Help Ive been out of the game for too long!!

W

weezhum

Active member
Hello friends, I need a little help choosing my next camera. I have 3 dvxs that I still use for vjing and i love them still, however the time has come to upgrade to hd. While i LOVE the design and useability of the DVX I am not sure whether to go for the 160a which is familiar territory or go dslr, I know this comes down to a preference issue, but as I am totally unfamiliar with dslrs for video I am not feeling competent enough, even after my research on which way to go. I will be using this camera primarily for music videos, but will also be filming commercials locally and want the option to use it for a short. What are your guys' thoughts? Sorry if this has been gone over a billion times, there is so much information to go through and soooo many differing views. This community here at DVXUSERS has never steered me wrong in the past. My desired budget is 5k and If i go the dslr route i want to leave room for a good mic.
Thanks in advance for all of your amazing advice!
 
I know you don't want to hear this, but . . . you really do need to search around the site. It's all there, many times.
 
Well that doesnt help me much! But i appreciate your input, i have searched and what i found was conflicting. Thanks for your reply though.
 
Best thing to do is find someone who does what you do and see what they recommend, and why. If all of that information is conflicting, what do you need to make your decision? Only you know what's most important to you.
 
I meant that the advice given is contradictory. I have asked around and I'm trying to get some professional opinions here. Apparently it's a colder climate than it once was here. Thanks for your replies.
David Jimerson said:
Best thing to do is find someone who does what you do and see what they recommend, and why. If all of that information is conflicting, what do you need to make your decision? Only you know what's most important to you.
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I've been trying to tell you how you can use the information to your advantage. It's not a matter of being a "cold" place; it's a matter of the information already being there.

If you just want someone to tell you which to pick, then based on your fondness for the DVX and its design, I'd go with the AC160, because if you ARE fond of it, you will probably hate DSLRs.

But I don't know how that helps you any more than the conflicting opinions you've already read, which is why I asked what you need to make your decision.
 
I'd recommend Canon C100. Of course I'm biased towards it being an owner, but I shoot commercials, shorts, events, etc. and haven't had an issue with it.
 
weezhum said:
Thanks.
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Dude. Seriously. I'm trying to help you, but you're making it nigh unto impossible. You've said exactly two useful things -- that you do music videos and that you love the DVX. Other than that, all you've said is that the information is conflicting and you don't know what to do. That is not enough to go on in order to guide you.

I've asked you twice what could help you make the decision, but you don't seem to want to say. How can anyone possibly give you any help if you simply refuse to help them help you?
 
Um....

Um....

David Jimerson said:
Dude. Seriously. I'm trying to help you, but you're making it nigh unto impossible. You've said exactly two useful things -- that you do music videos and that you love the DVX. Other than that, all you've said is that the information is conflicting and you don't know what to do. That is not enough to go on in order to guide you.

I've asked you twice what could help you make the decision, but you don't seem to want to say. How can anyone possibly give you any help if you simply refuse to help them help you?
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I said thanks!!! What the heck is your problem, theres no need to be rude. I said thanks because i found your advice helpful, be nice.
 
I'm sorry if I misread your tone. But you seemed to be dismissive of everything I said, and you wouldn't answer the questions I was asking.
 
If you love the DVX and currently just lacking the resolution you need, then keep an eye out for used HVX and HPX's. I have seen them go on here for extremely cheap. Next option is HDSLR's which are going to be much better in low light than the HVX etc, but come with their own host of problems. For stepping it up, the C100 would be a great cam but you are looking at at least 5k a piece and then you also need to invest in glass. Nikon primes are a great option for any of the above options aside from HVX/HPX, that is unless you go the 35mm adapter route.
 
OK... I'll bite.

I shoot corporate stuff, some broadcast spots, run & gun events. Some food stuff (big regional restaurant chain). Music videos, either kind of artsy or stuff with a lot of green screen.

Came from DV, then HMC 150 - I stuck with panasonic and got the AC130 (about $1k less than the 160, you lose SDI out, uncompressed audio, and 1080p/60).

Many here feel the 130/160 is about the ultimate value for a "video" camera. I agree. I use it for all the corporate stuff and used it for tons of greenscreen. With the BMC shooting 2.5k raw and RED cameras now showing up on lensrentals.com type places, I doubt I'll do much more keying with it. But it's a do-it-all beast.

But... I use DSLRs too. I use them for a 2nd cam, I use them for "beauty" stuff or when I want rack focus or limited DOF. Even in those cases, I'm using the 130 for audio capture, it sounds good, has XLRs and phantom and very good battery life. The AVCHD compression isn't gorgeous but for many many uses, it's not an issue.

I recently got a Nikon D7100 and it may key even better than the 130, from the quick tests I've done.

I don't see a hug diff operationally between DSLRs and the Panasonic. You want proper exposure, in focus. That said, the 130 is great for events, it's all-in-one and the focus and exposure aids are priceless. It's got a for-real viewfinder that doesn't block half the buttons I need (with focus peaking). It's got audio meters, zebras, and WFM. It's great for sit-down interviews or grabbing footage on the run. It's got remote jacks for trigger, focus, iris and zoom. I can run it from 20' away with an HDMI monitor and the remote controls. And DSLR audio is not something I'd give a client.

I don't use auto-anything, ever (except AF for stills). If you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of a DSLR, I'd guess you're not comfortable running manually?

That may sound vague, but I really need both types of camera to cover my bases. DSLRs, you need at the minimum some kind of shoulder mount, a viewfinder or monitor, and at least one good, fast zoom (but Nikkors will go on Nikon or Canon and the AF-era stuff is cheap and amazing). If you're shooting kit-lens, might as well just get a video camera (my opinion, others would disagree). A "video" cam, you just need media and batteries (though I'd say a shoulder mount as well, unless you shoot everything on sticks). I've tried shooting events with a DSLR and hated it. But I wouldn't shoot something that needed a real dramatic and beautiful, creative look with the Panasonic. And I don't like shooting with the DSLR unless I can do several takes or have ample setup time. It's tougher to get the shot perfect with a DSLR. It's difficult or impossible to get some DSLR looks with a video cam (and not just DOF - there's a quality to the bigger sensor, even APS-C, that has its own feel).

(Also, you mention wanting a "good mic" for the DSLR... the only really "good" mic is one placed close to the talent, on a stand, or on a boom in an operator's hands, or a lav attached to clothing. I'd factor in a boom, blimp, fur, pole, maybe even - at minimum - a Sennheiser G3 wireless setup or a good quality XLR wired lav - etc... and for a DSLR, a separate recorder).

See? There's no easy answer. And several of my opinions above could well start a flame war right in this thread. Only you really know what you need. When you decide, your questions will get more specific and people will be able to help you more.
 
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