Jimmy Pierce
Well-known member
Here's the run down. I work at a production company that holds a film making workshop on a yearly basis for adults with special needs. We have two workshops in California. The camera of choice is the Canon XH-A1 in both workshops. This is what our students are learning with. We've shot several types of videos that all turned out looking great. Once our students graduate the program, if they are capable enough to work in the industry, we give them the opportunity of working with a subsidiary production company that shoots content such as conferences, stage productions, company picnics, music videos, commercials, EPKs, red carpet events, graduations and possibly documentaries, etc.
Up until now, the subsidiary production company has been using the equipment in our workshop. Now, I am about to put together basic camera packages for the subsidiary company to own and operate. The Canon XH-A1 so far has been a great camera to work with for those shooting with it, myself included. But times are changing. Newer cameras have better features than this camera, are capable of shooting sharper pictures, and some need less lighting. Also the direction we are going are hard drive and card based recording, versus MiniDV tape.
There are several advantages to the cameras we have. First and foremost, our students are learning on these cameras, so making the transition into the professional world, there is less of a learning curve, because they are operating with the same equipment they learned with. Second, the camera's are cheaper in price and we know what they're capable of. Third, tape storage feels a lot safer than hard drive storage.
This takes a lot of thought for me, especially since newer cameras are more expensive than the camera we own, but have a lot of imagery advances over the XH-A1, given the gap between releases.
What would you suggest?
By the way, I am going to post this same thread in the other brand forums, because it's possible we could go with a different manufacturer.
Thanks for reading and hope it wasn't too long.
Up until now, the subsidiary production company has been using the equipment in our workshop. Now, I am about to put together basic camera packages for the subsidiary company to own and operate. The Canon XH-A1 so far has been a great camera to work with for those shooting with it, myself included. But times are changing. Newer cameras have better features than this camera, are capable of shooting sharper pictures, and some need less lighting. Also the direction we are going are hard drive and card based recording, versus MiniDV tape.
There are several advantages to the cameras we have. First and foremost, our students are learning on these cameras, so making the transition into the professional world, there is less of a learning curve, because they are operating with the same equipment they learned with. Second, the camera's are cheaper in price and we know what they're capable of. Third, tape storage feels a lot safer than hard drive storage.
This takes a lot of thought for me, especially since newer cameras are more expensive than the camera we own, but have a lot of imagery advances over the XH-A1, given the gap between releases.
What would you suggest?
By the way, I am going to post this same thread in the other brand forums, because it's possible we could go with a different manufacturer.
Thanks for reading and hope it wasn't too long.
