Best camera to fit my needs? (snowboard filmer)

A

AlpineSteez

Active member
Hey guys, I've been reading a lot on this forums for the past month. I'm 16 and currently film snowboarding with the Panasonic gs320 which is just a small 3ccd consumer camera. I'm looking to make an upgrade for next season. I've heavily considered getting a DVX, but I'm still undecided on what to save money for. What prosumer cameras will suit my needs best?
 
dvx for snowboarding all the way, thats what i use mine for. do you post on snowperception? haha

unless you want to go HD that is...
 
dvx100b definately its a sturdy well rounded camera with 24p.

i go to mountaincreek and have seen many with it.

i just bought mine for snowboarding and skating and so far its amazing
 
kellencorkill said:
dvx for snowboarding all the way, thats what i use mine for. do you post on snowperception? haha

unless you want to go HD that is...
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Yeah I post on snowperception. HD is too expensive unless I go with an HV20/HV30.

Can you guys send me some links to DVX footage. I know Eddie Grams used to use one for his movie Workplay, but I want to see more footage.
 
well if your on snowperception look at matt roberge's video's, he has a dvx and knows how to use it....

-But yeah def go with the dvx. if your a little pressed for cash and only shoot snowboarding and skating you could go with a vx2100, but i would recomend just saving a little more and going with the dvx. You dont really need to go HD right now for what your doing, give it a couple years...
 
AlpineSteez said:
Can you guys send me some links to DVX footage. I know Eddie Grams used to use one for his movie Workplay, but I want to see more footage.
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There's a whole section of this forum dedicated to DVX footage and stills. Look at the top of the main DVX section.
 
I don't shoot snowboarding, so I can't help you there. However, I am a filmmaking student and I bought my DVX100B to use for my class productions and, hopefully, a future feature film or two.

I shot a short film called "13" for one of my classes last semester (Spring 2008) and posted it on Youtube. I shot it in 24p and in "squeeze mode" before I knew that when shooting in "squeeze mode", the vertical detail frequency should be set to "thin," so it looks a bit soft and Youtube's poor resolution doesn't help.

Anyway, it might give you an idea what the camera can do even in the hands of a rank amateur.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxIfGkaQkyI
 
I heard the Canon GL2 is great in cold weather, sony's, not so much, not too sure about panasonic though, from what I read, they will work great too.
 
I live in Maine and we shoot on snow about 5 days a week or more in all conditions. I have used MANY different cameras for this and BY FAR the best on snow/cold weather/get is wet and keeps ticking/drop it, watch it slide/oh crap condensation AGAIN/I fell on it and hope it OK camera is the VX or PD from Sony. BY FAR. The worst in our experience, sorry to say is the DVX. The company that I work for started purchasing a number of DVXs for on-snow and very quickly ended that and went back to Sony. A number of us had durability issues with the camera and that coupled with the parts issues with Panasonic meant no more DVXs.

If I were looking for an inexpensive on snow camera I think I would look for an HDV, maybe try and find a used FX1. Save some extra $$ and go HDV, you won't be disappointed. I shoot for a medium sized "film" co and they have 2 or 3 FX1s and the footage looks great. They also can handle a pretty good beating. The Z1 is nice too depending on your need for XLR. I also have a Canon XH A1 for other work that I do and love it but have not had it on snow enough to say how durable it would be in the cold.

If you want to stick to SD for now and don't need XLR I would look for a VX2000 or 2100. I have shot hundreds of hours with the VXs and skied hundreds of days with it in a backpack and never had an issue. I seriously can't believe what that camera had been though and still works.
 
telemaine -
you must have just had bad luck. The few times I've had my DVX in the snow, it preformed better then any sony I've ever used. I had it running in sub -10 degree weather and 80- degree winds with no extra protection and it worked just as well as it does indoors in regular set.
 
I definitely have had very bad luck with DVXs. Wouldn't argue that. I do think they are a great camera in certain situations, we bought them because of the versatility. Unfortunately, others I work that also do 50 or more on-snow shooting days per year in all conditions and are almost as hard on cameras have had similar experiences.
 
telemaine said:
I definitely have had very bad luck with DVXs. Wouldn't argue that. I do think they are a great camera in certain situations, we bought them because of the versatility. Unfortunately, others I work that also do 50 or more on-snow shooting days per year in all conditions and are almost as hard on cameras have had similar experiences.
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Then how come snowboard film companies shoot with the DVX?
 
becvause it shoots progressive, it has xlr, it is more customizeable, its just better, just make sure you let it adjust to the termperatures, dont want any condensation build up.
 
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