Video Camera Suggestions?

[SteveHardeman]

I'm somewhat embarassed to say I've been shooting with an old Sony DCR-HC30.

I need to upgrade my video equipment.

I'm considering currently: Panasonic HDC-SD5 AVCHD
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...#goto_itemInfo

I'm a very new producer with a limited budget who often shoots and performs at the same time.

It's important to me that I can pull passable stills from the video.

I use Vegas to edit my videos. I also use it to grab stills from the tape but they do not look good.

Anyone endorse the camera above? Or suggest alternatives?

Thank you.

Steve

[Hunter_ST_69]

I have a Canon HV20 that's high def and records to tape (it's a prosumer camera that is affordable).

I shot Ashley and Kaylee on it and have had decent results.

With the AVCHD type cameras be aware that editing can be time consuming since the video decompression takes some horsepower and time for the conversion (that's before you can even begin editing).

I use Final Cut Studio 2 on a Mac for editing and capture, and a 24-inch iMac.

Everything works fine and I'm able to edit quickly.

Be aware that editing is processor intensive when doing high def so be sure you allot enough money to upgrading your computer hardware, too.

[Hunter_ST_69]

Oh, nearly all the images on those two sites are stills from the video (which is 1920x1280).

Be sure you have enough LIGHT when you shoot! I use two of these lights.

Poor light is the number one reason for crappy video quality.

[Cozy Monica]

Sorry I'm not familiar with video as I worked only with photography, but isn't working with tungsten an issue when it comes to color balance, or is it easy because you are working with digital nowadays (I always worked with film)

[Ledrak]

Originally posted by Cozy Monica
Sorry I'm not familiar with video as I worked only with photography, but isn't working with tungsten an issue when it comes to color balance, or is it easy because you are working with digital nowadays (I always worked with film)

Oh Yes, it certainly can be an issue.

[Hunter_ST_69]

Sure, the color balance of your lighting is an issue.

But video cameras have white balance adjustments (most of them, anyway) just like digital SLRs do.

So you balance to your lighting source first using the camera of choice (video or still), then shoot.

There are flourescent video lights, too, but they are full spectrum and operate at a different refresh rate than regular flourescent tubes, which look green on film, or an unbalanced digital SLR.

There's no comparable "raw" setting for shooting video, though, which is a shame.
It's very nice shooting in RAW with my digital SLR and fine tuning exposure and color balance after the fact.

[nolimits4]

does hd format burn up gigs?

this is only thing keep me from getting canon hv 20


most site that buse canon hv 20 put vids in flash to help preserve bandwidth

[Hunter_ST_69]

Sizes? For example, on the Kaylee site, an 8 minute video plays out like this...
at 853x480 is 156 MB
at 1280x720p is 347 MB
at iPod size is 52 MB

Format is QuickTime MOV, playable by anyone who uses iTunes or an iPod. The member's area has a link to download the player.
Promo videos are in that format, too, so a person can see if they can play it before joining.

I chose not to encode as WMV... and it hasn't seemed to hurt early sales and I haven't heard from any customers with issues.

I joined a couple adult sites recently and see that several are offering their newest stuff in at least 480p or 720p size videos.

It's becoming expected by the surfer, I think.

[Hunter_ST_69]

By the way, a full size uncompressed 1920x1280 video is about 1.5Gigs for 8 minutes.

You then use this video to create the encoded ones for the members area.

I use a 500Gig drive for each site, with another 500Gig backing that one up.

Paranoid.

[*TAG*]

go with something by SONY

[Think Big]

I would go with either a Canon or a JVC camera. i would look to get the highest quality camera thats in my price range from either two of those Companies. Canon and JVC are the only 2 big companies that i know of who still make their products in Japan. Also JVC uses Canon lenes. Everyone else moved their factories over sea's and has under qualified people putting everything together. I would stay away from Sony and Panasonic . Sony has been having alot of problems with the quality of product they been putting out. And a few years ago they had to fire their CEO because they were losing millions of dollars on warranty work because they were putting out a piece of shit product. and they also no longer allow local authorized repair stores to work on sony products any more becasue the company was losing to much money so you have to mail you camera off the god knows where to get it repaired. Sony has been running off of brand name. And Panasonic has a great price for what they offer but once the warranty is up they end up taking a shit. When I get ready to buy anything that cost a good amout of money the only thing i ask the sales person about it is the features the product has. after that i go around to all the repair shops and talk to the guys who work on the stuff everyday and go off of what they say. and everyone of them i talked to said the same thing. when you open up a Canon or JVC the insides are quality made. But when you open up anything else the insides are bullshit. hope that helps