camera recommendation

[Lor]

I would like a camera suggestion from some of you with more experience making movie(s). I am planning to shoot a project soon, and would like the final product in vhs. Right now I have a Bauer C2. Is this camera adequate? I read that most of you who has shot a feature used Beaulieu or the higher end camera. Do I really need a crystal-sync camera or can it be done with slate, camera and recorder? I would like some tips on this subject and I appreciate your help. If this is not the appropriate place to post, you can email me at [email protected]. Thanks.

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[Cranium]

Well, the crystal sync isn't an absolute MUST, but it does make life easier.
If you're editing i na non-linear editor (on computer) and your camera has a flash-sync socket (which I don't think yours does) then you can record the sync pulses from the camera onto an adjacent track to your dialog (if using, say, a minidisc recorder, dialog on Left track, pulses on right.) Once you capture this stereo file into your computer, you could use a pulse sync resolving software to make it synchronize to your video file. There are a couple that will be "available soon" from people on this very board.


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Mikel Z

[mattias]

if you want to shoot sync sound, your main concern will be camera noise, rather than the sync issue, imho. i have successfully synced up audio to non chrystal synced super 8 and 16mm footage several times, using more or less high tech solutions, and it works. i love my camera (canon 814e), but it's so noisy i can only use it on exteriors if i want the sound to be anywhere near clean enough. would't want to try and make a feature under those conditions. a high end nizo might be your best bet, but i can't really recommend one since my experience with them is limited.

/matt

[Lor]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Sorry, the camera I had is the Bauer CM2 not C2.

Yes, I will be editing using nle.

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[Kurt]

I agree with mattias that the real problem is keeping the camera quiet enough to get acceptable sound.
Regardless of the way you attain sync, this is going to be a problem you have to deal with. Start by getting a quiet camera. The quietest I have seen are the Nizo silent cameras. I have a few here if you're interested. The Nizo sound cameras are very quiet, but they make an annoying click when the run button is released. This is easy to work around though by releasing a few seconds after your dialog has ended. Next, try to build some kind of blimp to dampen the camera even more. Do some testing with different microphones at varying degrees of direction.

Only after getting such a system to work would I invest the money in cystal sync if that's the way you want to go. Of course for music video work it doesn't matter how loud the camera is. I'm just assuming you're talking about sync dialog here.

Kurt
[email protected]

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[Lor]

Yes, I'm just talking about dialog. So what model of Nizo do you have and how much will it go for?

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[Lor]

Anyone recommend the Canon 1014?

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[Cranium]

Here comes Matt P to the podium:



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Mikel Z

[This message has been edited by Cranium (edited February 08, 2002).]

[Nigel]

I have a Beaulieu 4008ZMII that I wouldn't sell or give up. It has never let me down in anyway that wasn't my fault. I do recommend that you pull the filters and use screw-on or matte-box ones instead. Good Luck

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[Scott Spears]

Regarding noisy cameras, I just shot a commercial on Super-8 with a Nikon R10 which was fairly noisy. I wrapped it in a sweater and then cover myself and the camera in a furniture pad. The sound op said this killed most of the camera noise. It's not very comfortable, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Several years back I was shooting a feature on 35mm and had to wear a furniture pad for close to half the film because we were shooting in jail cells. Ever though the camera was quiet, the hard cement walls magnified any camera noise. Plus the sound op was very picky.

Scott

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