Some help on deciding which camera for filming
Discussion
As the title say I am looking for some advice
I want to make some short video clips for our race team, more of a what happens in and around the pits, we already have go pro's for track footage
I have a budget of about $2000
Need some help/advice on what would be better a DSLR or proper video camera. I have read lots of reviews but am looking for real life advice
I think I have narrowed the choice between the following :
Cannon G30 Video camera
7D or 70D Dslr
The advantage I have with the DSLR is that I already have some pretty decent lenses, but have read that when filmimg the mic will pick up the sound of the focus motor
All advice welcome and needed
Thanks
Many professionals use DSLRs for filming.
Depth of field is often easier to control with a DSLR.
There are significant savings if you need a stills camera.
Digital Filmmaker Magazine - in WHSmith - gives advice.
Some DSLRs have limitations with the length of time they can record.
Autofocus is often slower with DSLRs.
I wanted to record rugby matches. The one that I opted for was the Canon G25. For the price, £680 incl, no DSLR was suitable.
In other words, there is no clear winner. It is a case of your specific requirements.
One thing I would consider is whether there is a requirement for long continuous recordings, as in filming a rugby match. Also, I needed quick and accurate focusing even in poor light. The DSLR does not excel at this.
The Canon G range is rather nice.
Depth of field is often easier to control with a DSLR.
There are significant savings if you need a stills camera.
Digital Filmmaker Magazine - in WHSmith - gives advice.
Some DSLRs have limitations with the length of time they can record.
Autofocus is often slower with DSLRs.
I wanted to record rugby matches. The one that I opted for was the Canon G25. For the price, £680 incl, no DSLR was suitable.
In other words, there is no clear winner. It is a case of your specific requirements.
One thing I would consider is whether there is a requirement for long continuous recordings, as in filming a rugby match. Also, I needed quick and accurate focusing even in poor light. The DSLR does not excel at this.
The Canon G range is rather nice.
ked with it for the whole shot. Been there.Canon SLR (seeing as it sounds you have Canon lenses) or GH3 or 4, and a hotshoe mic.
markmullen said:
Black Magic Pocket Camera, designed for video, rather than a stills camera.
Admittedly I don't know much other than it's micro 4/3 or how good the video functions are, what reason is there to take that over a GH?I'm thinking of taking up videoing - film-making I suppose - more seriously. I write for websites and a bit of video works wonders with visits and links. But what is disappointing is the dearth of advice. There's little in magazines. There are few books, none aimed at the sort of stuff I want to do, and much of the instructional material on Vimeo and YT is of poor quality.
I've got Pinnacle Studio 17 - now that's good stuff for the money. I've only just started using it but it is fun.
If the idea takes off I'll be able to claim for my gear, but I've got to improve the quality of what I do.
I've got Pinnacle Studio 17 - now that's good stuff for the money. I've only just started using it but it is fun.
If the idea takes off I'll be able to claim for my gear, but I've got to improve the quality of what I do.
I don't want to take over this thread, but a few years ago I was walking in Brighton, along a narrow walkway with a view over the Marina harbour. A young couple, 20-year-old girl and a bloke half as old again, were blocking the path of those who wanted to pass while he took a picture of her with a mobile phone against the backdrop of the masts. He wasn’t the quickest of photographers.
Once he’d finished he handed her the phone and they swopped places. She started to faff about with what was, apparently, an unfamiliar device. All this time passers-bye were being held up. She laughed at her own ineptitude when there were comments from the crowd. When she finally finished a tall chap about her age went up to her, and with gestures suggested that they pose together and that he would take a picture.
Despite calls from the crowd everyone at the front stayed where they were. The couple stood together, the tall chap then took his own mobile from his picket, put the one the girl had given to him on the floor, took a photo with his own phone, put it back in his pocket and walked off. There was laughter and a couple of cheers from the crowd.
Oddly enough, it took me a few seconds to realise what had happened. I felt obliged to give the couple a smile as I walked past. It seemed as if they needed cheering up.
Here, though, is a view from the other side.
