Which camcorder to buy?
Hey guys i am new here, i am doing research on which camcorder to buy. i am looking for few things in them. first i will be shotting music videos and fashion related type videos. i want something that has internal memory, i am not to big on tapes. i will be adding dof adapter, external mic, etc. so i need something that can take the weight. lastly my budget is around $1000 maybe little bit more. i don't care if the camera is new model or old as long as its good. Thanks
If you're wanting DOF... then you're best looking into DSLRs. They don't rob light from the camera. You can mix, say, the Canon T2i (which is the cheaper capable DSLR) with an external recording device such as the Zoom H1.
Also, you're not saying if your $1000 is in US, AU or CAD.
Sorry the its $1000 USD
Well, you could go with a refurbed T2i from canon, and still have enough for the Zoom H1 recorder, and some memory cards. I'd say, once you get a little more money... look into adding a mic, and maybe some lenses.
Uhm, DOF is built in in any camera you buy.
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
If you're doing music video, the onboard camera sound is all you need. It's only use is for syncing in post, once that's done you can dump it. So it doesn't matter how it sounds.
If you're doing a live performance, that's a different matter. Ideal set up is to record the sound off the mixer. In both cases a microphone is redundant.
The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.
hmm this is very interesting, until know i was doing research on camcorder like Canon HG10, HG20 and Sony HDR models. I never thought DSLR camera to use as video recording. Ok i will look in to Canon 2Ti. Any other suggestion? Thanks
DOF has come to mean "shallow depth of field" on this forum... and to get that you need a camera with a larger sensor, like a T2i.Originally Posted by cgbier
I would recommend canon t2i, canon hv40, or a canon 60D.
The Somnium - Winner of Antman's Film Contests #9 & Indy Mogul 5mmh #9Snoballs Winner of Indy Mogul 5mmh #27
I differ (I don't even "beg" to differ, I just do. And strongly)!
The term DOF is "mindlessly" tossed around by those who care little about learning even the most basic photography (and video is based on photography and all that goes with it) and have looked only at the "selective focus" aspect of shallow "Depth Of Field", preferring to remain "blissful" in ignorance.
They haven't had to learn any basic photography because most consumer camcorders are primarily used in a "point 'n shoot" mode. I can't count the number of times I've seen the declaration in these forums, "But I don't want to learn photography, I just want to shoot 'great video' (or 'pro looking video')".
DOF is the acronym for "Depth Of Field", whether shallow, deep, or inbetween. A further definition of "Depth Of Field" is "zone of acceptable sharpness". cgbier's statement "DOF is built in in any camera you buy" means that any aperture setting will have it's own "depth of field" or "zone of acceptable sharpness".
Now you and I know this, and many others here know it, but the ones who don't need to understand what they want is not DOF but selective focus. Then they won't appear ignorant by "mindlessly" tossing around a term they obviously do not understand.
Bruce Foreman
I am a reforming videomaking addict
Whether you like it or not, I stand by my "has come to mean" - it is a fact that the term DOF is used wrongly by both n00bs and by experienced users too; like this: "I'm going to get a DOF for my HV camera"...
But, we'll do what we can to educate "them"...
Agreed Bruce... I guess when I recommended the t2i, for "DOF". I should have said "better control of the DOF".
With a little bit help from a friend, you can also achieve some reasonable shallow depth of field with an HV40. Paper thin though....
"It is dark the other side. Very dark!" - "Oh, shut up and eat your toast!"
Guess canon are the only ones allowed,HV cams but tape are brilliant,T2i are capable of great footage But panas GH2 can take great footage as easily as a camcorder with the advantages the same as DSLRs although it is not one strictly,
Hey i want to thanks everyone who helped me out. I have decide to go with Canon T2i, but i went today to best buy to check one out. I found the manual zoom and zoom out to be bit rough on the actual lens, it that just that lens? or all the canon lens are like that? on the other hand Nikon lens was really smooth. Thanks also if i buy refurb from canon it only has 90 day warranty, its that worth the risk?
So, DOF means only the part that is in focus? and not as many people tend to say by "having a blurred background and a talent in focus" ? That means "shallow DOF" only?
Am i getting it right?
Like who? I'm just curious.
The DSLR lenses aren't meant to be zoomed during a shot, so it really doesn't matter. Besides, you'd need a constant f-stop lens (expensive) for zooming while shooting, anyway. If you're fond of "pumping the zoom", you need a camcorder, not a DSLR...
DOF can mean that everything is in focus, too. DOF can be shallow, or it can be "deep", and anything inbetween.
For all n00bs, and some experienced users, too, I suggest reading this (but you can skip the math) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field
Last edited by Janke; 2011 January 28th at 02:23.
Why do i feel like, concerned, by "some experienced users"?For all n00bs, and some experienced users, too, I suggest reading this (but you can skip the math
The kit lens will seem 'rough' - models differ and primes (new and vintage) and many L series lenses will feel very different to a kit lens focusing and zooming via shoddy plastic cams.
Even an L lens may be unsuitable for video - only those with a fixed f-stop will allow you to zoom while shooting, others will give you step-wise changing exposure.
You can most definitely zoom in and out with the kit lenses so idk what you're talking about... It works perfectly fine.The DSLR lenses aren't meant to be zoomed during a shot, so it really doesn't matter. Besides, you'd need a constant f-stop lens (expensive) for zooming while shooting, anyway. If you're fond of "pumping the zoom", you need a camcorder, not a DSLR...
DOF can mean that everything is in focus, too. DOF can be shallow, or it can be "deep", and anything inbetween.
For all n00bs, and some experienced users, too, I suggest reading this (but you can skip the math
How is it unsuitable?
If you're saying that because you don't like the picture getting brighter or darker during the shot, that doesn't make it unsuitable... You just limit it or correct in post or just not care that much since it's not that big of a deal.
Correction in post - ok! But if you value your time you want a 'constant aperture' zoom - the pricey ones.
E.g. http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Prod...55_f28_IS_USM/
http://dojoklo.wordpress.com/2010/07...erture-lenses/
Well, kind of.
DOF is the acronym for the term "depth of field", which term refers to the "zone of acceptable sharpness".
Not all within that zone is "in focus", the specific point one has focused on is in focus with some area in front of the point of focus and some area behind appearing sharp to some degree. The closer to the plane focused on the sharper it looks, when it no longer appears sharp enough then that point is outside the zone.
Generally the wider the lens aperture the shallower the "zone of acceptable sharpness" will be, the narrower the aperture the deeper this zone will be. And lens focal length and field of view will also affect depth of field. A wider angle lens will appear to render wider areas as sharp while telephoto lenses will tend to exhibit shallower depth of field making focus more critical.
Distance from the lens to the subject also affects depth of field in that the zone of acceptable sharpness seems to get even narrower close up.
And in most cases approximately one third of the zone extends in front of the plane of focus with about two thirds of the zone extending behind that plane.
This is probably more than you really wanted to know about depth of field. To really answer your question...Having a blurred background and a talent in focus does tend to be "shallow DOF" only but the better term to describe that would be "selective focus" which is achieved by using a lens, aperture, and shooting distance that results in "shallow depth of field".
Bruce Foreman
I am a reforming videomaking addict
I think by making the point that the zooming during the shot HAS to stay at the same brightness is absolutely ridiculous. It's a matter of preference/opinion -- brightness changing a little bit does not automatically make footage unusable. Not to mention it's not that time consuming to fix it in post.
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