DSLR vs. Camcorder for documentary?

[Shenan]

Hi All, I know that this topic has been discussed here in the past, but it usually has come up as a tangent of some other topic, or was discussed in the early days of DSLRs, so I wanted to bring this up again. If I am mistaken and there are relevant recent threads about this, please feel free to point them out.

I will be shooting a documentary in the beginning of 2013 for a documentary production class that I'm taking, and will probably be buying a new camera since I don't currently have a decent one (My GH2 was stolen a few months ago). I am mainly considering two upcoming cameras: the GH3, and the AG-AC90, both of which should be available around November/December 2012 timeframe, and for approximately the same price (if I include the 12-35 X lens with the GH3).

What I want to know from you all is what is your perception of what is happening in the documentary world right now in terms of camera choices? I get the impression that a lot of new documentary work is being done on DSLRs, but I wanted to know if my impressions are skewed and camcorders are actually still the most popular option in documentary production. What have you been doing in your own recent documentaries, and what have you been seeing others do? I'm more interested in what is actually happening in real-world practice in the documentary scene than in theoretical advantages/disadvantages of the two types of cameras.

Is documentary production starting to shift to DSLRs, or are most people sticking with camcorders? Are the examples that I've seen of DSLR-shot documentaries just exceptions to the rule? Thanks in advance!

PS: I see a poll option at the bottom of the new thread page, so I will add some poll options to help visualize/summarize the general opinion here.

 

[maranfilms]

Like always when shooting doc, you have to be quick and capture whats important. That will never change, so how you decide to do it is up to you. If your good with a dslr rig, and feel you can get good audio, exposure, framing, swap lenses on the fly, and monitor off board audio, then shoot with a dslr, if your not so good at dealing with these issues, then get a dedicated camcorder with a zoom lens, xlr, nd filters, zebras, decent mic, peaking, headphones, and many actual switches for quick changes. For me it's a no brainer. I wouldn't even think of using a dslr if I were shooting a doc. But hey, to each is their own. I don't think it really matters what the current trend is with doc shooting, I do know if it's a good story with interesting subject matter, it won't matter. People expect to see less than perfect footage in docs anyways, as where they don't so much with a narrative piece. I say go with the ag-ac90, and don't look back. Heck the gh3 will be cheap enough, so by the time you wrap the doc, prices should have dropped a few bucks.

 

[Shenan]

Good advice, thanks maranfilms! I'm leaning toward the AC90 again. It's available for preorder on BH for 1999, and that includes XLRs, NDs, and focus peaking, so I would end up saving some money over the GH3 to buy a decent mic and case.