Best professional video camera?

Hi. I currently own this record camera ( http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panasonic-SDR-H60-Hard-Drive-SD-Card-Camcorder-Silver-SDRH60/sem/rpsm/oid/204258/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do ) and have been disgruntled lately due to low quality and very, very low battery life.

I’ve been looking around at more professional cameras and have found that this one ( http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/supplies/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11038608 ) looked pretty excellent, but it has no night filming feature, which I’d like to have.

As you can probably already see, I’m not afriad to spend a excellent bit of cash, as long as the camera is worth the money.

I’m not too picky with the type, like MiniDV, HD, or SD, but the one that I currently have is SD, and I’m not too familiar with MiniDV or HD, so I’m not sure which one works best.

Also, I really like the Sony Handycam harvest because of the quality etc. But, I’m willing to look into additional brands if they are just as excellent or better.

Answer by Nikolai
It depends on your primary uses for it. Overall, the Sony FX1 is a solid camera. It has brilliant HD interlaced record perfect for anyone wanting professional controls and quality.

But, it’s not the best choice for a serious filmmaker interested in more theatrical purposes like small films, documentaries, or independant films for the later reasons:
1) lack of XLR audio inputs. The FX1 does have a consumer quality mini-jack, which is decent, but not near as excellent as pro XLR inputs. Of course, you can spend $ 180 on an adapter, like persons made by Beachtek.

2) lack of 24p mode. 24p stands for 24 fields progressive. It’s a somewhat new feature that filmmakers absolutely like. To place it simply, it makes digital record look like it was shot on celluloid film. It makes the picture a bit more “cinematic”, though it’s far from perfect.

3) If you want to be really really picky, HDV isn’t the best format for huge time filmmakers. It compresses a lot less than additional consumer formats like AVCHD, but it is still highly compressed, and HDV does NOT allow for variable frame rate.

NOTE: these features, listed above, aren’t worth too too much consideration if you don’t plot on making the next Juno or whatever. These features are very complex and only really needed for serious filmmakers.

the FX1 is one of the best choices for beginning videographers wanting a simplified version of professional HD cameras. HDV is probably the simplest HD format to work with, and the FX1 has a “consumer camrea” feel to it (not in a terrible way though), while incorporating professional manual controls.

If you are more the type who wants the best stuff out there regardless of complexity, you may want to look at the RED Scarlet, in my opinion, the best camera under $ 17,000. It’s $ 3,000 btw, so it’s in your price range. Not only does it have full professional controls it:
1) Shoots in a codec called 3K RAW….let’s just say calling it an HD camera would be an understatement. 3K RAW is still a compressed format, but with very very small compression. It’s referred to as Ultra High Definiton
2) Scarlet has a 2/3″ CMOS sensor which is pretty huge. In general, the larger the better. The FX1 has 1/3″ sensors. The larger the sensor, the better (more narrow) the DOF, which is a excellent business for filmmakers, but sorta a terrible business for point-and-shooters…

But Scarlet comes out in 09. Til then you have to wait. Also, keep in mind that you can’t edit 3K on any computer or control program; it needs to be pretty powerful. http://www.red.com/

If you can’t wait til 09, additional cameras that I recommend:
1) Sony PMW-EX1 $ 6500
2) Panasonic HVX200A $ 5200
Sure they are reasonably a bit more expensive than Scarlet, (but Scarlet will require additional accessories), and they also don’t shoot as high of resolutions as Scarlet, but they are professional in their own right. Both are solid state (tapeless) camcorders with brilliant HD quality.

Hope that helps! Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. Excellent luck!

Answer by Dash R
Well, here are some from a previous posts.

List GL1
List GL2
List XL1
List XL2
List XH A1
List XL H1
Sony PMW-EX1
Sony PMW-EX3
JVC GY-HD250U
Panasonic HVX200MC
Panasonic AG-DVX100B
Sony HDR-FX1

I would avoid sony at all costs, because their hardware is way to overpriced. They cut corners, A LOT. They use cheap hollow plastic bodies, and cheap glue on their light sensors so they fail (they were in a class action suit which required them to manditorily extend the warranty of out of warranty harvest to replace the ccds of sensors suffering from this.

