Hey Rick, What camera should I buy?
Rick Schmidt, the author of "Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices" and "DV Extreme"
replies...
"Anyone who has ever cracked a moviemaking magazine can appreciate your dilemma. I approach the problem by budget. If you only have $1,000 to spend for a DV camera, will you be satisfied going the 1-chip, new-camera route or heading to Ebay.com, where used 3-chip Sony cameras like the DCR-TRV900 come up periodically (winning bids run $1,000 - $1,200 for this exceptionally well-constructed, extremely compact, now discontinued camera). If buying a used unit doesn’t scare you off, the TRV900 can supply you with the “broadcast quality” you’re after (see www.bealecorner.com/trv900 for a thorough camera overview).
I checked out B&H in New York and found the 1/4” 1-chip PAL Panasonic NV-MD9000EN “PAL” Professional 1/4” Min- DV camcorder for $1,249, which must be what you’re considering, given that no other PAL camera comes close in price. Seems like a lot of camera for the cost. And with the PAL 25 fps, it would serve you well if a blow-up to 35mm is a consideration (25 fps generally make for a better DV-to-24fps film conversion). Regarding the Micromv format, I just don’t think it’s up to Mini-DV standards, isn’t Mac-friendly (not compatible with Final Cut Pro) and “con” reviews at Amazon are convincing. So I wouldn’t go there.
When budget isn’t the issue, the challenge is to get a solid, well-performing unit, that can deliver consistent quality under adverse conditions. For around $2,000 you might try the Canon GL-2 Mini-DV. University of California, Santa Cruz students and I shot a three-week feature using the earlier Canon GL-1, which delivered great images without much technical fuss beyond setting exposure and focus. I’ve heard from friends who use them that Sony’s VX2000 and the discontinued DSR- PD100a are also great units for the price. At the $3,000- $4,000 price range, you could consider the Sony DSR-PD150, which has garnered top reviews from my director friend William Farley. He’s cautioned me, though, to watch out for sound problems on discounted units. Give him an e-mail to hear more (Farleyfilm@aol.com).
With a $6,000 budget you can go Pro-DVCAM, with something like Sony’s DSR 200, that my DP/director son Morgan Schmidt-Feng has used on several of our Feature Workshops shoots, such as the “no-artificial-lights” Chetzemoka’s Curse (Dogme # 10). He has certainly tested the unit’s endurance, having taken it on location to extreme climates like Guyana (see www.filmsight.com for images from Midas Curse). E-mail him if you have questions (morgan@filmsight.com), or need info on the higher-end 24p HD cameras he’s mastered while working for LucasFilm and TechTV". Thanks Rick & MM: www.moviemaker.com
replies...
"Anyone who has ever cracked a moviemaking magazine can appreciate your dilemma. I approach the problem by budget. If you only have $1,000 to spend for a DV camera, will you be satisfied going the 1-chip, new-camera route or heading to Ebay.com, where used 3-chip Sony cameras like the DCR-TRV900 come up periodically (winning bids run $1,000 - $1,200 for this exceptionally well-constructed, extremely compact, now discontinued camera). If buying a used unit doesn’t scare you off, the TRV900 can supply you with the “broadcast quality” you’re after (see www.bealecorner.com/trv900 for a thorough camera overview).
I checked out B&H in New York and found the 1/4” 1-chip PAL Panasonic NV-MD9000EN “PAL” Professional 1/4” Min- DV camcorder for $1,249, which must be what you’re considering, given that no other PAL camera comes close in price. Seems like a lot of camera for the cost. And with the PAL 25 fps, it would serve you well if a blow-up to 35mm is a consideration (25 fps generally make for a better DV-to-24fps film conversion). Regarding the Micromv format, I just don’t think it’s up to Mini-DV standards, isn’t Mac-friendly (not compatible with Final Cut Pro) and “con” reviews at Amazon are convincing. So I wouldn’t go there.
When budget isn’t the issue, the challenge is to get a solid, well-performing unit, that can deliver consistent quality under adverse conditions. For around $2,000 you might try the Canon GL-2 Mini-DV. University of California, Santa Cruz students and I shot a three-week feature using the earlier Canon GL-1, which delivered great images without much technical fuss beyond setting exposure and focus. I’ve heard from friends who use them that Sony’s VX2000 and the discontinued DSR- PD100a are also great units for the price. At the $3,000- $4,000 price range, you could consider the Sony DSR-PD150, which has garnered top reviews from my director friend William Farley. He’s cautioned me, though, to watch out for sound problems on discounted units. Give him an e-mail to hear more (Farleyfilm@aol.com).
With a $6,000 budget you can go Pro-DVCAM, with something like Sony’s DSR 200, that my DP/director son Morgan Schmidt-Feng has used on several of our Feature Workshops shoots, such as the “no-artificial-lights” Chetzemoka’s Curse (Dogme # 10). He has certainly tested the unit’s endurance, having taken it on location to extreme climates like Guyana (see www.filmsight.com for images from Midas Curse). E-mail him if you have questions (morgan@filmsight.com), or need info on the higher-end 24p HD cameras he’s mastered while working for LucasFilm and TechTV". Thanks Rick & MM: www.moviemaker.com
posted by arkietechs at 6:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home