DSLR vs Camcorder for 3 cam TV News program

M

Methane

Well-known member
I am in the opening stages of starting a web based news TV show. It will feature a standard three camera setup filming on a static TV anchor newsroom type set. There will be very little movement of the subjects, and they will be brightly lit, so manual focusing shouldn't be an issue. I will be buying three matching cameras for this project and have been going back and forth between a DSLR or a camcorder. Budget is a major consideration. I am renting an office, building a set, and buying a lot of little items that are adding up. Here are my conflicting ideas

Scenario 1: Buy 3 Canon XHA1 camcorders which will cost ˜$650 each, produce good video for web distribution, and most importantly, let me record audio in sync with the video. I will have 3-4 wired Lavs running at the same time.

Scenario 2: Buy 3 Canon 7Ds (or similar) + 3 Tamron 17-50mm 2.8s. I've worked with this setup and loved the results, but this means syncing audio in post, which I hate! I previously owned a Tascam DR-100 and did not have good luck with it. I could swing this setup for ˜$900 per camera.

I am leaning toward the XHA1 setup, but I am curious what other people think. Is the superior image quality of a DSLR for this setting worth adding additional expense, and additional work syncing in post? Its mostly talking heads, so good audio is of the utmost importance.
 
Are you running three cameras through a switcher, or just recording for later editing?

If switched, used AF100 bodies will give you the best of both setups for a reasonable price, plus solid HD-SDI output for switching. Alternately, Black Magic Studio Cameras.

If recorded in camera, any DSLR in triplicate (from T3i to GH2/3 or Nikon D5200 or onward) plus a Tascam DR-70 for your audio, with a sync output or mixdown sent to one camera.

Or a mess of used HMC150-typs cameras. You could honestly get away with three of any handicam-type camera and an audio mixer/recorder.
 
Xha1 for sure! We use 3 of them in our multicam setup as well.

To get your image into your switcher, you have to options: firewire or component, both are HDV (1440 x 1080)

Firewire will always give a small delay, while component will be almost without any.

Since you said your budget is small, I would suggest to build a computer and use Vmix, this is great software that has a lot of options for using graphics, video,.. File management is also easier on a pc compared to a hardware switcher. For 3 camera's you can build your rig under 2000$.

To capture from the component out of the Xha1 you can use a decklink intensity pro card, these cost 200$ each.

Also the xha1's will give you all the manual control you need, you can use color profiles and even create your own, and you will have a super sharp image.

I would suggest not to use the built in audio of the Xha1 though. A good soundcard like the zoom r8 or a small mixer like a xenyx will give you better options to control the sound, and keep all the controls close to your switcher.

edit: if your audio would be slightly out of sync, you can always set an audio delay in vmix.

I'm now thinking to go for a few A7s camera's as well, but only because they are so good in low light, i doubt they will be as reliable as the xha1 though..
 
Thanks for the input guys. I'm feeling better about my XHA1 plan now.

McBob: I won't be runnning the cameras through a switcher, just editing them in Premiere Pro cs6 after the fact. I keep reading posts on DVXuser about people's videos and audios going out of sync becuase Tascams have a differen internal clock than GH3s, 7Ds, etc. AF100s are too expensive in triplicate, and even HMC150s which I've owned a few of are almost double the price per camera, so $3600 for HMCs if I can get a good deal or $1,950 for XHA1. It would be nice to get HMCs just because they shoot HD instead of HDV and right onto SD cards which go into my iMac natively, vs getting an thunderbolt-> firewre adapter.

Propertv.be: Is the internal sound on an XHA1 so bad I'd really need an external recorder like a zoom r8? That give me the same issue of syncing audio in post again. I recall them giving good audio even with my hypercardiod AKG ck93 on a boom pole.
 
Oh ok, if you're going to edit it afterwards anyway, just connect to the xlr. If you're really going to edit everything afterwards, I would not recommend the xha1. It will be a pain in the ass to capture all the footage from the mini dv casettes and you will spend a fortune on them. Also you will have to be really careful when you buy a second hand xha1, since the tapeheads are the first to break. If it's a multicam newsshow, why don't you just capture it live into a switcher? This will save you a lot of editing time.
 
I have to agree with the post about shooting HDV tape on 3 cameras, capturing all that footage, hoping there are not tape glitches that amount to a 15-frame dropout on any recordings (common with older HDV gear). Doing a live switch would be preferable to all the post work.

Have you looked at the NewTek TriCaster? This could save you a lot on studio space and set building, as it does VIRTUAL SETS. Vmix or Telestream Wirecast software can be used as a substitute on a budget, but TriCaster has superior virtual sets with realtime reflections and such for realism. Just set up a small green screen and you're in business. I use cheap cameras such as Canon HV20, HV30, HV40 available used on Ebay for $200 and with proper light and setup they provide excellent results with greenscreen (component or HDMI into TriCaster depending on model used).

DSLRs have issues such as recording time limits which I feel limits their usefulness as a "studio camera". Many of them can't even put out a proper video signal without overlays or odd sizes, another consideration (current models are dealing much better with this).

Thanks

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers
 
Tricaster is not really 'on a budget' in my opinion. You spend a lot of money on what is basically just a very expensive computer and some software. I've seen some pretty realistic virtual sets on Vmix as well.

About those camcorders i can only agree. Once you have your set lighted up well, any cheap camera that can be connected via hdmi can be used.
 
I had never heard of NewTek Tricaster before. I'll do some research on that and see if its a viable option. I am not familiar with switchers at all. My experience is all in films. Not studio work.

Virtual Sets: I am not a fan of virtual sets. I feel you can really tell when a set is fake. I am aslo looking to book some guests with some level of name recognition. I feel having a project that looks like the real deal is inportant towards that goal, and getting largely volunteer crew excited that this could be something big.

XHA1 issues: The XHA1 is not a perfect camera, but for my budget I think its the best I can do. If I have 3 cameras running and I can ovelay video cut aways that limits my worries about frame drops. Canon HV20s don't have XLR inputs, which means syncing audio later, and don't give off that professional appearance I am trying to out out there. I have bought probably 7 used xha1s in the past and had great luck with them.
 
Have you considered used HMC40's? Perhaps a set of three Canon Vixias (HFS200 or whatever the modern equivalent is)? Old HV30/40's have full-size HDMI out, manual controls, and a decent picture as well... on the odd occasion, I'll still use one as a static cam for live feed setups.

In DSLR-land, GH2 or 3 would would be better options (3 being better for a variety of reasons)... either can fit nearly any lens (or just the inexpensive, OK 14-42 kit lens), have clean HDMI-out, and can record for as long as the card and battery hold out (and can also be put on AC power). MFT sensor also helps with more manageable DOF, yet still allows some selective focus.
 
On the audio side of things I would suggest the Zoom H6. Standard it has 4 XLR inputs, each with a volume dial. You can also get an accessory that adds 2 more. Then, if you record in Wave format it records each track separately in case you want to adjust individual tracks in post. I have been very pleased with mine.
 
McBob: Hmmm. HMC40. I had overloooked that camera. I'll have to do some research on it. Those seems to be about $100 more than XHA1s, which is nominal. They move to tapeless which is a huge plus, but then they are really small and don't look the part. To be continued...

Frijoleros: Do you think the Zoom H6 is so good it would be better than standard XLR inputs from the XHA1 or was that just if I went DSLR route? I know DSLR has beeter picture, I am growing more and more weary of syncing sound in post.
 
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