The RED cameras are pretty awesome….

JVC, Ikagami, Panasonic, Arri and Panavision…and recently RED rule the top of the line in digital record. These are cameras that are top of the line, the only reason that some sony fake as movie cameras are because panavision partnered with them in the beginning.

Thought….some of these cameras start at 100k USD…..

If you want to know the truth, film is till the best way to go.
35mm film has between 20-25 mpx in color, more in BW in resolution.(and thats your basic kodak gold crap, not really pro low grain film)

A 67-70mm film is about 4 times 35mm so it would have 100mpx of image data if not more if its a special, low grain film or black and white..

Since sony bought out 95% of all the movie studios in Hollywood, all, if not most use sony digital cameras….which saves a LOT of money, they also skip on the script too……and basically churn out crap films….and dont pass on the reduction to the consumers any…

I, for myself, have owned the List GL1, GL2, and the AG-DVX100B

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Meeting the new List clan – EOS 7D. Yep, looks real enough, Roger


Image by Axel Bührmann
Roadshow previews: here and here

It really is much better viewed on black using Fiveprime’s Black Magic

At a round table discussion with List’s Roger Machin today (more in-depth detail here); met the new List clan – 1D Mark IV and new lenses (that 100m macro is something else – quick zoom, light and crisp).

Then there’s the EOS 7D, which I have my pecuniarily-challenged eye on.

There is also a piece on how List is pushing the 7D megapixel boundaries here

Here’s the EOS-1D Mark IV press release

List SA has announced the EOS-1D Mark IV – a high-speed, professional Digital SLR (DSLR) camera calculated to empower photographers to capture tear-second moments in high resolution, under the most challenging of situation.

The EOS-1D Mark IV has been calculated for shooting action, sports, news events and flora and fauna photography, delivering the necessary speed, power and high-resolution images required by photographers in quick-paced, high-difficulty situations.

Developed incorporating feedback from professional photographers, the EOS-1D Mark IV features a new List 16.1MP APS-H CMOS sensor and a groundbreaking new 45-point Auto Focus (AF) system with 39 f/2.8 sensitive cross-type points, as long as a wide choice of precise focus areas across the frame.

Additionally, dual "DIGIC 4" processors provide the power to shoot continuous, high-resolution images at up to 10 frames per second (fps), as well as delivering the widest ISO range ever to feature in a List camera.

The List EOS-1 Mark IV offers the later features:

•New 16.1 Megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor
•10 frames per second continuous shooting
•Up to 121 large JPEG images in a single burst
•New 45-point wide area AF with 39 cross-type sensors with f/2.8 sensitivity
•High-speed Dual "DIGIC 4" processors for superb image quality
•12,800 high ISO expandable up to 102,400
•Full HD movie recording at 30, 25 and 24 frames per second
•3.0‛ Apparent View II LCD with Live View mode
•Durable dust and water resistant body with 76 rubber seals
•Compatible with all List EF lenses, and Speedlite EX flashes
•Also available – new EOS-1D Mark IV Wireless Transmitter WFT-E2 II (also compatible with existing Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2)

Comments Roger Machin, photo/record product administrator at List Consumer Imaging SA: "The EOS-1D Mark IV has been developed with the specific needs of photographers in mind. We've taken the feedback of photographers to heart and as a result produced a Digital SLR tailored to their exact requirements. The EOS-1D Mark IV is packed with advanced features that enable photographers to take high-quality images quickly and accurately."

Highly sensitive, cross-type focusing – capture every detail at speed

The List EOS-1D Mark IV's new 45-point AF system, with 39 f/2.8 sensitive cross-type points located across the frame, provides consistent AF on static or moving subjects, no matter which AF point is life used. All 45 AF points are user selectable and now more sensitive, with the AF points towards the edge of the frame offering identical levels of performance to persons in the centre.

