[Dan Acharya]

Format is one thing, quality of capture is another. Put an HD lens on a 2/3″ chip DVCam Camcorder and light it properly – you can get fantastic results. Get a Sony 750 HDCAM camera, light it badly, over expose it and not set the menu’s up properly and it’s a very expensive colour correction and still looks pants.

If you’re on a budget hire kit on demand. Build up a client base and then invest in kit. That’s easier said than done but it’s best to err on the side of caution. If you’re a freelance shooter/director/editor build up a co-operative of people with different skills and kit so you can help each other out, rather than being a lone ranger.

Full raster 1920×1080 progressive cameras are more accessible now and Sony/Panasonic/JVC/Canon are coming out with some seriously good little cameras. Great for corporate in standard guise and more commercial stuff if you use lens adapters that give better glass/depth of field etc…a good video crew at the shooting stage are worth every penny and if you’re working with budget HD, this can really push up the ‘percieved’ quality of the production.

[Dan Acharya]

Thanks to everyone for your feedback:-)