all-purpose, fairly easy camera?

[CSmitty]

Hey all, new here, and I'm fixing to direct my first full length film this spring. To be honest, I've never filmed anything before, but I've spent my whole life really being that person who thinks out each scene and angle very profoundly, just because I've always been a writer, but writing things on paper isn't my strong point. I feel like I could accomplish more by letting people see exactly what's going on in my head.

Anyway, I'm definatly out to make something that really looks beautiful, and for me, the real issue is finding a great camera that has the special soul I need for my style. I'm not about having the newest camera or the best camera, I really just need to find the cam that does everything, but is also is appropriate for a beginniner. I definatly need audio hookups, a beautiful lens, ect ect, but I can't spend over 500$, or maybe a little higher. Personally, I have this little 'Sony Handycam' video camera with a touch screen, and I like the tone it captures for outside scenes (I'm definatly a 'on location' guy), just, its really basic, with a few adjustable things.

But would a cam like that really work for a film that's intended to look like more than some student film or something? I mean, I'm young, and I'm not trying to get this film in theaters or nothing but....I need a camera that can capture every part of the image beautifully, even things that are a room distance away, and...idk, I just really wish for some pointers on what I should get. Ebay prolly has great deals so...don't be afraid to suggest something professional just....as long as you could prolly find it on ebay for under 600$ !!!

 

[Randy Ericksen]

To quote everybody else. Get something that you can use with an external mic. I have been using a Canon HF10. I like shooting to to SD cards. There are lots of used that fit your budget. As a bonus it has manual controls when you want to use them

 

[CoreyO]

I'd suggest checking out Canon's HV series. You can find a refurbished on for about $500 and it shoots in 1080p. Not a bad start

 

[Dreadylocks]

I love my canon vixia hf200. I think it meets your needs, as well. There is an audio input jack, which is important. And it records in beautiful HD. If you have good lighting, you will have an amazing picture. I don't know much about lenses, but I'm pretty sure the canon's is not changeable, so as long as that's not important to you, then you're all good.

 

[directorik]

There are two things that are VERY important when getting a
camera:

Manual controls for the iris, shutter, focus and white balance.
A microphone input.

There are the cameras I’ve taken out for a test drive that come in
under $1,500.

JVC HM400
This is my favorite of the sub $1,200 cameras. The 1/2.3-inch CMOS
is really nice and it has a 1/8-inch mic jack. Unfortunately that
jack is in an awkward place. Like many recent cameras there is no
viewfinder but I also understand that most people just entering
the field don’t really need one. It doesn’t shoot in 24p which to
many is a deal breaker. Like most HDD cameras this records AVCDH
files which can be unwieldy to edit.

Canon HFS11 and HFS10
While this camera has nice manual controls for some reason there
is no independent control of aperture and shutter speed. It has a
1/8-inch mic jack and a nice lens. The single CMOS is quite large
at 1/2.6-inches. It shoots 60i, 24p and 30p.

Canon HG21
I like that this camera can capture to SDHC cards as well as the
HDD. It shoots in Canon’s 24p Cinema Mode as well as 30p. The
1/3.2 inch CMOS seemed to be very nice in the tests I did. The
joystick controls worked well and I adjusted to it quickly.

Panasonic HS300 and TM300
Excellent manual controls, but the touch screen system is awkward
- maybe really cool for beginners, but for more advanced users
this is a strange way to adjust controls. Both the mic input and
headphone jack are poorly placed. But over all an excellent
camera.

Sony XR520
I guess the touch screen is the new thing. I don’t like it. On
this camera there are no direct control of aperture, shutter speed
or gain. I liked where the mic and headphone jack were placed.

 

[CSmitty]

I think Canon is probably the brand I'm going to go with, prolly the vixia series....so many Canon recommendations!

Things I think I need:
-Mic jack.
-Built in light.
-Shutter speed adjustment
-Cinema Mode (maybe)
-Great focus, depth, and ability to capture everything in a scene.
-Naturally great lens and all that.
-Easy controls
-Really good shake control
-Great 'on location, no special set lighting needed' look

Things I don't really need:
-The camera having its own built in editing software
-Super huge memory
-Super huge battery life
-The camera being brand new
-The camera being shiny and fancy looking
-Super extensive and fancy buttons you'll never press

Idk, like I said, I think I may definatly try Canon out but....its really so hard to choose the exact model (and really, quite a few of the models seem just exactly alike!) I definatly want the best deal and product for what I need and dont need.

What's cool is for my film, there will be quite a few different cams being used, there will be a cheap webcam, a old early 90's VHS video camera, probably a regular home movies digital camera, and hopefully a really beautiful, clear, full of depth quality done by probably the Canon for most of the shots. I'm definatly not trying to get a good camera to cover up bad acting and shooting skills, just, for example, watch any of those Horrorfest or 8 Films To Die For horror movies, and right away everyone's skin tone looks so flat and undimensional. If anything, I CAN'T have that going on in my film!!!!

While I'm chatting with you guys though, anyone wanna hear what the film is about?