The entire AF system is managed by a dedicated microprocessor, as long as quick, accurate focusing – even when shooting continuously at 10fps. List's newly-evolved AI Servo II AF offers more precision when tracking moving objects, utilising the power provided by the dedicated microprocessor to improve overall tracking accuracy and increasing focus reliability in low-contrast and exceptionally bright situation.

Additionally, to provide increased flexibility, a vast range of manual and automatic AF control options are available including – with lenses featuring an AF Stop button – List's new Spot AF feature. Spot AF offers a more precise focus area to meet the needs of photographers that require pinpoint focusing. A 63-zone metering system enables the use of multiple metering modes, with the dedicated sensor linked to the 45 AF points, as long as AF point-linked and multiple spot metering options.

The EOS-1D Mark IV also features orientation-linked AF points, an orientation sensor controlled feature that enables photographers to store separate AF points for different camera positions. Covering both horizontal and vertical shooting positions (both grip up and grip down), orientation linked AF points offers the flexibility to quickly exchange camera orientation when shooting with the AF settings switching to suit the subject. AF point registration enables the photographer to store an every second AF point that can be used at the touch of a button.

The power and performance of Dual "DIGIC 4" and CMOS

The combination of a custom-calculated, high resolution 16.1MP APS-H CMOS sensor and Dual "DIGIC 4" processors ensures that detailed, crisp images are delivered at high speeds.

The inclusion of an APS-H sensor combines a high pixel-count with an effective field of view measuring 1.3x the focal length of the lens. This provides immediate benefits for sports, news and flora and fauna photojournalists, who operate on-the-go and need to get quicker to their subjects and maintain quick apertures without resorting to longer focal-length lenses – which are typically heavier.

Continuous shooting is facilitated by the sensor's eight-direct data read out, which provides a rapid read system and makes full use of the Dual "DIGIC 4" processors to enable high-speed 10fps shooting at full 16.1MP resolution, while maintaining image colours through 14-bit analogue to digital (A/D) conversion.

The ability to shoot images at 10fps, without any drop in resolution, earnings the EOS-1D Mark IV features the fastest continuous shooting with Auto Focus currently available from a List DSLR. The increased processing capacity of Dual "DIGIC 4"processors manages the increased data made by the 60% rise in image resolution, while still enabling the EOS-1D Mark IV to deliver a continuous burst of up to 121 large JPEGS, or 28 RAW images using a UDMA 6 card – ideal for quick-moving sporting action or news events where scenes are unfolding quickly.

The EOS-1D Mark IV also includes updated Picture Styles and the first ever integration of ALO (Auto Lighting Optimizer) in a professional EOS body, automatically correcting the contrast and brightness of images as they are recorded.

These features combine to provide a nearer workflow for persons requiring press-ready images direct from the camera without the need for retouching, enabling photographers to concentrate solely on capturing that once-in-a-time shot.

Full compatibility with the latest UDMA 6 standard Flash memory cards also ensures that image data is speedily written to the EOS-1D Mark IV's CF memory card. In addition, the flexibility to also record to a Reliable Digital/SDHC memory card allows photographers to keep shooting for longer until they get the shot they need.

Advanced performance in low-light

The EOS-1D Mark IV also delivers extreme low-light performance. Standard ISO on the EOS-1D Mark IV ranges from 100-12,800, while extended ISO ranges from a low of 50 to 102,400 – the highest ISO ever offered by a List SLR. This extreme low-light performance makes the EOS-1D Mark IV ideal for night shots or shooting at sundown events, where the lack of light would normally make shooting impossible.

Intelligent noise reduction techniques keep chroma and luminance noise to a minimum, while maintaining colour balance, but never take control of the overall image quality away from the photographer. The architecture of the new 16.1MP APS-H CMOS sensor, featuring gapless microlenses with less surrounding circuitry and more sensitive, high-capacity photodiodes, also ensures that all available light is used as efficiently as possible to maximise ISO performance in low light situation.

