Efficient Equipment for Independent Filmmaker with Panasonic DVX 100 or Canon 7D

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cewing98

Currently my production owns a Panasonic DVX 100B camera and is looking to purchase a Canon 7D. As we can afford it, we want to purchase equipment that will become part of our equipment so we won't always have to rent it. We have a limited budget right now but we want to start collecting what we can that is necessary for quality filmmaking, such as our own documentaries. We have one documentary planned that we will start shooting soon.

So question is....what do you recommend as essential equipment that producers should own? If it's a tripod, what would be suggested without breaking the bank? Or what else? I just don't want to waste money on equipment.
 
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Just keep in mind that if you go DSLR you are now going to have to get a separate audio recorder in addition to the usual production audio gear - shotgun mic, hypercardioid mic, boom pole, wind protection, wireless systems, lavs, mixer, etc.
 
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I am looking at going DSLR in the spring myself, and I have priced it out as

Rails $175
Follow Focus with a whip about $200
Tripod (decent one) $400
External monitor (used HD) $400

So about $1200 on top of camera and lenses for the minimum to really be usable.

Then as Alcove mentioned you have sound. I have a sound guy who is my partner so that isn't an issue I have to deal with, but I'd expect to pay about $1000 minimum for a decent mic, pole, and recorder (that's getting the cheapest gear possible that is still good "enough" to do what you need).

So long story short probably about $2500 on top of the camera, not counting lights.
 
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cewing98 said:
Currently my production owns a Panasonic DVX 100B camera and is looking to purchase a Canon 7D.
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Unless you plan to use this camera extensively for still photography, the 7D is a waste of money, in my opinion. Only reason I see to get it over the T2i is for HD monitoring. I haven't gotten a solid confirmation on this yet, but a dude I talked to said the 60D monitors in HD. I'm not quite sure I can trust him as a source, though, cuz it was a brief conversation, and since he was a still photographer, not a filmmaker/videographer, I'm not 100% sure that he really understood what I was talking about. Anyway, if the 60D monitors in HD, I'd say it's a far superior choice over the 7D, if you're a filmmaker, not a photographer.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
Unless you plan to use this camera extensively for still photography, the 7D is a waste of money, in my opinion. Only reason I see to get it over the T2i is for HD monitoring. I haven't gotten a solid confirmation on this yet, but a dude I talked to said the 60D monitors in HD. I'm not quite sure I can trust him as a source, though, cuz it was a brief conversation, and since he was a still photographer, not a filmmaker/videographer, I'm not 100% sure that he really understood what I was talking about. Anyway, if the 60D monitors in HD, I'd say it's a far superior choice over the 7D, if you're a filmmaker, not a photographer.
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For me, I am also a still photographer, so that is my main reason. The others would be build quality (metal over plastic), and the HD monitoring is really a "must have". I have heard that about 60D as well, but can't confirm.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
Unless you plan to use this camera extensively for still photography, the 7D is a waste of money, in my opinion. Only reason I see to get it over the T2i is for HD monitoring. I haven't gotten a solid confirmation on this yet, but a dude I talked to said the 60D monitors in HD. I'm not quite sure I can trust him as a source, though, cuz it was a brief conversation, and since he was a still photographer, not a filmmaker/videographer, I'm not 100% sure that he really understood what I was talking about. Anyway, if the 60D monitors in HD, I'd say it's a far superior choice over the 7D, if you're a filmmaker, not a photographer.
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The 7D is the only Canon DSLR that outputs HD while recording - it has dual DiGIC 4 processors, whereas the 60D only has one.
 
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