Advice on buying: HPX170 vs. 5dII

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Untitled04

Active member
So, I have been scouring dvxuser for a couple of weeks now and I haven't really seen direct answers to questions I have.

Basically, I will be shooting a feature next year, with mostly outdoor shots (majority of them being at night) in a very urban environment. I will be using mostly natural lighting.

I had my sights set on the HPX170, but I started seeing all these posts about the 5d. Now, although buying the 35mm DOF adapter is an option for the hpx170, I would rather use that money towards the feature itself.

In all the posts I have seen, most people seem to do work professionally, so their comments did not really apply to my situation.

Ultimately, in my situation, which camera is most suitable to my needs? If there are other cameras that I have overlooked that would be better, I would love to know. Thanks.
 
Furthermore, I am very much a minimalist, so I do mostly long shots and long takes. So i have no need for flashy things like slow motion, etc.
 
Get the 5D. It freaking rocks more than you understand. An HPX170 with a 35mm adapter won't be able to shooting in a 5th of the light the 5d can.
 
Thanks slim, I just looked into that. Looks good. By the way, I've been talking with some people who have DSLRs, and they're telling me to wait, since better ones are coming out soon?
 
I own an HMC150, the little brother to the HPX170, and I just recently sold my Redrock Micro because I wasn't happy with the results I was getting. I demo'd a 5D MKII with a nice piece of glass and the results are phenomenal! No 35mm adapter connected to a video camera will give you an equivalent looking image as compared to one that is created from a native 35mm camera like the 5D MKII.

Sound is another thing. I don't expect the sound quality from the tiny package that is the 5D to rival that of a video camera like mine, well at least not in the first run of production. What you use the 5D for is the look, the same reason Redrock, Cinevate, Letus and shoot35 are in business. Sound you would record seperately, either with the Zoom H4n, or even the MicroTrack II by M-Audio. Especially in your case, wanting to produce a feature film, you should certainly have a seperate audio department from the camera department where sound is going to be recorded. That's just film production 101.

That being said, I am not buying the 5D just yet. Next month is the 1 year anniversary to the 5D MKII and supposedly Nikon is going to be announcing/releasing their new D700x soon after. Now I'm not looking to buy the Nikon, but I do know that timing is everything in the industry, so I want to see what Canon is going to do in response to Nikon's new offering. More than likely just a firmware update, maybe offering 24p, but it could be something else too! We'll have to wait and see. One thing's for sure, waiting a month, or two isn't going to kill you and in turn will more than likely save you money, especially as the 5D MK II goes down in price. Competition is a good thing!
 
Thanks Keith for the info, I think I'm going to take your advice and wait. I just have the urge to buy something quickly and get to work on some shorts, but i'll try to be patient.
 
I agree to wait because you aren't shooting until next year. It's a good time for indie filmmakers because all the cameras we have to choose from. 5d, HPX/HVX's, GH1, and who knows maybe you will be able to get your hands on a Scarlet in time for the feature.

Just lay low and workout all the other parts of your feature pre-production in the meantime.

Best,
Andy
 
Untitled04 said:
Thanks slim, I just looked into that. Looks good. By the way, I've been talking with some people who have DSLRs, and they're telling me to wait, since better ones are coming out soon?
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there's always something better coming out. that's just the way it is. if you keep waiting for that one last thing you need, that camera just around the corner that's better, then you'll never have a camera.

i sold my hvx kit to fund a 5d setup. for gigs that require something like an hvx200/hpx170/ex1/... i'm renting or hiring people who own. that was the best solution for me.

for narrative work however, the 5d is awesome in low light conditions, i don't need a 35mm adapter setup, it's great for covert guerrilla run and gun type shooting, and no more f'in p2 card prices to deal with.

negatives are there too. the biggest one for me is the whole 30p to 24p thing which sucks, but the ways around it were good enough for me. there's also rolling shutter issues. but let's be realistic, there are going to be shortcomings with a $2600 camera.

that being said, i couldn't be happier. not a single regret. not to mention you get a kick ass still camera with your $$$.

and screw waiting until next year. start shooting today. shorts, test shots, whatever. that's what it's all about. shoot every day!!!
 
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Thanks andy and chris for all the advice

I am actually going to go to the canon dealer tomorrow. I'm leaning towards just buying it, since the 5d simply fits my needs. I'd rather spend the next few months playing with the camera and making shorts. At the end of the day, there will always be better equipment. The heart of any film is in the writing anyways.
 
I agree with slim 100%, you're a film maker with no tools. Camera are obsolete before they even hit the street, it part of the game. Get the 5D, you won't regret it, learn it, enjoy it. Something better will always be in the pipeline. I am truly inspired by the 5D, I own an HPX500 and favor shooting with the 5D for certain projects. Get it now!

Mike
 
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