Upgrading from gs320. What's my best option.

[AlpineSteez]

Hey guys, I'm 16 and I film snowboarding and some skateboarding. I currently have a panasonic gs320 which is a little 3ccd consumer miniDV camcorder. I want to step my videography up to the next level. I've been looking at the Panasonic DVX100b. It's been used by many professional snowboard film companies. The colors achievable though the various scene files on this camera are amazing. This camera is standard definition. A few people have been telling me it would be silly to get a SD camera when everyone is going HD. The thing is.....I'm not going to be burning to Bluray discs and I do like achieving a nice film look which the DVX is know for. What camera do you guys recommend? As of right now I'm not selling the movies I make.

Here are some movie's I've made with my gs320.

Teaser for movie (all gs320 except for the last 5 shots which were on a digital camera): http://s9.video.blip.tv/1290003080768/AlpineSteez-NewTeaserForMovie625.mov

Backyard session with icerink snow:
http://s3.video.blip.tv/1560003684422/AlpineSteez-BackyardIcerinkSnowday142.mov

[Duke]

It would seem you already know this but with portability being your prime requirement, with HD being a possible requirement, and then length of recording being important (you don't want to have to go home and unload the footage because you ran out of space.)

I'd go for the HD, BTW. Come February 2009 a bunch of people are going to suddenly upgrade their TVs for the new digital signal requirements. The wide screen TVs will proliferate quickly since the people have to upgrade anyway.

Then it would seem you need tape based, small form factor, like the HV20/30.

Duke

[AlpineSteez]

It would seem you already know this but with portability being your prime requirement, with HD being a possible requirement, and then length of recording being important (you don't want to have to go home and unload the footage because you ran out of space.)

I'd go for the HD, BTW. Come February 2009 a bunch of people are going to suddenly upgrade their TVs for the new digital signal requirements. The wide screen TVs will proliferate quickly since the people have to upgrade anyway.

Then it would seem you need tape based, small form factor, like the HV20/30.

Duke

Actually I don't want a small camera like the Hv20/HV30. They're too tiny for snowboard filming. A prosumer camera is probably better because of the handle, weight, and manual settings. I played with an HV20 and an HV30 in a store and to be honest I hated the feel, manual controls, menues, ect.

[Vinney]

Then you had best buy one of those $3000+ camcorders to film your snowboarding film and hope you don't drop it. Will you be filming while snowboarding or filming others snowboarding? Hope you can find your match...maybe one of those higher end Sony or Canon camcorders.

[Ian-T]

I don't quite understand what you mean by "they are too tiny for snowboard filming?" There are plenty of folks who shot snowboarding with the HV20. Are you planning on riding on a snowboard while filming? I can't imagine so. But if so...then having a larger prosumer cam is more of a disadvantage. And when would you have time to manually set the cam while riding the snowboard? If you are not riding a snowboard while filming (which is more likely) then "any" cam will do. If you are still thinking prosumer.....get an A1.

You say you hated the feel and manual controls of the HV20....well....you must hate the GS320 that you already own. I'm coming from a panasonic GS500 (it's bigger brother) and other than the 500's real focus ring, the manual controls of the HV20 trumps it.

[voodeux]

Your shooting would also benefit from the HV30's 'snow' exposure mode (or just a manual exposure setting in general). The footage you posted has every shade of snow (except a constant white).

[DaFireMedic]

Take a look at Banshee productions stuff:

http://bansheeproductions.ca/

and especially this video:
http://www.bansheeproductions.ca/NayShred_Small.mov

He has posted some nice snowboard videos here. He uses the HV20 and a Sony FX1 I believe.

But yeah, with snowboard videos it pays to be mobile, and combine that with the fact that it is quite easy to destroy a $2500 camcorder (like the DVX100) with a simple fall. I'd look at the HV20 or HV30.

The "film" look that can can be created with the DVX100 is a result of several factors, including 24p (HV20/30 have 24p) and the "Cinegamma" mode, which is similar to the Cinemode on the HV20/30.

[Hunterr]

I understand exactly what he is saying by "it being too tiny", due to the fact that I am a teen who films skate videos, and can agree with you on that. What you really want is a handle. Check out the scorpion (http://camcaddie.com/) made by camcaddie.

But the hv20/30 is definetly the best consumer camera, and with few modifications you can make it prosumer.

-Hunter
-Hunter

[mkat_tdc]

Why would a Panny owner come to the HV20/30 forum and ask us what to buy only to dismiss the cameras looking for prosumer $3k machines?
How do you use the Internet Alpine? I see no sense...
I'm going to go join a forum about 1995 Ford Contours because I have a 2001 Jetta. Then I'm gonna ask them what I should upgrade to. They'll likely say A FORD CONTOUR - but I think I'm looking for an Aston Martin DBS.

[Hunterr]

mkat....he was just saying another choice that he had, in addition to the HV20/30.

Thats like you joining a forum about 1995 Ford Contours because you have a 2001 Jetta. Then you're gonna ask if you should buy the '95 ford, or maybe go for an Aston Martin DBS. Then someone's going to ignorantly tell you off about how you should learn the internet...after a few kind members already explained the tendancy of suggestions in a '95 contour forum. But hes not just going to be rude, no. He's going to be rude and use an analogy.

-Hunter