Bill Bruner
Forum Replies Created
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Hi Sam – I know i’m weighing in late, but I wanted to make sure you understand that the link you posted is to a Canon T3, and not a T3i?
With the T3, you will be limited to 720/30p recording (instead of the standard 1080p) and will not have a mic jack – which is fine – as long as you know what you are getting into.A few other things you will miss from your camcorder when you shoot with the T3:
– the T3’s autofocus works well when you’re shooting stills, but stops working when you switch to video (“live view”) mode
– as you already know, your viewfinder will also work when you’re shooting stills, but will be blocked by the mirror (which is useless for video) when you switch to live view, forcing you to buy a loupe
– the T3 will stop, and have to be restarted after 17 minutes of continuous recording, which is a problem for plays, speeches, and other events.
By the time you add the price of a ~$100 loupe and a ~$100 external recorder to compensate for its deficiencies, you will have paid $629 for this camera – and you still won’t have 1080p.
You might as well buy a mirrorless $671.51 Panasonic G6
– which will give you the same large sensor “look” as a DSLR – with the ease of use of a camcorder.
Like a camcorder, the G6 has autofocus and a viewfinder that continue working when you record video. It also records continuously for hours instead of a few minutes, and it is compatible with camcorder-like power zooms like this one
and this one
from Panasonic. There are no power zoom lenses for Canon DSLRs.
It also has a built-in intervalometer for timelapse and records at up to 1080/60p for in-camera slow motion (something no Canon DSLR can do below the $10,000 Canon 1D C).
Here is the image quality this camera can produce:
Documentary:
Narrative:
Music Video:
Slow Motion/Sport:
Travel Video:
https://vimeo.com/86145944 (shot with a power zoom lens)
Compared to the $3000 Canon 5D Mark III: https://vimeo.com/82318903
There are many more examples on the Panasonic G6 channel I moderate over on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/groups/dmcg6
It’s a pretty good still camera too:
https://www.flickr.com/groups/lumix-g6/pool/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/2217639@N20/
Hope this is helpful and welcome to the world of large sensor, interchangeable lens cameras!
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Hi Alan – my first DSLR was a D50 and I currently own the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, so I may be able to help.
I loved my Nikon, but when I made the transition to video I went with Panasonic GH cameras and the BMPCC.
Nikon did not seem serious about video.
I needed a video camera with a headphone jack, full control of aperture and shutter speed while shooting video, higher bit rates and I wanted to get away from the 30 minute DSLR continuous recording limit.
So I bought an $1100 Panasonic GH3
(which has a viewfinder that works while you’re shooting video – unlike a DSLR) and, later, a $995 Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
for its amazing codecs.
Truthfully, I use the GH3 more – it is a great still/video camera – a lot easier to use than the BMPCC, is easily compatible with Nikon lenses with inexpensive adapters
and Speed Boosters and records at up to 50mbps IPB and 72mbps ALL-Intra for very high quality video.
Here is what this camera can do:
NARRATIVE: https://vimeo.com/49420579
MUSIC VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/53834993
Hope this is helpful and good luck with your decision!
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Sorry, Henry, all you get with these external battery setups is the servo zoom. There is no communication between the lens and the camera, so the autofocus function will not work.
That said, the lens is probably parfocal, so (for static shots) you can use the old cameraman’s trick of zooming all the way in, nailing your focus, then zooming out for your shot and not worrying about it.
Best,
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Hi xavier – I have the GH2, and it’s a great camera, but the problem is that it was discontinued a couple of years ago and there’s no way you’ll find a warrantied unit for less than $700.
The true successor to the GH2 is a brand new, warrantied, $647.99 (with kit lens) Panasonic G6.
It has the same ability to record long events, with the addition of focus peaking, an intervalometer and 1080/60p if you ever need it.
If you don’t need a viewfinder or the large sensor interchangeable lens camera “look”, though, a traditional camcorder such as the $598 Panasonic HC-V750 may be a better choice.
Hope this is helpful!
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Hi Olga – I love the image quality from both the GH4 (just rented one) and the 4K BMPC – but, as I understand it you’re looking for a camcorder with XLR inputs for $2000. Neither of these cameras seems to be what you are looking for.
For a pro camcorder with XLRs in the $2000 price range, the choices are pretty much (in decreasing price order) Canon XA20
, Sony HXR-NX30
and Panasonic AG-AC90
.
They’ll all give you great image quality, and any of them would be a significant upgrade over your DVX – but between the three of them, I would get the Sony for its amazing Optical Steady Shot – which is like having a stabilizer built into the camera. Here is what it can do:
Hope this is helpful!
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Dave – the Hosa MIT-156
also works with battery powered condensers such as the used Audio Technica AT835b
I bought on eBay.
In addition, it works with battery/phantom powered condenser mics such as the more modern AT897, the Rode NTG-2
, Sennheiser MKE 600
and others.
For purely phantom powered condenser mics such as the Audio-Technica AT875R
, you can add in-line phantom power with a 9V battery and a $70 ART Phantom II Pro
– less money than either a $469 Beachtek
or a $230 Zoom H4N
.
Here’s a picture of my $75 AT835b condenser shotgun plugged straight into my camera with the Hosa. In side-by-side testing, it sounded just as good (to me) as a $229 Rode VideoMic Pro
. YMMV:
Cheers,
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Hi Travis – since you already have the A99 – you might want to consider a $1715 Sony NEX-VG30 body with a 55-210 E mount lens
plus a $350 Sony LA-EA2 adapter
for your alpha lenses. That way, you can share lenses between the two cameras.
With an $18 Hosa MIT-156 XLR to 3.5mm transformer/adapter
The VG30’s APS-C sized sensor will be much a better match for your A99 footage than the tiny sensor in the Canon XA cameras – or even the AX-100’s larger 1″ sensor.
Hope this is helpful!
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Hi JPD – you’ve already gotten some great advice in this thread – but if you’re coming from camcorders, you might want to consider the Panasonic power zooms (14-42mm
Here’s the 45-175 on the GH3 – rendered at 720p, but please note the smooth zoom at 0:32
Hope this is helpful!
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Hi Dan – I went to NAB last week and I had the same challenge. I thought about buying the $250 Photography & Cinema PR-1
or a $216 Kamerar Socom
, but I decided to save some money and put my own rig together with a set of $21 rails
, a $30 cheese plate
, a $30 quick release
, a $20 P&C pistol grip
and a $35 convertible shoulder/shotgun rest
. For lighting, I added a $199 F&V R-300 LED ring light
, a $25 milk filter and a $40 rail mount. To mount my recorder and mic, I added a $30 Kamerar hot shoe extension bar
and I was in business for a total of about $470 (not including the recorder and the mic) – and without an expensive cage. It worked great.
Here are a few photos of the setup, both on a tripod and on my shoulder. I have a mirrorless camera, so I use the built-in electronic viewfinder. You’ll need a $90 Kamerar QV-1 LCDVF
, since your Mark II’s viewfinder is blocked by the mirror in Live View:
Hope this is helpful and good luck at the race!
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Hi Travis – I would take a look at the $1795 (on sale) Sony NX30
Here’s a mixed DSLR/NX30 wedding shoot:
Hope this is helpful!
Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution
.
