best gear for shooting docs

T

twistchi

New member
I am a seasoned editor that is looking to start shooting a good deal of talking head doc type footage. I know post workflows and understand the pros and cons of the DSLR's in post. A good audio signal is extremely important to me. I always want to have at least two channels going at once. Either 2 lavs or a shotgun and a lav. I have decent mic's just looking for advice to go DSLR or NOT, and if I go DSLR what would be a good set up to capture a good 2 channel audio signal and a good lens. I would prefer to keep this under 6k if posable. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Just my opinion:

It seems like a DSLR production would always be a hassle to set up. Kludgy clingons to setup for each shoot. A good basic video cam like the HPX170 is versatile, quick to set up, has decent audio, view finder + flip out. In a phrase, it is made to do video and has all that stuff built in. DVCProHD is a great codec. P2, though expensive, is very reliable. If you need what a DSLR brings to the table, then it might be right, but for everyday get the job done pro work, a workhorse video cam is hard to beat.

Since you have the rest of the your production equipment and 6k to spend, how about a HPX170 and a Canon 2Ti or 7d.

Grant
 
I just shot miles of doc footage with a HMC150 and have no complaints about the ability of that cam to do what you want. i agree with ggrantly abou tthe cludgy audio setup involved in using a dslr. the 150 has all the flexibility you need to get two channels of audio. i used it with two lavs, with a shotgun and a lavand also used it with a shotgun and a wired feed directly form a PA board at an event. phantom power, mic/line switching assignab le inputs to each channel. the stock 13X zoom lens worked just fine for me, andI can't see needing anything more elaborate than that for talking heads. same goes for the stock lens in a 7D kit, im guessing. the only advantage to going with a dslr would be stealth, but it doesnt sound like you are doing that kind of project. for 6K you can get a 150 AND a 7D. if you went with a hpx170 ytou might run out of money before you got any accessories, like batts and memory cards.
 
Depending on the kind of doc you're shooting, I would highly recommend you NOT go DSLR. If it's mostly interviews and you're going to have plenty of time to set up each shot, it could work, but if you're hoping to capture much in the way of spontaneous action, that's going to be a huge pain in the ass if you've got some DSLR with a jury-rigged sound setup and cables all over the place. I've been shooting doc stuff with a DVX 100 and a Rode NTG3 mounted shotgun, and that does remarkably well in those situations. I haven't shot anything with DSLR, but I imagine that anytime you get one of those "something I didn't expect is happening and I NEED to capture it NOW" moments, getting those shot with a DSLR setup is going to be more awkward
 
I shoot on both a DVX100b and a 7D. The 7D is mainly for photos, but I would most likely never shoot anything for my current production on DSLR, mainly because of the audio. I love and hate my DVX. It has its limitations in terms of recording media and resolution, but in the end, it looks fine and gives GREAT audio. So far, the only main complain I have with it is that when shooting in the "squeeze" pseudo-16:9 mode, the artifacting especially in the reds look awful. It produces elongated vertical artifacts on the red mids and highlights. Not too noticeable, but a pain. As an example, I shot an interview with the sun behind the subject with long, red hair. The highlighted red-ish color gave some nasty artifacting. But, it is an amazing camera for its price, and tape is fairly cheap. I am pretty close to upgrading, probably when my current project is completed. Looking at the HMC150, AF100 and HPX170/HVX200. I know all the pros and cons, but, Barry Green said something recently that I can't exactly remember, but it went along the lines of "If you can't settle with what you have, you aren't ready to make a film".
 
I don't recommand a dslr but I did use a 5D for a documentary in algeria in dificult conditions.
What you would defenately need : A monopod , a viewfinder. If what you film is a little intense or you need speed, forget about all the dslr gears, after a few days you'll end up with just a monopod and a view finder.
For sound I had a sound ingeneer with me but if you don't I use a sheineiser long mic with a xlr to mini jack and a mic holder on the shoe mount.
It's good to have a zoom H4N type of recorder that you can use around for interviews, meetings, concerts (you get easily saturated sound in concerts or lood situation on a 5D)
For lenses defenatly use stabilized lenses like the canon 24_105 IS (unfortunately only opens to 4) for zoom the 70-200is f2.8 IS and for darck insides maybe have a 50mm 1.4 (its not stabilised)
That's all I used.
Avoid walking too much, Stick the monopod in your belt when you can't put it on the floor.
the TurtleX is very helpfull if you don't mind looking weird. Maybe A stabilizer with vest can be great but focusing gets difficult.

Sounds basic but it did do the job, it will be brodcasted on tv and sent to festivals.
it was hell shooting it and I'm not so proud of the work cause it would have been better if I had more experience with dslrs, which I have now and I only had a little then. But the good side is the really nice images (it made sens with the subject of the film) and that a lot of people think its just a picture camera, which can be handy sometimes.
If you have no experience with shooting with dslr forget it :)

Here are some images shot for documentaries or documentary type of situation from 0,40seconds to 1,51 and 2,15 till end
http://vimeo.com/17183121
 
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