Cheapest DSLR

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Kevin_KRW

I am looking for a cheap DSLR that records HD footage. I have found one, which is the Canon EOS 550D/Rebel T2i, but I am not sure if it is the one I want to get. If you have any suggestions, shoot.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
The T2i is awesome. The GH2 is also very much worth looking at. If you like the T2i, the T3i might be very much worth the small bump in price, for the flip-screen, alone.
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Depends how much money I can scoop together by selling my Hauppauge HD PVR (Capture Card) and my current camera. I will buy a external microphone eventually, but I am just going to use the built in microphone for awhile.
 
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Would I be correct to assume you're new to filmmaking? If that's so, in my opinion, it's okay to use the built-in mic in the beginning, only because there's so much to learn that I think it best to take one thing at a time. But you should know that your audio will be horrible this way, and as your skills improve, you'll definitely want to spend some money on audio.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
Would I be correct to assume you're new to filmmaking? If that's so, in my opinion, it's okay to use the built-in mic in the beginning, only because there's so much to learn that I think it best to take one thing at a time. But you should know that your audio will be horrible this way, and as your skills improve, you'll definitely want to spend some money on audio.
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If you read my last post on this topic, you would know that is my plan.
 
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Kevin_KRW said:
Oh, ok. And ya I know what you mean.
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Oh, and it's only cool for your very first short or two. Upon editing your footage, you will immediately realize how crappy the sound is, and you will grow tired of it quickly.

The quick fix is a cheap ($30) mic that will plug directly into your camera. This will only be less-crappy, but still crappy. Less-crappy is better than totally-crappy, though (and, in fact, I won a number of awards in small local festivals using this less-crappy setup). The less-crappy setup will get you by, until you can afford some better gear.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
Oh, and it's only cool for your very first short or two. Upon editing your footage, you will immediately realize how crappy the sound is, and you will grow tired of it quickly.

The quick fix is a cheap ($30) mic that will plug directly into your camera. This will only be less-crappy, but still crappy. Less-crappy is better than totally-crappy, though (and, in fact, I won a number of awards in small local festivals using this less-crappy setup). The less-crappy setup will get you by, until you can afford some better gear.
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Ya, thats my plan. Could you link me to that $30 less-crappy mic?
 
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I don't remember which mic I used. It was an Audio-Technica. Got it for maybe 30 or 40 bucks on ebay. I settled on my particular model by googling reviews.

Your mic will most likely come with a mount. Duct-tape that mount to a broomstick, and you've got your boom-pole. You'll also need a really long extension cable (ebay, as well).

Now, here's the tricky part -- the T2i doesn't have a headphone jack, and monitoring your audio is 100% necessary. Is there a creative way to work around this? Or, is there a super-cheap audio recorder out there?
 
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Cracker Funk said:
I don't remember which mic I used. It was an Audio-Technica. Got it for maybe 30 or 40 bucks on ebay. I settled on my particular model by googling reviews.

Your mic will most likely come with a mount. Duct-tape that mount to a broomstick, and you've got your boom-pole. You'll also need a really long extension cable (ebay, as well).

Now, here's the tricky part -- the T2i doesn't have a headphone jack, and monitoring your audio is 100% necessary. Is there a creative way to work around this? Or, is there a super-cheap audio recorder out there?
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Thanks for the tip, I wonder if there is a way around that monitoring audio problem.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
Now, here's the tricky part -- the T2i doesn't have a headphone jack, and monitoring your audio is 100% necessary. Is there a creative way to work around this? Or, is there a super-cheap audio recorder out there?
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The Zoom H1 is super cheap (£75 or so over here). Only minijack input, but overall will give you sound quality miles ahead of any of the DSLRs.
 
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I vote for the chilipie's suggestion. The H1, with a cheap mic, is probably the best bet for being completely broke. Just remember to save money for something better down the road.
 
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