Advice needed!

Tim Miller

Tim Miller

Well-known member
Hello all,

Been reading these forums for a while and looks like some great info being tossed around.

Here is my predicament that I am in, I don't know whether to get a DVX100a or a Apple Final Cut Pro system. I am torn which to get, especially with the deal with the dvx100a's right now and the price drop in the dual G5s. I have little money right now to afford either, but we (my wife and I) can get one.

I work for a production company that has a editing station that I can use on my free time but since I am there all day, it would be nice to have one at home and my boss likes stay late sometimes (and it smells funny there). At my house, we need a better cpu because right now all we have is a old PC for word processing and internet. Finally, none of the other people I make short films with has a nice camera. So there ya have it, any advice would be much appreciated!

Other info to incorporate: Have used dvx100 before and loved it, have no editing software or monitors, editing system at my work is a new Avid Adrenaline, any money saved would be great.

Thanks again!
 
Get the camera

Get the camera

Get the DVX100a. Not only do you need time to work with it and practice...but you can either a) rent it out for cash while you edit in the stinky editing room or b) get a Final cut pro system and have no camera. Get the camera! You'll have many more options. I just got my second DVX100a....rent one out and use the other for myself. Once you get the camera you can at least save or rent it out for a couple jobs and get an older Powerbook G4 for $800 or an Imac for the same price and be off and running. Get the camera you won't regret it. YEehaww!!!!!!
 
Buy the camera. Starting place after the idea and script. Yes, buy the camera. You can rent the camera to your friends that don't have a nice camera in the interim of making real money with it.

I know this sounds self serving, I mean I do work for Panasonic, but I feel your story, buy the camera. ;-)

Best,

Jan
 
Thanks for the advice! Thats 2 for the camera...just very difficult since I can get a nice dual 1.8 G5 for $1700 (not including software and upgrades) while to get the camera is over a grand more! To rent the camera, I am guessing I should get some sort of insurance then if I were to go that route.

By the way, the picture is of Dennis Haskins, aka Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell and of course Zack Attack was Zack Morris's band. I loved Saved by the Bell, it was so horribly great!
 
Jan, We Love You And Your Wicked Ways. . .

Jan, We Love You And Your Wicked Ways. . .

Jan_Crittenden said:
Buy the camera. Starting place after the idea and script. Yes, buy the camera. You can rent the camera to your friends that don't have a nice camera in the interim of making real money with it.

I know this sounds self serving, I mean I do work for Panasonic, but I feel your story, buy the camera. ;-)

Best,

Jan
Click to expand...
I'm impressed. And, surprised. I mean, why not buy one for each hand? :grin:
Brian
 
I have not, just checked it out a little...seems all right. Though the PC that I have now would crash and burn. Its a old Compaq 700 MHz AMD, she was a beast back in the day, but I'm about ready to put her out to pasture. Too many metaphors sorry....but using the current PC is out. Thanks
 
Oh I am a Mac guy when I can afford it...only problem around where I live there isn't much for Mac repair. I use a PC everyday at my work and I die a little bit more inside too. Just kidding.
 
Mac repair? Oh, please. I live in West Texas. There isn't an Apple Store in any direction for six hours.
Pay once for a 3 year service plan ($350) and Apple pays Next Day Air both ways and the repairs.
 
Avid Adrenaline is probably worth more than the roof over your head..
Why use anything else if the you have access to the Avid? That's a tremendous opportunity, really.

There wouldn't be much point in having a G5 without a camera and even less so if you have Avid.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I guess the consensus is to get the camera. I do agree that the Avid is a great opportunity, I just am not a huge fan of my work place. I figured with a purchase of a G5 I would be able to get Photoshop,among other programs, because I need to sharpen my skills on that better. The $1000 difference between the camera and CPU freaked me out too, but I realize once I upgrade the CPU and get some programs it will be just as much if not more.

Oh and my wife wants a laptop for grad school, so that is always looming in the near future...Such a expensive hobby/career I live.
 
Get the camera. Once you start using a good camera like the DVX, you will figure out a way to edit.
 
used is a good option if the seller is verifiable. that seller only has 2 feedback responses and the camera @ $2700 (ie a lot of money). Considering that a new camera (from an authorized dealer- read the "authorized dealer" thread because it is more important than you know) will come with a $300 rebate and a lot of freebies.

So I do not see a lot of savings with that auction and you are introducing significant risk. Definately do some research on this board and do not be in a too much of a hurry, there are better deals than that particular auction.
 
I saw the feedback and was concerned, all the extras there were pretty appealing though. The gentlemen who posts a lot on here from, I believe, EVS(?), seems like a good guy/business to talk to. But I have taken risks on ebay before, some paying off, a few that haven't. Thanks for the input though...all the advice is much appreciated because the purchase, regardless of what it is, will take a huge dent out of my budget!
 
Hi,

One last thing. He says that still have so many months on the Warranty, implying that there is a US warranty. That warranty only transfers with the original invoice, so be sure to get that with your camera, and it must be a US unit, not gray. So if you get the serial number I can check it for you.

I mean I wouldn't do this because of all the cool stuff that comes with the new DVX now, gets you to about the same price and you know you have a US camera and then you have tape and batteries, Magic Bullet, the DVX Book and DVD pus the $300 rebate. But everyone has a level of rish they are willing to work with, so good luck.

Best,

Jan
 
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