Making the switch to video

[ComingApart]

Well. my words have bitten me in the ass... Due to financial constraints, i'm forced to enter the world of video, and being totally clueless I turn here for help. Maybe I can find help ona few questions.
1. Hi8 or MiniDV -is the quality difference worth the cost difference?
2. I've seen a few MiniDV cams for $300 to $500, is there any picture quality differences between these and the $1000-$2000 MiniDV cameras out there? Primarily what is the difference in the cheaper and more expensive cameras? Can good pro looking results be expected with a $350 Mini DV camera?
I know I've dogged video before, but here I am chowing down on a big platter o' crow, hopefully you wont' hold that against me....
and thanks for any help

[miker]

welcome to the ass-end of film, um, I mean video! welcome!

most definitely get a miniDV, as expensive as you can afford, preferably with 3CCD, manual controls and no/few useless extras.

I would imagine that the $350 miniDV cams are single chippers and are specially dumbed down for the consumer

don't forget to get a battery belt, or stock up on batteries

you'll still need to think about sound ...

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N305UDB M173UBM
(B55VOR)
(WGO963W)

[eddie]

Hey, most people on this forum 'shoot' on video..
Still its better to make something rather than nothing...jest make yer story SHINE.

My only advice is use MiniDV, and a very good editing system.

Its obvious, but worth saying: get the expensive equipment you can afford. A 1000 pound camera is bound to be better than a 300 pound camera, but get whatever you can. Go Shoot!

Good luck

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[Ralph Snart]

I am going to go way out on a branch here.

So double check this information and concept before you spend a dime. PLEASE!

Here goes.

There are sublte differences in every type of camera.

For instance:

In older model VHS cameras, to a large extent anything fake looked real and anything real looked fake.

This is different with VHS-C.

Not completely but there is a more crisp quality to the final image.

Also camera price is dependant on fearures.

How many effects does it have, and how many features.

Allow me to cite an example.

A friend got a better deal on a superior high eight camera than I did on my VHS-c camera.

His has complete AV inputs and outputs.
including a mic jack.

Mine does not, only AV out.

On a shoot, his failed for reasons that were not his fault.

But because I knew my equipment I got the shots.

Any more, quality is subjective.

And to give specific advice would be almost like telling a great but as yet unknown painter.

"do not use green."

However, no matter what you decide, just remember that the only pissing contest is in your own mind.

In my distorted opinion this whole thing is about what you can do with you do not have.

in other words do not bitch innovate!!!!!

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[ComingApart]

Thanks everyboy for the responses.
About these single chip VS three chip cameras, how much better is the picture on a 3chip camera as opposed to a single chip???
Once again thanks for any help

[Jim Bird]

Hi,

The 3 CCD cameras produce good colour, plenty of fine detail and clean pictures, with no smudging of colour around the edges.

Red is the colour to lookout for with regards to smudging, it superimposes it's self on the colours next to it giving a edge fuzzy instead of a clean line.

The 3CCD cameras seem to suffer less from this effect.

Jim Bird.



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[Ralph Snart]

Granted lighting and filters and post production can alter the image to just about any effect you want.

But is the red end of the spectrum what causes that supercrisp almost animated look?

Or is it something else?

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[miker]

ralph, you may be referring to the shutter speed -- a higher shutter speed and images don't blur, but you need more light.

normal should be 1/25 second (PAL), but I've seen cameras go up to 1/10000 second giving very crisp images but you need tonnes of light!!

another irritating factor of video is the frames vs fields which serves to confuse those new to video -- although you shoot 25fps, each frame is actually two interlaced fields so I guess you get 50fields-per-second which is why video looks so smooth compared to film.

most modern DV cameras offer 'frame' mode -- it's all I ever use. It simplifies post production too, you know you are getting absolute frames and you don't have to worry about field order. I've never worked out if you lose resolution by working in frame mode but certainly the results are more aesthetically pleasing when compared to fields.

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N305UDB M173UBM
(B55VOR)
(WGO963W)

[Ralph Snart]

Something else to learn.

Oh joy.

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