I have a budget of $10k maximum and am looking for the best solution possible to do consistent high quality web streaming at a permanent venue. I would also like it to create high quality non web videos. Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations on what kind of camera / set up I should get? What kind of converters or software I should use as well? What are others using for around this price range. I already have a existing mac mini with a 2.8ghz i7 128SSD, 750 HD, and 8GB ram but it is currently processing audio. I dont want any more than 2 cameras at this point and I am very interested in pan and tilt solutions. Any suggestions are much appreciated.
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What to do with $10,000
- Thread starter zjrhens
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This doesn't answer your question, but if I had $10k, I'd be investing that.
$10k is more than enough to produce some good things. Like daybreak said, you might have to just search this stuff yourself, because I'm assuming that most people here didn't just get $10k and decide to grab hold of a lot of gear, they probably spent time researching and getting gear over a long period of time. Some may not have any gear, and just have access to the gear that studios have.
Perhaps get a Panasonic AG-HPX250 and Adobe Production Premium CS6 (Or the next one that's coming out soon). That Mac mini will probably suffice for video production, but if you have $10k, then I don't see why not get a top of the line iMac or Mac Pro, or wait for the next Mac Pro...or, heck, build a PC, get more bang for buck.
$10k is more than enough to produce some good things. Like daybreak said, you might have to just search this stuff yourself, because I'm assuming that most people here didn't just get $10k and decide to grab hold of a lot of gear, they probably spent time researching and getting gear over a long period of time. Some may not have any gear, and just have access to the gear that studios have.
Perhaps get a Panasonic AG-HPX250 and Adobe Production Premium CS6 (Or the next one that's coming out soon). That Mac mini will probably suffice for video production, but if you have $10k, then I don't see why not get a top of the line iMac or Mac Pro, or wait for the next Mac Pro...or, heck, build a PC, get more bang for buck.
What are you productions likely to entail? by web streaming do you mean justin.tv style or video uploads to YouTube etc?
Are they interview pieces, therefore a need for multiple cameras, or short films and dramas?
Shot solely in a studio? On greenscreen? Integrating animation? Etc.
Pan and tilt on a tripod or lens? Shooting architecture? High quality 720p, 1080p, 2k, 4k?
Tripod and solely locked off? Some handheld work? Depth of field, shallow or deep? Lens selection?
Lights? Portable or fixed? Daylight/Tungsten? LED? Modifiers?
Mics? Wireless? Lavalier? Audio mixer?
If you give us more information about your production we can give you a better idea of what is required.
Are they interview pieces, therefore a need for multiple cameras, or short films and dramas?
Shot solely in a studio? On greenscreen? Integrating animation? Etc.
Pan and tilt on a tripod or lens? Shooting architecture? High quality 720p, 1080p, 2k, 4k?
Tripod and solely locked off? Some handheld work? Depth of field, shallow or deep? Lens selection?
Lights? Portable or fixed? Daylight/Tungsten? LED? Modifiers?
Mics? Wireless? Lavalier? Audio mixer?
If you give us more information about your production we can give you a better idea of what is required.
^^ What he said.
Now as a Filmmaker that uploads content via Vimeo/YouTube I use a Canon 5D Mark II. (Will upgrade to Mark III in the future)
Now. Having the Canon 5D Mark II as my primary Camera is more than enough for High-Res Web Videos. As long as you shoot it right, make the proper edit during post. You shouldn't have any problems with quality being rubbish on the web. Now I've seen some movies that's been shot with the Canon 7D/5D Mark II that's been in Theaters and are some great movies (Like Crazy, Act Of Valor etc..) So don't think you'll be needing a $5-10K camera alone to get high quality as the 7D-5D Mark II are only $1K-2K.
Other than the body. The most important things you will definitely need are lenses and audio equipment. Lenses will vary and depend on what kind of a filmmaker you are. Now with that saying every 50mm aren't the same. I own about three at the moment and they all perform very well, but they have different glass and different aperture. So they'll output different colors/contrast/sharpness etc... My favorite 50 is from Zeiss. It's sharp, outputs great colors and contrast.
Mic. Like what the previous poster said. What kind of shooting will you be doing? If you're gonna be doing documentary/interview. Might as well pick up a Zoom H4N and call it even. It's an amazing Mic that has XLR inputs, so if you want to use an External Shotgun mic in the future. Plug it in through the H4N and you'll be set.
Now I don't want to talk about lighting because I don't have the kind of money to afford the lighting setup that people use in great films. I'm a filmmaker who uses what he can get
If i don't have sufficient lighting. I'll use a reflector and a few lamps etc.. Also the sun is your friend. Don't be afraid to use that as your primary lighting sometimes
Hope this helps even just a little bit.
Now as a Filmmaker that uploads content via Vimeo/YouTube I use a Canon 5D Mark II. (Will upgrade to Mark III in the future)
Now. Having the Canon 5D Mark II as my primary Camera is more than enough for High-Res Web Videos. As long as you shoot it right, make the proper edit during post. You shouldn't have any problems with quality being rubbish on the web. Now I've seen some movies that's been shot with the Canon 7D/5D Mark II that's been in Theaters and are some great movies (Like Crazy, Act Of Valor etc..) So don't think you'll be needing a $5-10K camera alone to get high quality as the 7D-5D Mark II are only $1K-2K.
Other than the body. The most important things you will definitely need are lenses and audio equipment. Lenses will vary and depend on what kind of a filmmaker you are. Now with that saying every 50mm aren't the same. I own about three at the moment and they all perform very well, but they have different glass and different aperture. So they'll output different colors/contrast/sharpness etc... My favorite 50 is from Zeiss. It's sharp, outputs great colors and contrast.
Mic. Like what the previous poster said. What kind of shooting will you be doing? If you're gonna be doing documentary/interview. Might as well pick up a Zoom H4N and call it even. It's an amazing Mic that has XLR inputs, so if you want to use an External Shotgun mic in the future. Plug it in through the H4N and you'll be set.
Now I don't want to talk about lighting because I don't have the kind of money to afford the lighting setup that people use in great films. I'm a filmmaker who uses what he can get
If i don't have sufficient lighting. I'll use a reflector and a few lamps etc.. Also the sun is your friend. Don't be afraid to use that as your primary lighting sometimes Hope this helps even just a little bit.
The Canon XF 100s dropped in price to under $2500. You can pick up two of them for about 5 grand which is a really good deal in my opinion. For voice work I just picked up an Audio Technica AT8035 for a little over $200 which is a great condenser mic with excellent voice pickup. I already own a Shure VP88 Mid-side stereo cardioid but you probably don't need that mic unless you specifically know what you need it for and its about 3 times more expensive than the Audio Technica and not better for voice work IMO.