That's it! « Videomaker Community Forums

nobody
Member

I've had it. I don't know what I want- let alone what I need. I have a budget of about $700, and I have found some decent cameras for the price. The only problem is I don't know what I want or even need. I THOUGHT I wanted a high resolution non-touch screen manual focus 3ccd camera- but do I need that for what I will be doing? Will the dcr-trv33 suffice?

I'm not a movie guy. I can't script a movie, cast it, produce it and then edit it all- it's just not me. I prefer to capture real life events. You know- a school event, or a friends band. Maybe even just a road trip or a simple documentary. The bottom line is I want to capture real life and make it interesting to watch again.

I am extremely new at this. I have taken two classes, and one of them wa just an elective at my school. There we used a sony D8 camera and iMovie 3. At the other one, I used a ZR-40 and edited with Final Cut Pro 3. That's a huge difference in editing software as well, but for now I just need to get settled with a camera.

I've tried looking at buyers guides.. they only help when you know what you want. I guess I poisoned myself by looking so hard for the right camera that I can't find it. I have come so close to getting one so many times, but then I back out at the last minute- I have been at this a year, fighting with myself for what I need. Doesn't sound healthy to me- haha.

Anyway, based on what I have written, can someone please please help me here. I don't need specific cameras unless you would like to offer them. I just need to know what will be nessecary for my needs. Remember, I just want to capture real life with a quality camera, and I am just beginning my journey as a videographer. Thank you so much for your input.

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

If you want your production to look good on broadcast TV, you'll be better off with a 3-CCD camcorder. If your final output is DVD, VCD, VHS or the Web, you can certainly get away with a 1-CCD camera. As long as the light is sufficient, you'll be able to get adequate quality with a 1-CCD. If you're just starting out, save the money and go for a good 1-CCD unit. Keep in mind that even the humblest of Mini DV cameras take better pictures than the "pro" cameras that were available just a few years ago.

Things to look out for are (a) try to avoid "bottom-loading" tape mechanisms and (b) make sure the camcorder provides analog INPUT as well as output. Some cheaper camcorders only provide analog outputs.

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

Thanks for that- I know basically everything there is about 2003's line of consumer camcorders though. I know features like 3ccd's vs. 1ccd's, bottom loading vs side loading vs top loading, digital zoom vs optical zoom, .. I could keep going... The point is that I know them so well and I have made up my mind that I should get a really high quality camera. I look at the DCR-TRV38 and say to myself "That's nothing- keep looking..". That is my problem. I need help from someone who is more experienced at this that can tell me what I really need and what I don't. The above post explains all of that. Here are the main camcorders I was looking at..

DCR-TRV33
DCR-TRV38
OPTURA 20
PV-GS70

Those four are the ones that I keep coming back to. I can get them all for under 700, so that is mainly why I am in that range.

I don't like the sony's because of the touch screen, and the 33 because it doesn't have a focus ring.
I don't like the Optura 20 because it has plastic threads for a tripod, and I am sure to wear those out quickly. I also don't like the color quality on it.
I like the GS70, but I'm betting that it is more than what I really need. I wish it had a focus ring, but the 3ccd makes up for it. I don't like its menu button either, because it is hard to reach when holding..

Like I said, I can't make up my mind. I've been battling this for almost a year now, and really need help.

Thanks a bunch.

