DSLRs myself. And of course, we should all aspire to greatness. Lord knows I’ve got a long ways to go. My point, though, is that a lot of people I talk to or see comments from on these forums – fora?? – have the impression that all that’s required to shoot lovely DSLR video is to just get a DSLR and shoot video. Nothing could be further from the truth.
But yes, DSLR trumps an inexpensive video camera any day. I was just thinking that Chad’s question was about a specific scenario, one that would require more than just a passing familiarity with DSLR video shooting.