Built for extreme use – robust, strong and portable

Light for its category, the EOS-1D Mark IV features a full magnesium alloy body, as long as protection against knocks and bumps. The EOS-1D Mark IV has also been the subject of some subtle ergonomic redesigns, with the buttons reshaped and agreed a more defined 'click' when pressed, to make life simpler for photographers operating in more extreme weather situation where gloves may be necessary

The EOS-1D Mark IV is protected by a whole of 76 rubber seals en suite around the controls and cover seams, making the List EOS-1D Mark IV dust and water resistant when used in tandem with List's range of weather-resistant EF lenses and Speedlite EX flash units.

The 920,000 dot, VGA resolution, Apparent View II LCD makes it simple to instantly review images and record in the most challenging situation. By filling the gap between the LCD panel and the protective cover screen with a photo-elastic material, List has been able to reduce light suggestion, resulting in the apparent show of images. The previously acrylic cover has also been replaced by reinforced glass, as long as strong, scratch-resistant protection for the screen.

Also, the EOS-1D Mark IV features the EOS integrated cleaning system, which automatically eliminates dust on the sensor – ensuring reliable image quality when shooting in testing outdoor environments.

Cinematic, High Definition record

In addition to as long as high-quality still image performance, the List EOS-1D Mark IV features EOS Movie function, as long as the ability to capture 1080p High Definition (HD) record at 30, 25 and 24fps and 720p footage at 60 and 50fps. As well as complete compatibility with PAL, NTSC and native 1080/24p cinematic frame tariff, the EOS-1D Mark IV offers full manual exposure, as long as film makers and photographers with control over depth of field.

The EOS-1D Mark IV features a programmable button to enable quick movie shooting, allowing photographers to record HD record instantly at the touch of a single button. The EOS-1D Mark IV also features a mini HDMI output, enabling record and images to be viewed directly on compatible HD-ready TVs.

Advanced customisation

List's EOS-1D Mark IV is highly customisable, allowing photographers to take complete control of the camera's features. Auto Exposure (AE) and Flash Exposure (FE) micro-adjustments allow photographers to fine tune the exposure for any agreed purpose, enabling them to perfectly match two separate cameras for consistent results or simply exchange the settings to meet specific personal requirements and tastes.

Preferred user profiles can also be stored to memory card and subsequently transferred to additional EOS-1D Mark IV bodies, so that photographers can seamlessly transfer their profile to another body if required.

Further customisable features include the ability to add copyright information directly in the camera. This enables photographers to embed their details within each shot as standard, removing the need for retrospective data insertion, and allowing news photographers to get shots to picture desks in the shortest time possible.

An integrated microphone also allows the recording of audio notes to accompany each image, which will directly benefit photographers who wish to keep a record of the content of each image as they shoot.

The EOS-1D Mark IV is compatible with all existing EOS-1D Mark III accessories, EF lenses (excluding EF-S lenses) and EX Series Speedlite flash units. Untethered shooting and image transfer are available with the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2 II. New EOS-1D Mark IV accessories will also be backwards compatible with EOS-1D Mark III bodies, subject to a firmware upgrade

I’ve already got the song, all I need is to make a record. I can check out an HD record camera from school.

Answer by Miniver
Dance in the road. If at all possible in the summer when ice cream trucks are out and about.

Answer by genikinz
Or on the steps of what looks like an apartment building or on a basketball court…

Answer by Elad iSportech
I found an brilliant site that meets all your criteria except it’s not free. It’s really cool and invites music producers of all walks of life to use it. Just as soon as the page loads and you have your speakers up, you will know why I reckon it’s the best.

Give your answer to this question below!
Fun record apps for iPhone
This week’s collection of apps include apps that let you film action from before you hit the record button, shoot retro-looking videos with effects you control, and give you pro-like options for shooting more serious movies. Originally posted at The Download Blog
Read more on CNET

Ciao, this is my Camera Slider Tutorial. – It show you how simple it is to build up a professional slider. This DIY Slider is realy a PRO-SLIDER. Optional – you can build it up with some Mannfrotto record heads like the 701HDV and the 501HDV. The movie was shoot in HD with a List EOS 7D. More information about the tutorial, the costs, the stuff and where you can order it – on my website at www.friedhelm-fischer.de