Help me spend about $200

[nodeal]

OK, so I just got my HV20 in the mail today from B&H along with an included $150 gift card. I’m definitely going to get an extra Canon brand battery, but I can’t decide on what the rest is going towards. With Christmas coming up, I think I can only spend about throw in about a $100 on top of the gift card. That leaves me with a budget of about $200. The problem is that my B&H wish list is up to like a grand already. So, what should I get first?

- External mic?
- Wide angle lens?
- Nice tripod head?
- Camera light?
- Filters?
- Battery charger?
- Other?
- Nothing

I bought the camera primarily to document our new baby which is due in February. After that, I have some aspirations about doing a little interview / documentary about my wife’s grandfather who was a naval officer in WW2, but I’ll have plenty of time between now and then to pick up anything else I might need.

I should probably note that I already have all my cables and a cheesy wal-mart tripod that I use for shooting digital photos.

[threadhanger]

Cineform Neo HDV if you are going to shoot in 24p.

Tripods..i recommend the velbon videomate 607

the hoodman h300 is nice.....esp. if you get the one w/ the magnifier

uv filter for sure.and lens hood...maybe some macro filters or pol. filter or nd filter

charger is a very good idea

minisd card

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Wide angle lens

[vincehax]

Rode Videomic, because sound is half the battle.

[ESTEBEVERDE]

I think the canon wide angle lens is the way to go.

he can then get another $150 to buy a rode video mic with dead cat from Jacksmusic and a flash bracket.

Then he'd be in "bidness"!

[vincehax]

Why a flash bracket?

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Why a flash bracket?

It's best to get the mic away from the tape transport noise.

Boom Pole is ideal.

If not then Fig Rig (DIY is Good)

and finally if you must have it in close proximity to your camera,

Flash Bracket.

Cheap is fine as long as it is stable and comfortable.

[Erik Bien]

Hmm, help you spend a couple hundred ...

You could buy me a bottle of single-malt scotch for Christmas ...