Broadcast Standard Camera - Prices/Recommendations?

landsleaving

I'll be making a major equipment upgrade in the near future and I'm wondering if anyone can advise on a camera that meets the BBC broadcast standard. I was looking at the PMW-200 http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/index.php?t=product/sony_pmw-200 just because I'm familiar with the EX-3 and it looks similar, but what are my other options? Anything better for around the same price or cheaper? And where should I buy?

It's predominantly for documentaries, probably a few promotional videos too, but I need to be able to carry it around easily.

dacogawa

I know you've probably thought of this but did you think about moving to a DSLR / SLT camera, I've used an EX3 quite a bit so it's a bit of a change but the SLT I'm using now actually seems to outperform the EX3 (it's 50fps 1080p not the EX3's 1080i)

Also there's loads of lenses to choose from & it's much, much easier to carry around, the only thing that will be heavier will be your wallet by a few €1000

Hope this helped

landsleaving

I have a 600D and love it, but I'm thinking in terms of TV broadcast unfortunately, and from asking someone in the industry it's really restrictive, I was told the EX3 wasn't even good enough. Thanks though!

dacogawa

Yeah, even RTE have upped their specifications so they don't except our footage from the EX3 any more but will from the DSLR / SLT

I like the D600 but I think it only does 25fps & RTE/BBC want 50fps progressive

Lots of shows are now using DSLR, 'House' was filmed with a 5D MarkII

All the best in your search!

ScumLord

I don't like the idea of using a DSLR for filming, they're just not designed for that kind of work. As a supplement to a problem camera maybe but not as the main camera.

Rew

dacogawa wrote: »

Lots of shows are now using DSLR, 'House' was filmed with a 5D MarkII

2 episodes were filmed with 5D MKII's, but they are getting lots of comercial use now.

oshead

Is there not a 50Mbp rate minium which would exclude all the first gen hdslrs.

Fionn

the standard probably set a bit high if you compare it to the US for instance where anything thats watchable will get on the screen.

heres the standard for the EU and what the BBC demand;

BBC

EU

New_Flash

dacogawa wrote: »

Yeah, even RTE have upped their specifications so they don't except our footage from the EX3 any more but will from the DSLR / SLT

I like the D600 but I think it only does 25fps & RTE/BBC want 50fps progressive

Are you sure you aren't mixing up your numbers there? I thought that the broadcasters wanted footage to be acquired at 50Mbps minimum bit rate and not 50fps progressive frame rate. Regardless of the frame rate at which it was shot everything delivered to European broadcasters is going to be 1080i 25fps for the foreseeable future so shooting at 50 frames per second seems like overkill unless you're doing some sort of slow motion shooting.

Getting back to the original post, that Sony 200 seems like a good camera. At the Screen Producers Ireland meeting a couple of weeks ago the guys from Mind The Gap films were saying that they have replaced their "B" camera which used to be an EX with the Sony 100 (I think they still hire a 500 for their "A" camera). So if the 100 is acceptable I'd imagine the 200 would be cool too.

faigs

If you need to buy now the 200 is the one to go for if the 500 is out of our price range. I shoot on 500 a good bit, was never a huge fan of the EX1 which the 200 has replaced - you need a decent shoulder mount for doing handheld for a prolonged period, I just find the camera too small. I'm holding out for the EX3 replacement which should have a larger body, although they'll probably wait a year or two until they sell more 500's.

You could also use a Samurai or Nano Flash with an EX if holding out for the EX3 replacement.

It's 50mbps minimum not 50fps by the way.

WiDu

It depends what kind of work you intend doing? Fiction? Documentary?
What are your requirements? What kind of creative control do you need over your equipment to get your desired results.

I recently purchased the Canon XF305, which has been BBC approved on one of their white papers.
BBC is pretty much the industry standard now with a requirement of 50 Mbps and all other stations will fall in with those specifications at some stage.

your needs + your budget = your decision

if you need any more info just ask.

cameramonkey

canon xf 100 will meet BBC requirements. gets very good reviews.

http://philipbloom.net/2011/07/09/video-review-of-the-canon-xa-10-xf100-and-xf105/

landsleaving

Thanks for all the advice, I'm shooting documentary mostly, but do some corporate/music video too. The XF100 looks about right, kind of wondering now should I keep saving the cash for something that shoots 4K though. Any likelihood the standard will take a leap up in the near future?

cameramonkey

landsleaving wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice, I'm shooting documentary mostly, but do some corporate/music video too. The XF100 looks about right, kind of wondering now should I keep saving the cash for something that shoots 4K though. Any likelihood the standard will take a leap up in the near future?

Unless you are going to shoot a high end feature 4k is way beyond what you will use. The post production realities of 4k are also something you would have to get around. How many people in the broadcast, corporate or music promo world in Dublin are going to ask for a 4K shoot and post?

Get the canon xf100 or 105 and do you corporate and broadcast work on that, you can shoot music videos on a DSLR(for that look).

landsleaving

cameramonkey wrote: »

Unless you are going to shoot a high end feature 4k is way beyond what you will use. The post production realities of 4k are also something you would have to get around. How many people in the broadcast, corporate or music promo world in Dublin are going to ask for a 4K shoot and post?

Get the canon xf100 or 105 and do you corporate and broadcast work on that, you can shoot music videos on a DSLR(for that look).

Yeah true enough, just being over cautious wanting to be future proof. Cheers.