A little Help please. - and thank you SO MUCH

[dcmagic]

Im new at this, so Ill try to give you a good idea of what im trying to look for.

I know nothing about cameras, but stumbled across this site, and im posting this in hopes to at least be pointed in a better direction than I am right now.

Im a magician, and I want to set up a camera to be able to record some of my act. however I really dont want it to look like a "home made" video. So besides the lighting, and things of that nature. I dont know what camera to use.

I know there are crazy $1,000.00+ production style cameras out there, that have the mic on the top and the huge lens, iv seen these. however I cant afford that.

Is there by any chance, a decent 300-400-600 dollar "handy cam" type of camera I could purchase that would give me a pretty good video quality to use for a MARKETING VIDEO to company's for my magic?

Right now im using an OLD Sony Handycam, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Optical 20x (DCR-HC32 NTSC) I dunno, that's the info on the camera.

Im not too happy with the quality of the video. I know some lighting techniques and things.

Basicly long story short, im trying to get as far away from a webcam "youtube" video as possible for as cheap as possible.


any seggestions on camera type? or things to look at when getting a handy cam that help make the video quality a little more "professional" ?

Thanks.

 

[Barry_Green]

My advice would be to take that 400 to 600 dollars, and hire one of our members to produce a video for you. You will probably find lots of folks here who would be willing to bring in a few lights and a decent mic and shoot something that would look far superior to what you'd be able to get on your own.

 

[dcmagic]

as much as that would be AWESOME! im converting a room in my apartment to a "magic studio" and im going to be filming stuff as I learn it. over a period of months. as well as filming effects i myself have created over the years, trying to produce an entire show, which will consist of me messing up numerous times untill i get it perfect..... Thats not the same type of situation.

And even more-so, you know that whole magician thing, about how we like to keep our methods secret.. Id rather not expose some of the effects that iv worked 10+ years on creating, to someone filming me while im practicing, and messing up on an act.

Ill film myself lol. But when I get to the point where I have an entire act, perfect, with no messing up, I will be looking to hire someone to film the entire thing start to finish on a stage, with multiple cameras... Im just not there yet.

So back to the camera... any ideas?