Me at the Silverstone Classic last weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pirqkygamA
Once he’d finished he handed her the phone and they swopped places. She started to faff about with what was, apparently, an unfamiliar device. All this time passers-bye were being held up. She laughed at her own ineptitude when there were comments from the crowd. When she finally finished a tall chap about her age went up to her, and with gestures suggested that they pose together and that he would take a picture.
Despite calls from the crowd everyone at the front stayed where they were. The couple stood together, the tall chap then took his own mobile from his picket, put the one the girl had given to him on the floor, took a photo with his own phone, put it back in his pocket and walked off. There was laughter and a couple of cheers from the crowd.
Oddly enough, it took me a few seconds to realise what had happened. I felt obliged to give the couple a smile as I walked past. It seemed as if they needed cheering up.
Here, though, is a view from the other side.
Me at the Silverstone Classic last weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pirqkygamA
dele said:
markmullen said:
mizx said:
dmittedly I don't know much other than it's micro 4/3 or how good the video functions are, what reason is there to take that over a GH?
Raw video that can be graded and a big dynamic range. markmullen said:
dele said:
markmullen said:
mizx said:
dmittedly I don't know much other than it's micro 4/3 or how good the video functions are, what reason is there to take that over a GH?
Raw video that can be graded and a big dynamic range. 
markmullen said:
One would assume the OP already had the ancillaries required, a computer, storage, monitors, TV etc.
Agreed. You can grade and balance RAW video in Final Cut Pro - hardly megabucks if you already have the computer.They're great wee things - had a play with one recently. The one note of caution I would give is that you seem to end up having to buy quite a lot of bolt on modular bits to get it performing as you'd like, and it ends up being costly.
ETA - that all being said, I think a 7D and maybe a shoulder mount sounds like a good place to go for the OP's needs. Some nice glass will let you do some cool Grand Prix/Le Mans (as in the films) vintage looking shots and you'll have a good 'motorsports' stills camera to boot.
Edited by Disastrous on Tuesday 5th August 08:46
You could do worse than pick up a 2nd hand Panasonic AF101, it's a 'proper' shaped video camera, so handles better than a DSLR. Micro 4/3rds chip, adaptors are available to allow the use of nice Canon/Nikon glass.
Unfortunately, it won't autofocus or auto iris with the DSLR lenses, but as a serious film maker, you generally don't use automatic functions like this anyway as they look crap
It is capable of generating really nice looking footage. I loaned one of ours to an amateur to shoot a wedding with recently, his unedited footage looked pretty good considering he'd never used a camera of this standard before.
Unfortunately, advice, as someone else asked, isn't available cheaply. You've either got to start with a course of some sort, probably at degree level, or pay someone to teach you. You could, of course, volunteer to assist a professional for free, although for most professionals this is a bit of a hindrance as you get in the way of them doing their job.
I was thinking that offering courses might be a nice little earner, at least, to get people established in the basics of shooting, much of the 'art' comes simply through experience and observation of other people's work.
You're more than welcome to pop in and have a look at our Panasonic and the lenses we use on it, if you're ever in the Staffordshire region, that goes for anyone else too.
Unfortunately, it won't autofocus or auto iris with the DSLR lenses, but as a serious film maker, you generally don't use automatic functions like this anyway as they look crap
It is capable of generating really nice looking footage. I loaned one of ours to an amateur to shoot a wedding with recently, his unedited footage looked pretty good considering he'd never used a camera of this standard before.
Unfortunately, advice, as someone else asked, isn't available cheaply. You've either got to start with a course of some sort, probably at degree level, or pay someone to teach you. You could, of course, volunteer to assist a professional for free, although for most professionals this is a bit of a hindrance as you get in the way of them doing their job.
I was thinking that offering courses might be a nice little earner, at least, to get people established in the basics of shooting, much of the 'art' comes simply through experience and observation of other people's work.
You're more than welcome to pop in and have a look at our Panasonic and the lenses we use on it, if you're ever in the Staffordshire region, that goes for anyone else too.
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