Get a $500 camera and spend the other $500 on class to learn the basics of videography
however, if you really want to spend $1000 and want the best camera possible, I'd recommend the HV20.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Canon HV20 review
- Thread starter hvfsl
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Get a $500 camera and spend the other $500 on class to learn the basics of videography
however, if you really want to spend $1000 and want the best camera possible, I'd recommend the HV20.
Get a $500 camera and spend the other $500 on class to learn the basics of videography
however, if you really want to spend $1000 and want the best camera possible, I'd recommend the HV20.
I'm taking a class next year in my high school.
Good
Your HS most likely has better cameras than you'll be able to buy, and you'll be able to use them whenever, so you might be better off getting something else for your birthday.
I don't want to wait a year so would i be better off getting the Canon HV20 or something cheaper with 3 CCD?
Like...http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...CategoryId=pcmcat91400050050&id=1166236106283 And whats the difference between the image quality on a HD and a camera
with no HD but 3ccds?
I bought the HV20 and was very disappointed.
The feel of the camera itself physically is cheap (yeah I know I would have felt this by touching it in best buy)
But the low light is AWFUL and I dont mean, "its to dark"
I mean, when you iris down it doesn't go to black, it goes to a green horrible electronic looking "stamped" look
What I mean is, there is grain, but its stationary, like a set pattern of noise with lines and dots and just a horrible picture.
This was not a gain up picture, and it was not a slow shutter compensation trick by the camera
this was visible on the camera LCD, the camera's eyepiece and HDMI out to a sony LCD HDTV.
and guess what? when you return to best buy, there is a 15% restock fee!
unless it is technically defective and this matter is sort of subjective, I had to call corporate and deal with a manager on site and they split the difference and charged me 5%
I then went to the sony store and they were kind enough to let me plug a HC7 thru HDMI into a monitor and I ramped the iris up and down and it was much better...not GREAT, but an acceptable consumer black.
trust me, I wanted the canon and the 24p, but anything close to dark looked "broken" and hey, maybe it was, i will never know now ,because I got the sony HC7 and I am done with it
Just my 2 cents.
The feel of the camera itself physically is cheap (yeah I know I would have felt this by touching it in best buy)
But the low light is AWFUL and I dont mean, "its to dark"
I mean, when you iris down it doesn't go to black, it goes to a green horrible electronic looking "stamped" look
What I mean is, there is grain, but its stationary, like a set pattern of noise with lines and dots and just a horrible picture.
This was not a gain up picture, and it was not a slow shutter compensation trick by the camera
this was visible on the camera LCD, the camera's eyepiece and HDMI out to a sony LCD HDTV.
and guess what? when you return to best buy, there is a 15% restock fee!
unless it is technically defective and this matter is sort of subjective, I had to call corporate and deal with a manager on site and they split the difference and charged me 5%
I then went to the sony store and they were kind enough to let me plug a HC7 thru HDMI into a monitor and I ramped the iris up and down and it was much better...not GREAT, but an acceptable consumer black.
trust me, I wanted the canon and the 24p, but anything close to dark looked "broken" and hey, maybe it was, i will never know now ,because I got the sony HC7 and I am done with it
Just my 2 cents.
The cheap consumer HD cameras are going to give you a high resolution picture but it's not going to be very sharp and the color will be crap.
A "prosumer" (real professional cameras are $50,000+) HD camera will give you a better picture with better color because of the 3CCDs but the cheapest ones are around $3000.
If you get a SD prosumer camera, you'll get the same types of color as the HD versions, it just won't be high resolution. HD wont be standard for at least 2 more years, so you can always upgrade later.
If you're just starting out, it would be a lot easier to go with standard definition. Most likely, this is what you'll be using at your school next year too.
I'd recommend you get a used 3CCD SD camera that went for like $2000 new a couple years ago. Something like a Canon GL1, GL2, or a Sony, JVC, or Panasonic. You can easily find a used GL1 or GL2 for around $1000, and this will be better than a cheap consumer new camera.
It's probably ok, but you'd definitely be better off buying a used GL1 or similar. I really wouldn't recommend a consumer camera because they're really not that good, plus the small size makes it more difficult to hold it steady.
The Canon is so much better than the Sony it's ridiculous; it's the first true 1080/24p camcorder under 100,000 or something. (Sorry, the HVX200 does not count.) And even if you can't extract every frame in your NLE, it still looks awesome on your HDTV. Also, for you "film look" nuts, the Canon has a larger sensor, which will make it easier to throw the background out of focus if you keep the aperture wide open.
Also, the Sony's 120fps mode is like at 1/16th resolution or something and it's a total gimmick anyway. And LANC is Sony proprietary, hence it not being on many cameras from other brands. Personally, I've only used a zoom controller once or twice (during event videography) and while it's very nice for that purpose, it's useless on a consumer camera, which is innapropriate for most event videography in the first place. But if you need it, it makes the choice easy, I guess.
Also, the Sony's 120fps mode is like at 1/16th resolution or something and it's a total gimmick anyway. And LANC is Sony proprietary, hence it not being on many cameras from other brands. Personally, I've only used a zoom controller once or twice (during event videography) and while it's very nice for that purpose, it's useless on a consumer camera, which is innapropriate for most event videography in the first place. But if you need it, it makes the choice easy, I guess.
Umm.. you can find a used GL1 for probably around $700. You said your budget was $1000.. :/
Sorry for the late response, just noticed your post. You are wrong about LanC on the GL2, XL2 and XH-A1. LanC is a propriatary Sony protocol, and the implementations by others, including Canon are not exact, since LanC continues to evolve (from, I believe as early as the 80's for the first implementation of LanC), and what's killer, Sony does not document all the specs exactly. So it's hit and miss. Here's a good discussion of the issue:
http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=661300
Here's camcorderinfo.com's shootout between the Canon HV20, Sony HC7, Panasonic SD1, and JVC HD7:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/conten...Sony-HDR-HC7-Panasonic-HDC-SD1-JVC-GZ-HD7.htm
It gives the edge to the Cannon, it's a good and thorough review for those looking at these cameras.
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/conten...Sony-HDR-HC7-Panasonic-HDC-SD1-JVC-GZ-HD7.htm
It gives the edge to the Cannon, it's a good and thorough review for those looking at these cameras.