Hi dyllengeorge – for less than $1000, here are a few choices for stepping up from your A33.
First is the mirorless $498 Panasonic G6 with the kit lens (only a few are available at this price, marked down from $749 at Adorama via eBay).
Like a camcorder (and your A33 DSLT), it has a viewfinder that keeps working when you're shooting video. Canon and Nikon DSLR viewfinders blank out.
Also like a camcorder (and your A33), it has fast autofocus that works while you're shooting video. Only one DSLR, the $1049 (body-only) Canon 70D, has faster autofocus.
The G6 also has a built-in intervalometer for timelapse, has focus peaking for manual lenses, shoots 1080/60p (something no Canon DSLR or <$1000 Canon camcorder can do) and has wi-fi (plus NFC, if your phone has it) for wireless file transfer and remote control of the camera from your phone or tablet. None of this matter without high quality video, however.
Here is what this camera can do:
Narrative: "I've Got My Fingers Crossed" by Avner Levona
Music video: "A. Belkin – Good Morning Mr. Blues" by Romas
Sports: "Wayward" by Andrew Johnson
Travel: "Riverbanks" by emeric
http://vimeo.com/72107884
More examples at: http://vimeo.com/groups/dmcg6
If you miss the eBay deal, you can still get the camera for a little over $500 on Amazon, as of this post.
Your second choice, if you can spend a few extra dollars, is the G6's big brother, the $898 (body only, on sale) Panasonic GH3 (plus a $39.95 Alpha to Micro 4/3 adapter for your Sony lenses until you decide whether to go with manual lenses or Panasonic system glass). This is a pro grade camera that is being used to shoot feature length motion pictures.
It has a more robust all metal splashproof body, a headphone jack plus a wider choice of codecs and higher quality, high data rate recording options.
Here is what this camera can do:
Narrative: "Genesis" directed by Bruce Logan, ASC and DP'd by Philip Bloom
Music video: "Titanium – Sky" by moonlightsounds
More examples at:
http://vimeo.com/groups/gh3
and
http://vimeo.com/groups/panasonicgh3
The third choice below $1000, if you want the absolute highest image quality, and don't mind dealing with a few ergonomic and workflow challenges (e.g., no viewfinder, almost nonexistent autofocus, short battery life, large RAW files), is the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (with the same adapter for your current lenses). This is the only camera below $1000 that shoots compressed lossless RAW video – which gives you a lot more "filmic" dynamic range than 8 bit DSL cameras and can be aggressively graded during post production to give you the precise "look" you want.
This camera is $995 at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWLSHUK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CWLSHUK&linkCode=as2&tag=videomaker22forum-20
Here is what this camera can do:
Narrative test: "Black Magic Pocket Test Film" by Alec Moore
Music video test: "Very 'Happy' with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera" by Kofa
Marketing test: "The Case" by Paper Crane
Travel: "Maui" by Kaz Kang
Night cityscape: "First raw video from Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera" by Ron Stratton
More examples at: http://vimeo.com/groups/pocketcamera
I hope this isn't too much information, but wanted to give you the three best options in your price range. Hopefully, one of them will meet your needs!
Best of the holidays,
Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution
