which camera to buy

[Anonymous]

I’m looking to get my first camera to make my independent and I’m thinking of the XL2.

Is that a good choice

[Rob]

yea, that’s a nice camera. dont forget to buy mics and lights.

[Anonymous]

The main reason I’m thinking of the XL2 is the lens which I can change. If I go with the HD I can’t change the lens.

[Rob]

What makes you think if you go with HD you can’t change the lens. They make HD cameras with interchangeable lenses. And just out ofcuriosity, do you know how to use interchangeable lenses? Just wondering, because some people say they want a camera for that feature but they don’t even understand how lenses work.

[Anonymous]

Yes I do and a camera in HD withinterchangeable lenses would cost 3 times as much.

[EarlC]

Unless you already have a market/client base stretching the sideline ropes for your multi-lens acquisition capabilities, the enormous investment required for those extra babies might far outweight any practical considerations other than joining the ranks of “he who has the most toys wins.”

Somebody just getting into some kind of production environment, be it wedding, event and low-grade commercial work, is looking at putting out some major capital investment dollars better spent in establishing a solid HD production base.

Without the experience, contacts and/or existing high production client base, nobody on these boards is going to go mainstream Hollywood, New York, Miami or Dallas upon opening the box and taking out their new interchangable lens camera – especially if it is a SD format.

[Anonymous]

I’m looking to do a small independent film. If I go HD I need a lot more than just the camera if I want to do HD the right way.

Not including a Kona card, capturing into a firestorm or some sort of exterior hard drive. Not to mention the CPU I would need to edit in real time. I believe I can make a good independent today in SD. I’m not falling for the HD hype just yet.

[EarlC]

Good luck with your strategy. I’m not so much trying to hype HD as I am trying to point out that is, like it or not, where the industry is going (video-wise) and soon enough that investing the kind of money an XL2 with all those nice, expensive interchangeable lenses will be a bad investment.

You use the term “independent” leading me to interpret that as you want to plan, script, locate, hire professional or use amateur actors, hire sound, lighting grips, edit (on something – sure hope it is a system that will offer you some degree of professional editing capabilities), color correct, then seek/find a distributor – someone who will get your indy further processed, converted to film or a forum the digital houses will accept – and maybe even get it shown at one of the Sundance type affairs somewhere.

What you are looking at, like it or not, are some of the many elements that the current outlay of HD format prodution cameras will make more readily available to you beyond SD. I am sure you are aware that there are a LOT of things that are going to have to be purchased, borrowed or otherwise obtained if you intend to do anythine more than simply have a fun shoot, play around with putting your “independent” together, then pull it out occasionally for a pizza and beer party.

Yeah, a hard working carpenter can still build a house with a handsaw and a hammer, but who would want to.

[Rob]

I’m glad to hear you’re not falling for the HD hype yet. You seem to have the right mindset: It’s what you can do, not what you can buy.

[Anonymous]

Which camera do you use?

[Rob]

I use the Sony PD170. Nice camera.

[Author]

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