Best camera for around $4-5000?

E

ecd

Member
So like the title says, I'm in the market for a new camera and I wouldn't mind some input from some guys who know alot. The two main things I'm looking for out of a new camera are that it's somewhat futureproofed and won't be obsolete within a few months and that it has interchangeable lenses.

What do you guys suggest I should be looking into for this price range?
 
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A: Is your budget of $4K-$5K just for the camera body, or for accessories as well as the body?
B: What type of projects will you be shooting?
C: Unless time stands still any camera you purchase will become obsolete in a given amount of time.
 
A) I don't want just the body, I want to get a camera that I'd be able to start shooting with right out of the box with the option of adding/buying more lenses and accessories.

B) I'll be doing mostly Indy films and some short web skits. The scope of these projects are going to vary which is why I don't want to go the HDSLR route.

I realize the camera will eventually become obsolete but I want to find one that already has some of the newer tech/features built into it. Me not knowing what these are is why I'm coming here.
 
For a camera that can take interchangeable lenses, you are probably looking at either the Panasonic AF-100 or Sony FS-100, both in the $5,000 range with no lenses. You can start with in-expensive Canon FD or Nikon AIS prime lenses ( $100 - 200 buys you a lot of lens on eBay ) with adapters and build your lens kit over time.

For general videography work, I would strongly recommend waiting for the release of the Panasonic HPX-250 / AC-160 / AC-130 models that are coming out this Fall. These are going to be killer cameras in their $4,000 - $6,500 price range. ( street price may be a bit lower once they are in stock everywhere )

Panasonic HPX-250
 
As mentioned, $5K will get you something along the lines of an AF100 body which comes with one battery and a charger.
You will still need an SDHC card and a lens added to start shooting bare minimum.
If I needed to own a camera for shooting indie features, I would save up for a Sony F3 and needed extras.
But hey, lets be real here. Just about any modern camera today is capable of capturing fantastic images, as long as you give it fantastic images to capture.

Good Luck!

Dave
 
The killer in your wants and needs is the interchangeable lenses. By the time you set up a AF-100 kit, you are going to have a pretty penny more than $5000 in it. If you can get past the need for interchangeable lenses, then a whole world of good cams opens up, and as Dingo mentioned, Panny has a bunch of great new stuff arriving in the fall, none of which have interchangeable lenses. IMHO, codec and sensors are more important for everyday shooting than the lens issue. Not that it wouldn't be nice.....

A decent fall back cam within your budget would be a plain ole' HPX-170 which can be had with memory and a couple of batteries for around $4000 and is a CCD cam with a lot of pro features and a little less resolution than the newest CMOS cams. The 170 may not be anyones idea of future proofing, but it is a solid workhorse cam that can do a lot of work for a price.

If I had to have interchangeable lenses, the HPX-370 brings a lot to the table, but like any cam that has interchangeable lenses, it is above your budget. Sony has the EX-3, which will also bust your budget. So to be realistic, you need to raise your budget or compromise. If you get into a serious production, you can always rent a better cam.

Sorry, didn't mean to be the grim reaper.

Grant
 
ggrantly said:
Sorry, didn't mean to be the grim reaper.
Click to expand...

Lol no worries, this is the information I was looking for.

So I sold my last camera about a month ago and was looking to buy one within the next two months.

Knowing now that something like the AF-100 (or anything with interchangeable lenses) isn't in my price range, which cameras currently on the market should I be looking for. Those new Panasonics look nice but I don't want to wait until the fall and if anything, I'd just flip the camera I'm going to buy for one of those.
 
If this is just a stop-gap until the Fall, then you should probably buy used so you won't lose a much when you flip the camera. A used HPX-170 or HMC-150 would be a great camera to get you by. No interchangeable lenses, but still a good FOV range from the built-in lens, especially if you add on a Century Optics 0.6x wide-angle adapter. ( equivalent to 18mm full-frame 35mm DSLR FOV with this adapter )
 
ECD,

Realize that the cameras coming in the fall, and probably any new model cam from any mfg is going to be CMOS. They have more resolution than the current generation CCD cams, but they do come with baggage. Each has a look that you should evaluate before making a decision. Either way, cams in this price range have compromises and the ones you choose to live with will help you to make up your mind going forward. You might buy a used HPX170 (for example) and find it hits a sweet spot. Obsessing on cameras is great sport, but all the other stuff that goes into a production such as lighting and audio is just as important.

Grant
 
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