Looking for a Camera, help!

Defjon

Defjon

So, I am looking for a decently good HD Camcorder that meet this criteria:

-200$ or Under
-HD (1080p would be nice but i think i am asking for too much for my budget)
-SD card storage (Or just not those DVD ones)


A Friend of mine recommended this:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Kodak+-...lack/9476532.p?id=1218111855721&skuId=9476532

I am not too sure..

I am most likely going to be shooting action movies. So lots of movement. If anyone could point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it :)
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Dont do it man. its not worth it. i have one of these. here are some of my video for example. there are a couple of problems with this type of camera.

1. No manual controls.
2. Though the size of the video is HD dimensions, The quality is that of a SD camera.
3. The Zi8 has an incredibly narrow field of view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6TLE0Ppteg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA4n2Bb-T-M

Your best bet is to save your money. You can get a used canon HV20 for 400-500 dollars.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I thought so, I am buying a camera at the same time as I am buying my new computer, and i am trying not to break a grand. I like the quality on that camera. The price range kicks me in the bunghole though. I will dwell on that camera, I could just wait a little while longer to purchase the camera.

Thanks! Any more suggestions?

(By the way, the first video you linked... awesome :P)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I will keep that in mind, though I use sony vegas. Last time I used after effects, I was very very confused.

I will save that conversation for another thread in the future!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You can get a Canon Optura 60 or Optura Xi cams used for under $200 on Ebay. They both will give you manual controls and a Mic in.. you will be able to do more w/ those than the Kodak.. you need manual focus at least.












.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Defjon said:
So, I am looking for a decently good HD Camcorder that meet this criteria:

-200$ or Under
-HD (1080p would be nice but i think i am asking for too much for my budget)
-SD card storage (Or just not those DVD ones)
Click to expand...
What this criteria is missing is a mic input. That is more
important than 1080p.

If you don't have a mic input how do you plan on recording
the audio? Do you have the money for an audio recorder?
Have you budgeted for a microphone?

The primary issue with most movies is the quality of the
audio. We have all seen movies that have an amazing 1080p
picture and terrible sound. Compare that to a well lit, well
acted, well written SD movie with excellent sound.

Something to at least consider.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
What this criteria is missing is a mic input. That is more
important than 1080p.

If you don't have a mic input how do you plan on recording
the audio? Do you have the money for an audio recorder?
Have you budgeted for a microphone?

The primary issue with most movies is the quality of the
audio. We have all seen movies that have an amazing 1080p
picture and terrible sound. Compare that to a well lit, well
acted, well written SD movie with excellent sound.

Something to at least consider.
Click to expand...

this is so true.... i can not add to this although i must say i have a kodak zi8 and i like it but doesnt work with sony vegas because of the mov format i have yet to try it with final cut and this does have a mic in jack
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
What this criteria is missing is a mic input. That is more
important than 1080p.

If you don't have a mic input how do you plan on recording
the audio? Do you have the money for an audio recorder?
Have you budgeted for a microphone?
.
Click to expand...

Pow! Slap in the face!

I did not think about that... honestly I thought a cam would record audio. How much am I looking at for a mic? Is it a certain kind of mic, or is it just any mic?

One day here and I am already learning so many new things :P
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm not calling you stupid. Everybody wants HD, and this being your first camera for filmmaking, how would you know any better?

That disclaimer aside, HD in this price range, for the purpose of filmmaking, is stupid. It's pointless. You lose so many other things.

For your price-range, I strongly recommend used mini-DV. You can get one on ebay for a couple hundred bucks. In order to edit mini-DV, you'll only need to spend $600 bucks, or so. And that leaves you a couple hundred to get a cheap mic, and a tripod, and maybe even a few lights for a DIY light kit. This will be plenty good for a starter-kit. It's gonna take some time for you to get really good at this craft; you can step up to better equipment later.

For used mini-DV, the following items are pretty much must-have:

Manual Focus (and a focus-ring is great, if you can find one)
Manual Exposure
Manual White-balance
External audio input

Good luck!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
As already stated, don't obsess about 1080p...especially when you're losing such simple control that other cameras would have.

I think spending $200 on an HD 1080 camera is ludicrous...especially when you're serious about making legit films. If you want to goof around and learn basic concepts with this camera (like an hd flip cam), go for it...but understand that you're just going to have to spend money in other areas to make up for the lack in the camera.

I say start off with at least a $600 hd cam...one with XLR inputs...then get a boom mic and pole (around $400 to start), and learn how to shoot and capture great audio.

