What video camera

Dundalk Daily

Not sure if this is the right place for this.

What semi professional type video camera would you recommend for community TV type project. Footage will be mostly put online. Im not looking for something that will completely blow the bank balance.

reece

How much have you got to spend ? I've a Canon XM2 which does the biz. The picture is excellent. You can pick one up online for about eur1700 but you'd have to buy a shotgun mic for any reasonable sound quality (the built in onboard mic is unusable). The wide angle converter also comes in handy.

Dundalk Daily

Reece what kind of use would you put this camera to, if you dont mind me asking, is it commercial use ? Is everything on it that I would need in terms of connections and ports ? Would it be worth my while buying something like this in the states ?

joeblogg1

Word of warning on buying video camera in the states

It is okay to buy digital cameras there as the format for digital pictures is generally jpg everywhere. However the format for video in Europe is PAL whereas in US it is NTSC so video cameras bought over there are not of great use here (problems with TV playback, DVD player compatability etc I think).

I have a DCR - SR90E Sony hard disk camcorder I bought two months ago. I find it great and it has a hard disk capable of holding hours of footage so no tapes or disks required and the quality is great
It will set you back about a grand:)

Lump

Plus the poor colour reproduction.....

reece

I don't like plugging stores but b & h photo video NY sell the pal version of the camera. I've used it for weddings, my honeymoon video, and a weekly football roundup of an astrofootball team downloadable from the net, and I'm currently working on a surf film ( highlighting the various spots around Ireland which I hope to make available as a dvd/download). The camera itself is broadcast quality. I am however upgrading to the XL2.

Lump

Define "Broadcast Quality"

reece

Lump wrote:

Define "Broadcast Quality"

read the spec.

Lump

I know what the spec says, I just wondered what you thought was broadcast quality. It's safe to say the the lens is far from "Broadcast Quality" and also the method of recording (that of Mini DV) is far from "Broadcast Quality.

John

reece

Excuse my use of quotes -
I concede that it is not a broadcast camera. All reviews I've seen for this product xm2 and gl2 (american version) refer to it as a broad cast quality camera and therefore that's what I base my referral on.

"It's safe to say the the lens is far from 'Broadcast Quality'
No - not 'Far' from

"and also the method of recording (that of Mini DV) is far from "Broadcast Quality"

Mini DV is has been used in documentary film making. If you want to get into the formats used in broadcast tv have a look at Sky news and other news broadcasters regularly broadcast crappy webcam feed plus video phone feed.

Lets refer to original question in the thread -

"What semi professional type video camera would you recommend for community TV type project" and "Im not looking for something that will completely blow the bank balance."

The camera will do an adequate job for the requirements and for the budget.

John/Dundalk daily - if ye like, ye can pm me yer email addresses and I'll put a montage together with some sample footage on a link that ye can download and review,
cheers,
reece

Lump

Ok, describing something as broadcast quality doesn't make it so.

With reference to the lens, a broadcast lens costs about £3,000 is about 5 times as long has a much bigger/better focal length. It's response to different lighting conditions will be much much better.

As far as mini dv is concerned, yes it is used in news. News is excempt from the regular rules of transmission as it is a current affairs programme and fast turn around and of public interest.

The rules for use of mini dv, in the BBC at least, suggest that they are only used when no other camera can be used, for example, hidden camera shows or a show in the alps etc etc....

Indeed it will do for the job requested, I wasn't questioning that. The point I was making is that it isn't broadcast quality.

John