Ahhh...cameras!!!!

[piratze]

So i'm finally going to buy a camera (I finally admitted that just ignoring my fil obsession wasn't going to work)..erk.

After spending some investigation time, I think I'm veering towards DV or D8, but I still know not what I need. I'm not really going pro here - this will be my 1st "real" moviemaking experience! (I've worked in super 8mm before, but only on 5min. shorts)

What I really want to know is - are there any specific models you might recommend? Any brands better than others?
Also - I've found a few (mainly sony) cameras without an LCD, would this be super annoying.

Anything would be grrrrrrrreat!

-piratze

[miker]

Try and get a cam with manual overrides, you may not find many on consumer models.

Like, can you believe, no zoom lever on most of today's models!! So no crash zooms for you...

Autofocus today tends to be excellent, since the circuits monitor picture sharpness rather than (like my Canon A2) firing light beams out everywhere and measuring the distance (badly).

Forget onboard sound, but if you must use it make sure you can at least turn off the attentuator, or all your quiet scenes will be full of hiss and overloud ambience.

On recommending a model ... dunno. I'm looking to upgrade my A2 to an XM1 or maybe a Sony or Panasonic. Or I might just hire a cam on my next production...

Um, doesn't look like I was much help, sorry!

[Eliud25]

What's important here is what you need. Now most of the D8 camcorders are cheap. $700 for a D8 without an LCD. Buy they do have i-link(IEEE1394)so you can edit on your computer.If you want LCD D8 can cost from $850 to $1100 depending on what type extra features you might want.D8 give you 500 lines of resolution so it wouldn't be bad.
On the other side of the spectrum, mini-dv works when you got 3 ccd chips. But they are usually expensive up to $5000, but you get better resolution which is important when you transfer to film or want to make a professional film that really rocks.
In any case, it's up to you. There is another possibility. Sony just came out with a mini-disc camcorder that records up 20 minutes using a mini-disk. And Hitachi just came out with a DVD Ram cam that doesn't use the annoying tape like Dv or D8. But these 2 are expensive.

[piratze]

Thanks, that was helpfull. I went to the electronics store to see some of the cameras in the flesh (and stopped by the almost-empty bank account on the way to cry) and I actually liked the 'weightiness' of the digital8 models. I am now seriously considering the sony DCR-TRV 310 - what do you think?

I like the fact that you can manually over-ride most of the main functions, there-s a 20X zoom (stuff digital zoom says I!), huge LCD(maybe too batery hungry?), and good colour quality. I'm not sure the DCR-TRV 510 is worth the extra money?
I checked out a lot of JVC miniDV and they were all flashy, but I think most of the 'features' like the auto lights would be more annoying that useful, and there weren't many manual features.

[Eliud25]

I don't recommend buying a JVC. I do recommend you buy a D8 with LCD. I've had a D8 for 1 year 3 months and it has never failed me. You will probably have to buy a longer lasting battery. Buying an extra battery is worth it. I think the DCR-TRV-310 is fine, if you don't want all those other features. And in reality you don't need them. Making movies should not be about the camera anyways, but about the amount of effort and creativity you put into them.

[This message has been edited by Eliud25 (edited June 24, 2000).]

[stop_thief]

"Making movies should not be about the camera anyways, but about the amount of effort and creativity you put into them. "

You are right, Eliud, and I agree 100%...ideally that's how all moviemaking should work, but the sad truth, especially when it comes to festivals, is that high quality cameras tend to be essential.
I have recently become very angry with the image qulaity I am recieving from my low-budget equipment...despite the fact that my creations may be good content-wise, larger festivals scoff at the notion of a grainy, video production.