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Glenice · May 3, 2006, 02:08 PM

i need to buy a new video camera to make a movie with, but don't know what would be best. i want a good quality film for a reasonable price. does anyone have any suggestions?

stevesnj · May 3, 2006, 03:05 PM

what kind of movie?

Glenice · May 3, 2006, 04:30 PM

a documentary to be viewed at my university. i'll be needing to film different things including several interviews.

sonicularulus · May 3, 2006, 05:52 PM

what is your budget?

right away, i would say to go for the panasonic dvx 100 as it isnt too high of a price for the quality you get...
i believe 3000...
with that, you get true progressive 24 frames per second (film look) plus great low light capabilities.
get back to us with your budget details and i can give you a more reasonable camera...but im pretty sure that will do the job...

Glenice · May 3, 2006, 06:20 PM

well, my budget is just as cheap as possible. i'm creating a documentary on AIDS in Africa and have no equipment and no money. we're running completely off of donations, and don't have that much yet. if any of you are interested, the website is www.aidsdocumentary.blogspot.com - 3000 is a little pricey for the way things are looking right now, but i realize it's going to be expensive.

stevesnj · May 3, 2006, 08:46 PM

Canon GL 2 , shotgun mic, boom mic

sonicularulus · May 3, 2006, 11:23 PM

yea, i see that budget is a big problem when it comes to a project coming from donations.
i would follow steve's recommendation of the GL2. However, since you are doing a documentary, i would say that you wouldnt need an extra mic since you are doing a documentary type of work. i assume you will end up dubbing a voice over during the edit. However, if you plan on doing "on location" shots that require audio, i would say get atleast a boom mic (if you have a crew to operate it), otherwise just get a shotgun mic.

Howevevr, one thing you shouldnt live with out is a good tripod, especially one with a fluid head. that way, you can get a smooth panning shots.

k_munic · May 4, 2006, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by kevindosi

well, my budget is just as cheap as possible. i'm creating a documentary on AIDS in Africa and have no equipment and no money. we're running completely off of donations, and don't have that much yet. if any of you are interested, the website is www.aidsdocumentary.blogspot.com - 3000 is a little pricey for the way things are looking right now, but i realize it's going to be expensive.

some 3ccd cameras from Panasonic got good recommendations
talking about "cheap":
you need as mentioned a very good tripod, lots od additional battery packages (on location, esp. in the "outback" means you run off power fast) and for sure you need additional audio equipment:

what do we hear, when your voice over starts to talk? plain nothing?
what happens, when you edit your footage - the background noises "jump"...
what happens, when a protagonist talks and talks and talks, and you needd to switch tapes, batteries, point of view...?
do you use your camera for recording "atmo", street noises, live music, "neutral background" (<< for adding v.o.)?

to produce on some little higher level then Daddy-does-movie, you need some additional audio recording device, for recording "atmo" and continous live-audio; and you need at last some shotgun mic plus some lavalier/sticker mic to catch voices without background disturbances... get ONE person, being in charge for audio ONLY. tell him/her to record more then you, you will need all these sounds. and you will need them much longer then you record video... have a look at pro documentairies: hours of on-location voices, cut down to a few statements; beautiful "atmos", music on location, continously be heared in background, while video is editied as a clip...

get a consumer 3ccd
get a tridpod
get batteries
get a miniDisk recorder
get two mics (you will LOVE wireless, but that blows your budget)
= <2000$

dlefebvre · May 4, 2006, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by kevindosi

well, my budget is just as cheap as possible. i'm creating a documentary on AIDS in Africa and have no equipment and no money. we're running completely off of donations, and don't have that much yet. if any of you are interested, the website is www.aidsdocumentary.blogspot.com - 3000 is a little pricey for the way things are looking right now, but i realize it's going to be expensive.

Since it's for a good cause, you could rent the camera and get a good deal. Here in Montreal there is a non-profit video coperative where you can borrow equipment for a non-profit production. Other than that you can geat a very low renting price for independant productions.

I guess you could look for such a deal in your area and get away for free by just adding the company logo in the end credits.

stevesnj · May 4, 2006, 12:32 PM

GL 2

Sennheiser MKE 300

jlincoln · 01:08 PM

If you have a cable access channel in your area, you may want to just get a producer's license, which would give you access to all the equipment you'll need.

The biggest advice I could give you is this: don't go for cheap tapes. Stay with the Sony Digital Master's in the large(ish) gray cases or the Panasonic Advanced Master Quality. There's nothing to ruin your day like big fat dropout.

As much as I like Canon's optics, the GL2 is a dinosaur. I'm not a huge fan of Sony consumer/prosumer cameras, but I'd look at the A1U. I would be hard pressed to invest in anything that does not do 720p or at least some in-camera math to get you there. The A1U is small and has two XLR inputs.

stevesnj · May 10, 2006, 04:54 PM

Agreed on the cameras but on a budget a GL 2 is a great choice.

KeyLimePi · May 11, 2006, 08:49 AM

A couple years ago I picked up a cheap wireless lav mic & receiver onlne for about $100. This was the best investment I ever made for shooting interviews. If you're shooting someone outside, or in a noisey room, this is a must. Plus it allows me to position the camera a little farther off which seems to put interviewees more at ease. I even use it for home movies now.

Whatever camera you get, I HIGHLY recommend getting one with an aux mic jack and buying a wireless mic.

bluedog · May 11, 2006, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by KeyLimePi

A couple years ago I picked up a cheap wireless lav mic & receiver onlne for about $100. This was the best investment I ever made for shooting interviews. If you're shooting someone outside, or in a noisey room, this is a must. Plus it allows me to position the camera a little farther off which seems to put interviewees more at ease. I even use it for home movies now.

Whatever camera you get, I HIGHLY recommend getting one with an aux mic jack and buying a wireless mic.

Care to share the model/brand/place of purchase? I've only seen ones for about $200 for the receiver and about $100 for each mic.

TIA.