Need help with $5,000-10,000 budget

[PSProductions]

I'm starting professional videography services, as well as a production company that seeks to expand into a collective of creative individuals working with this company to create beautiful work.

Pierian Spring Productions - PS Productions for short. Website, business cards, marketing, and equipment, soon to come.

Anyhow, I need to pick the brain of established professionals and creative production enthusiasts.

I need to decide on

CAMERA
AUDIO
LIGHTING
TRIPOD
Accessories; media, batteries, lens adapters, external monitors, other extras, etc


I want a tapeless work-flow even though the current generation camcorders and DSLRs are still a developing technology, I want to order everything in the next 2-3 weeks, though I hear there are some nice new camcorders coming out in September with interchangable lens, etc. I researched the Panasonic HVX-200, which is very tempting, but the expense of the P2 cards makes it less desirable. After coming to some conclusions on getting a SD-card based shooting camcorders I found alot of info about the Canon HDSLRs, 5D MKII, etc. and someone I was working with who owns it said the HD quality is better then most camcorders twice the price or more !

Benefits as I see them with the 5D are DSLR flexibility, accessories, lens, etc. + amazing low-light large HD sensor. Cons seem to the compressed format which is good but still not perfect, and the fact that external audio / lcd viewer equipment is needed to create more flexible and high quality productions.

If all goes well I will be able to get a new camera/equipment in 2-4 years from now, but NOW i need to decide what $2-5K camera/camcorder to get to hold me out till the future gen cameras.

I'm torn right now from deciding to go with the flexible HDSLR route, or prosumer camcorder route. It seems HDSLR may be the better bang for the buck at this point. But I do like the out of the box film-look/cinematic features of the 24P prosumer cams, and so forth.

I haven't looked much into Tripods, lighting, or audio gear yet, so any help with that would be greatly appreciated. If I get the 5D I suppose I wouldn't need much in the way of lighting to boot, since it has such exceptional light performance.

 

[Alcove Audio]

AUDIO

Rode NTG-3 Shotgun Mic (w/boompole, softie, shock-mount) - $900
Audio Technica AT4053b Hyper-cardioid Condenser Mic - $600
Tascam HD-P2 Digital Audio Recorder (w/case) - $750
Sony MDR-7506 Headphones - $100
Two (2) 30' XLR Cables - $100
Misc. - $100

This would be a very nice low/mid budget indie sound kit for around $2,500.

However, my suggestion would be to hire a professional sound mixer/boom-op. Since that is all they do you won't have to worry about the technical aspects of sound, you won't have to learn how to use the sound gear, you won't have to maintain it and, best of all, if you listen to their advice you will get great sound.

 

[PSProductions]

Thank you for your input. Will have to see how serious I want to get about sound, as budget may allow for acquiring nice equipment but as you said it may be a time-consuming process learning the finer things with the equipment. And it would be hard and far-fetched to assume I would alone operate all the equipment and camera, etc etc. but this is why i will have to collaborate on any larger scale productions that cannot be done by myself.

Can anyone help me decide on the camera dilema?

 

[Zensteve]

professional videography services

HDSLR may be the better bang for the buck at this point.

Good luck shooting videography events with a camera that taps out at 12 minutes.

 

[PSProductions]

Well I had thought of that. But I heard theres about a 3-second delay between new 12 minute clips, seems alright as long as I can deal with break in continuity and time.

I figure I could get HDSLR for documentary/narrative filming and any event filming could get be done by an under $1000 point and shoot camcorder shooting on HDV mini-dv. I guess more thought needs to go into that though, I didn't factor the 12min clip to be a deal-breaker.

Is this something I should seriously be worried about and abandom thoughts of the 5D... i love the idea of it and the price considering its features and capabilities. And the 24P firmwire update I read about seems great. My budget could afford 5D and HDV-tape camcorder, or should i just re-focus my thoughts on the $5000 range prosumer camcorders from Panasonic and Sony.

 

[L.I.F.E.]

I would put a lot or merit in what Alcove tells you about sound. He's the forums resident sound expert. Sound makes up about 50% of filming. Also I'd suggest a little more money into something that can run for longer amounts of time than the DSLR's.

 

[sonnyboo]

If you like the HVX200, then the alternative are the HPX170 (all tapeless very similar camera), plus they have baby brother models that use SDHC cards with the HM40 and HM150, and those do 1080!

 

[PSProductions]

If you like the HVX200, then the alternative are the HPX170 (all tapeless very similar camera), plus they have baby brother models that use SDHC cards with the HM40 and HM150, and those do 1080!

Thanks I've been looking at these models alot and I might just get the HVX200 with Firestone drive.

Is there any reason to not get a larger capacity firestone drive vs. lower capacity P2?

HVX200 with above mentioned audio-gear and a few lights, should yield an amazing range of capabilities !


Anyways I'm taking longer then expected to decide things so I have more time to carefully consider my options.

 

[David.rhsc]

Is there any reason to not get a larger capacity firestone drive vs. lower capacity P2?

The only reason would be logistical. Running a single drive all day, or just downloading once at lunch and once at the end of the day is risky on some shoots. If you have an assistant who can manage downloads while you are shooting, it is safer to swap cards more often and keep the downloads going to ensure that there aren't problems or that a drive (or card) failure doesn't kill half, or worse, all of your day.

If you are rolling solo and need to just roll and roll and roll, then having 2 (3 is better) Firestore to swap when near full is the way to go.

If it were possible I would want both options in my kit.

Edit:

Regarding tripods. Find a used Sachtler or O'Connor head on eBay. Alternatively, a larger Libec also works well with the HVX. Go with one rated for a slightly heavier camera than you are actually using, you'll get smoother moves as a result of the counterweight strength. IIRC a Sachtler Video 30 or Video 20 is good for an HVX. Go with the 30 if you have any plans to use a lens adapter like the Red Rock, Jag, P+S, et al.

 

[Dreadylocks]

If you're not sure what to do with the $10,000, I can sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. With the price of tolls these days, you'll make your money back in a week! Guaranteed!



Sincerely,
-Interim ROC.