Posted 8 years ago #
mrvideo
Member

You're burning daylight, Brian. I shoot the same kind of thing you've described - travel, occasional family events, mini-documentaries. I get some paid work too and one of the jobs I'm finishing now involved turning 40 year old film footage and a ton of Hi8 analogue tape from the 90's into a finished piece for a family who wanted to preserve the images for the kids and their kids. What I learned was that HOW you shoot matters far more than what you shoot with. The Hi8 stuff was shot by a guy who took the camera out three times a year. It jiggles, goes out of focus, loses subjects in the gloom of a dim family room, tracks kids in the yard for what seems like days at a time. The important stuff involves shooting from a stable platform, using available light well (reflectors, time-of-day, lights turned on), replacing the on-camera mic as soon as you can afford to (even the Azden SGM-X shotgun at $100US will improve your audio amazingly)and thinking about the edit when you shoot. Never shoot casually unless you want your work to be watched casually, if at all. For example, if you're focused on a mountain lake and after ten seconds decide to pan left, reset when you're done and shoot again but this time pan right. Now you have three possibilities in editing which gives you every chance to match one of the shots (still/pan left/pan right) with whatever comes next. It's about feeding the eye what it expects. If you watch good work critically you'll notice that scene changes don't drag your eyes all over the screen. If I pull your eyes to the left in a clip, the next clip will have its action on the left, because that's where you're looking.
When I recently watched a DVD of my travel stuff I noticed that the main difference between my piece on Portugal, shot in 2001 with my D-8, and more recent stuff from British Columbia, shot on my VX2000 was technique,not image quality. Yes there is a difference in image quality but the average viewer wouldn't think so. But the average viewer is so conditioned to movies and tv that he or she will notice bad production values. Buy one of the cams on your list and start shooting.

David Hurdon

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

If you're thinking this deeply about a camcorder, "beg, borrow or steal", but get up the bucks to buy a top of the line unit like a Sony Vx2000 or VX2100. If you don't, you'll never be truly satisfied with the camcorder you buy. And, you'll be continually distracted by what you 'don't have' or 'can't do'. If you manage to get a VX2000, all these considerations you're stressing about will be eliminated. Can you put a price on peace of mind? I'm not a rich man, but when it comes to creativity, I never lock that aspect of my personality in a budget. I'd look at your situation this way. I have $700 bucks to spend already. Now, what can I do to get the other $1700 to buy the VX2100?

If the passion and desire is there, you'll think of something. I know this, because I 'settled' for a camera to get me started. This only created frustration and an increased desire to get a better one. Once I sacrificed and bought my VX2000, there was no more limitations or compromises for me. Although, the initial investment hurt, (near $3500 back then) I was able to earn my money back within a year - partially because of the uncompromised pro quality of the video the VX2000 delivered. Trying to justify that you don't need it, means to me that you know you need a good camera, but you're trying to persuade yourself to 'settle'. Don't set limitations on yourself. If you really need it, channel your desire - you'll find a way to get it.

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

Brian,

I like David Hurdon's advice.

The reality is that if you have the skills to make great video, you can take ANY camcorder mentioned in this thread and make great video. And you can learn those skills with your eye pressed to nearly ANY camcorder.

So stop worrying.

Actually, I do have some advice for you. Get the smallest form factor camcorder you can afford.

The reason is that when you go somewhere, you'll be MUCH more likely to grab and take a small camcorder along than a larger rig. And the easier it is to take and USE your camcorder, the faster you'll learn to actually use it well.

In any case, stop thinking about it! Get something and get out there and start shooting!

Good luck

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

To tell you the truth, that was some great stuff. I really appreciate that input. On the post about going big to satisfy myself.. well, yes, I would like that, but for what I am going to be doing, I don't think the camcorder would ever pay off for itself. I mean don't get me wrong. Those are great great camcorders. I just think that going that big so soon when I am only beginning to persue this hobby will end up being just a waste of money. I will go with the advice that David Hurdon said and that Bill Davis encouraged. You know, the more that I think about it, the more and more I agree. Like I said in my first post, in a class I took this summer we used a ZR-40. That was a very early model in the ZR series. Thanks to our mentor, our video turned out great. I guess what I will do is stop drooling over the features and just go for what sounds reasonable. If I really like what I do, and I improve at my techniques, then I may step up to a better camera. If I decided that video is not my thing, it will be at no great loss, and the experience will be just the same. I hope to excell in the world of video, and I appreciate your feedback to help me FINALLY get started :o).

Thanks,

Brian

Posted 8 years ago #