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Need a recommendation for a ENG camera under $2,000
I’m looking to buy a prosumer camera that is SHOULDER MOUNTABLE, costs less then 2.5 grand, is an ENG style camera, is good in low lighting situations, and takes sdxc cards (and not p2 because those are expensive and you need a lot of them). I’ve looked for a camera like this and the search results seemed limited
Panasonic AG-HMC80 3MOS AVCCAM HD Shoulder-Mount Camcorder
-BandH dot com says this cam is bad in low lighting conditions!! 🙁 !!Panasonic AF-100
-not shoulder mountable.
-this is a little out of my price range
-doesn’t have automatic zoom control (servo)
-you have to swap out lenses if you want a certain look..not quite an ENG style cam
-in general, its not great for run-and-gun style shootingPanasonic HVX200
-Not shoulder mountable
-I’m not very fond of the LCD screen. its hard to judge focus
-takes p2 cards which are expensive to rent and buy and you need a lot of them for event videography. The more you need, the more expensive it gets :-/JVC GY-HM150U
-Not shoulder mountableANY RECOMMENDATIONS? PLEASE HELP (and please don’t recommend the 7d to me)
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3 Replies
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You are asking a lot for not a lot of money. If you are using your camera to make money, you need to make an investment. Spend $3500-$5000. There is a lot to offer in that price range. The Panasonic AG-AC130a and 160a offer the best bang for the buck with the best warrantee in the industry. In order to make these cameras shoulder mountable, you will need a device such as the DV Multirig. https://www.dvtec.tv/id33.html
Your only alternative is JVC HMC600 or 700 series.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Creative Pro Users Group -
[Rachel Kodner] “Panasonic AG-HMC80 3MOS AVCCAM HD Shoulder-Mount Camcorder
-BandH dot com says this cam is bad in low lighting conditions!! 🙁 !!”Panasonic’s had a long line of very low cost shoulder-mount cameras, mostly hollow, made from the tech used in other cameras. They have often used entirely consumer-derived optics and sensors, and in general, were not very good.
The AG-HMC80 is the first of these that didn’t suck. This basically has the 3-chip sensor and lens from the HMC-40. That’s a system used in Panny’s low-end pro and high-end consumer models. These are 1/4.1″ chips, about 7.6mm^2 each.
By contrast, a higher end pro camera like an HMC-150 will have 1/3″ chips, 17.30mm^2 each, for better low light sensitivity. And a true ENG camera, rathern than just “ENG-style” will usually have 2/3″ sensors, 58.10mm^2 each. And you’ll pay $15K or more. Of course, the AF-100 will trump that, with the full micro-FourThirds system sensor… single sensor at 225mm^2.
As much as I like many features of the Panasonic line, the LCDs and EVFs have left much to be desired. I think they’ve addressed that in the very latest models.
-Dave
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You’re not going to get a camera that’s good in low light for that price range. I have a Sony NX5U ($4k) and its even limited in low light. If that’s all the money you have to spend then the HMC80 is your best choice.
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