Looking for rugged production gear, need advice!!!

[spearhead]

Hello,

I have been holding out to buy a semi-pro camera for a while now. I am starting a travel business leading small group tours to Brazil, and decided now is the time to invest in a camera. I am looking for a camerathat is small yet rugged enough to partake on outdoor activities. I will mostly film during the day and outdoor, perhaps quite a bit of filming in moving vehicles too ( so I imagine I need some sort of image stabilizer). I plan on selling the videos to my customers, as well as uploading them to my website.

I am not sure if I need to look into buying an HD camera, or if I really need a pro-camera (even though I really want one), there may be a consumer camera out there to fulfill my needs? Either way, I have around a $2,000 budget. Any advice on what to get and what accessories to go with it would be great.

I studied production in college, but its been a while. I am really looking forward to going back to it, and possibly making some money too! I really appreciate any advice!

Thanks!

[spearhead]

Hello, I have been holding out to buy a semi-pro camera for a while now. I am starting a travel business leading small group tours to Brazil, and decided now is the time to invest in a camera. I am looking for a camerathat is small yet rugged enough to partake on outdoor activities. I will mostly film during the day and outdoor, perhaps quite a bit of filming in moving vehicles too ( so I imagine I need some sort of image stabilizer). I plan on selling the videos to my customers, as well as uploading them to my website. I am not sure if I need to look into buying an HD camera?

Either way, I have around a $2,000 budget. I could save a bit more if I waited a bit longer to buy one, so if something is absolutely the right fit, but costs more then $2,000 feel free to let me know about it.

I would also like to eventually sell my footage to travel channels, which would mean they would have to be of broadcast quality. Any advice on what to get and what accessories to go with it would be great. I studied production in college, but its been a while. I am really looking forward to going back to it, and possibly making some money too! I really appreciate any advice! Thanks!

[D0n]

consumer grade hd camcorder like sonyhdr sr 12 (I own one they’re nice) if you have the computer power to edit the files that is…

and an underwater housing.

[spearhead]

Thanks I will check into that. I definitely have the power to edit. Got a Macbook pro with final cut pro on it. Wondering if it delivers professional looking video? Afterall, I plan on charging people, and eventually submitting my footage to a travel show.

[D0n]

That’ll be tough on your budget, but the video quality of cameras like the sr12, and canon hv30 are astounding.

Pro level cameras will have better audio capabilities. Good mics will be needed. lighting…maybe… base your descisions on the type of imagery you need….

ENG styled run and gun shooting…… tv production quality…. documentary…

there’s so many descisions…

even the people you hire will matter… there are some guys out there, like me who’ll jump from an airplane, or mount a camera to a 130 hp motorcycle to get a shot… and there are others that have the patience to sit for ten hours, in deplorable circumstances to get a shot…

and others who’ll manage $100’s of thousands of dollars in huge budget, shoots…. you’ll need the right people for the jobs, not just the right equipment…

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