I'm not trying to be an elitist...trust me, these numbers are way too low to even go there, but if you want to capture a good picture, with good audio...you should be investing at least a thousand dollars into your production company...and that is just bare bare bones. Trust me, a thousand dollars is nothing...I would prefer shoot the starting number up to 2k...but you can at least get going on 1k. Learning the craft for under a thousand is OK...but if you're serious about making pictures that people take seriously, as well as allowing yourself to work with equipment that will better you (not hinder), you'll have to have a general investment...

But again...if you don't even know if film is what you want to do...and you want to learn the basics...then go ahead and get a flip cam, shoot a film as it should be shot, and learn to edit and shoot to edit. If you fall in love with the craft, then you can beef up your gear. However, on a side note, it may be harder to fall in love with the craft of filmmaking when you're constantly fighting your equipment to get anything professional looking or sounding. Don't get me wrong, we all fight our equipment...every piece has a limitation or problem...but when your working under $500 for a camera, you'll run into a lot more issues...which can tend to quickly unglamour the art of filmmaking.

Good luck.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Defjon said:
Pow! Slap in the face!

I did not think about that... honestly I thought a cam would record audio. How much am I looking at for a mic? Is it a certain kind of mic, or is it just any mic?
Click to expand...
The camera's mic will record audio. The issue is the on camera
mic is next to the camera which is not close to the actors. In
order to hear them you need to raise the volume - that means
the mic will pick up everything. This is called the signal-to-noise
ratio. You want a strong signal (the actors speaking) and no noise
(everything else). In order to do that you will need to get the
mic close to the actors.

So you need a shotgun mic and a boom pole. At your level you
don't need top of the line - you can't afford top of the line - so any
shotgun mic you can afford will be better than the on camera mic.

Defjon said:
One day here and I am already learning so many new things :P
Click to expand...
And you will continue learning new things. I know I still do.

On your introduction post you said you weren't completely a "noob"
- well, you are. And I don't mean that in a negative way. You're 16.
You will learn so much in the next ten years that you will look back
on your 16 year old self and realize you were "completely a noob".
So enjoy your "noob" status. Don't for a moment believe you aren't
completely a "noob" and soak it ALL in.

Now you need to start thinking about lighting. The camera will pick
up an image - many of them even in low light - but in order to get a
good image you need to learn how to use light well. A "low light"
camera is great for birthday parties and catching your friends doing
stupid things, but not good for making a short film that others will
enjoy watching.

Think as much about sound and lighting as you do about the camera
and you are many steps above a complete "noob". You will be amazed
at what your movies will look like with good audio and good lighting even
with a $200 camera.

But it takes a lot of work.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Oh boy! I thought I had a basic grasp on this art, but boy was I wrong. I understand that I have a lot to learn. And I am willing to learn it all. For now I will probably purchase some cheap camera and have fun with that.

But I am really going to have to save up money.

I am very glad I joined this forum. You guys are all amazing help!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Defjon said:
Oh boy! I thought I had a basic grasp on this art, but boy was I wrong.
Click to expand...
You have learned the most valuable lesson.

I'm old enough to be your dad, I have been earning my sole living
in this business since before you were born and I still do not think
I have a basic grasp on movie making. Every time I think I get it
i learn something new from someone with more experience or just
different experience.

The moment I put aside the idea that I had a basic grasp I began to
really learn. And I learn more every day. Nice that you can learn
that now. It took me longer and it slowed me down.

I own some really top of the line equipment and I know people who
own what I don't so the equipment end isn't an issue for me. You
know what I still have trouble with? Scheduling people around their
schedules, getting the money together to pay for food for the cast
and crew working for free, finding the right actors and writing a script
that is really worth making.

The camera is the least of your worries. If you can write the right
script, find the right actors and schedule a small crew for two days
of shooting, you can make a good movie with a Flip camera.

I saw an excellent short made with the iPhone at a festival in November.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
The camera is the least of your worries. If you can write the right
script, find the right actors and schedule a small crew for two days
of shooting, you can make a good movie with a Flip camera.

I saw an excellent short made with the iPhone at a festival in November.
Click to expand...


I agree with you. I think a good script is the main part of a movie.. and find the right crew!! that's a toughest job for indie filmmaker..

I don't know which film you were talking about but I saw this one couple of months back..this film made with iPhone 4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6amrKRmI1bI
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
The camera is the least of your worries. If you can write the right
script, find the right actors and schedule a small crew for two days
of shooting, you can make a good movie with a Flip camera.

I saw an excellent short made with the iPhone at a festival in November.
Click to expand...


right now my "crew" and "actors" are a few of close friends who just have fun acting and helping me out with small flicks for the payoff of seeing what it looks like in the end. Even though the work is crappy and I am too embarrassed to even post on the internet, they get a major kick out of it.

I guess I don't need the fancy equipment yet! I will learn the fundamentals first.. filming, editing, lighting, effects ect. Then I will take the bigger step.

Thanks a lot, you are a respectable advisor.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top