Help me decide, Nikon D3100, D7000, Canon 7D, T2i or Panasonic GH1 w/ hack?

[YOUNG GUN FILMS]

I'm in need of some input, well i'm having a hard time deciding, sure I can afford any of these cameras but i'm also on a budget, i'm a Nikon shooter going for 4 years now, so Nikon would be ideal to save me $$ not having to convert all my lenses/buy a converter, but I REALLY like the GH1 and saw one for $650, hacked body only.

I think I've narrowed it down to the D7000, D3100 and GH1, I like the D3100 because it's the most affordable of all but one thing it's lacking, it's an entry level dslr so it doesn't have the built in wireless flash so i can trigger my flashes off camera when doing photography, but unless you guys can give me some reasons to go with the Canons.

I'll mostly be shooting music videos and some short films for school.

 

[xenogears]

Low budget, all kinds of lenses you can find, easy to move with it, no moire or aliasing problems my vote is for the GH13.

 

[maranfilms]

For the life of me, I cant figure out why people have such a hard time deciding on which camera to buy. Is it really that hard to look at the features of each cam, then decide which best fits your needs?

There tons of info on each cam you list, comparisons, cat tests, and even dog tests. what more do you need to decide.

 

[AndrewGentle]

I have a T2i which I've been happy with. The moiré is annoying when it happens but often it's not a problem, you just need to be careful with your choice of subject.

I love Nikon and have a few nice lenses. The D7000 looks good except that it doesn't offer 25p in 1080p (important in PAL land) and you can't change the aperture after you've entered Live View mode or during movie recording. So close, Nikon, please get it right in whatever replaces the D700!

 

[YOUNG GUN FILMS]

my internet is not very fast for me to be comparing videos and all that, id rather get input from those who have actual experience with these cameras.. and thanks to those who have so far. Whats the highest and most stable mbps and fps for the GH13? i've seen 75 and 89 mbps and 300fps and 600fps, but i dont know if that was a lie?

 

[Snapper123]

Well, I think it truly depends on if you're comfortable hacking your camera and being technical in that department. So far, the GH series have to be hacked to really compete with anything (or else you have to be very efficient at knowing how to handle interlaced footage), and the downside is that the newer models and their firmware have some sort of anti-hack thing going on (you have to buy one where the seller says it's hackable, I believe.) Next, the T2i is now hackable as well, with a billion useful features. I'm not sure if the T2i's hack can change the bit rate, so between the two hacks, the GH1 has for sure just a bit better quality (less aliasing, slightly sharper, slightly higher bit rate) and the T2i's hack for sure has manual audio, all kinds of histograms and whatnot, ect ect. I'm not sure of the specific details.

If you don't feel like installing the hacks, the 60D would be my personal choice - it has enough of every world to go on, manual audio, extensive white balance and ISO, histograms, swivel screen, in-camera photograph editing, built-in level, ect ect it truly is the best non-hack package there is, and it also has the widest range kit lens if you want to purchase that (I'd save the money though and get a constant aperture IS lens, best choice for filmmaking.) Next, there's the 7D, which if I'm not mistaken has some sort of positive when it comes to monitors, and there's the non-hacked T2i, which is junk for how it costs just as much as a 60D and has nothing useful with it.

For one, you have to make sure any Nikon choice has manual exposure - it seems like they don't, so knock them out. In all reality, the 7D was a big time camera for a very long time, but the fact is that many shooters would find both the hacked T2i or regular 60D more useful in filmmaking, especially budget filmmaking and quick shooting, so I'd knock the 7D out as well. The GH1 series requires you to hack them for them to compete, and you also have to find one with the older firmware or whatever, so that route may be sketchy. In my opinion, I think it'd be down to the T2i or 60d - 60D if you don't prefer hacking, probably the T2i if you do.

Thing is, I wouldn't worry about the adapters, they're tiny little devices and they also work fine I'm guessing. Nikon is the sharpest glass around and seems to do wonders on the Canon DSLR's, so I'd keep your lens stock if I were you!

 

[YOUNG GUN FILMS]

thanks for the in-depth input, i appreciate it. I found a hacked gh1 for $650 only used once. I think that might be the cheapest choice. 60d sounds like a good choice too, the swivel screen just like the gh1 would be helpful. Any good adapters out there that will meter with my lens? or is every single one manual focus and aperture?

 

[Pascal D.]

I have a hacked GH1 and I like but in low light with a sensitivity to the top of 800ASA and sometimes at 800ASA you can have a banding trouble on your images, that the reason if I were you would choose a 60D or a GH2 ( without this banding trouble at 3200ASA).

 

[jambredz]

if i were jumping in the game now it would be a gh2. no (or considerably less) moire and aliasing, good lowlight from what i've seen. I'm not sure where they are on the nanoflash issue...and a plethora of lenses that can be adapted to it, full HD monitoring (only 7d does that on your list i think). I have a 7d myself but i;ve had that for some time now. I'm not (or i'm going to try very hard) not to buy a gh2 or another cam next year because i have other essentials to get like lighting and lenses ect that are more important than what camera you have.

 

[dmpsk8]

Love my 7D.

If I were in the market these days I'd be pretty torn between a 60D and a GH2. I love the stills ability of the canons.

 

[ROCKMORE]

For the life of me, I cant figure out why people have such a hard time deciding on which camera to buy. Is it really that hard to look at the features of each cam, then decide which best fits your needs?

There tons of info on each cam you list, comparisons, cat tests, and even dog tests. what more do you need to decide.

People are here because they like to talk about cameras and technology. It's a relaxed place for friendly discussion.
Things are changing globally by the minute and this is where we go to find up to date information. The cat and dog tests may be out of date already.
There is no such thing as a stupid question here, but possibly a stupid answer.

 

[ROCKMORE]

thanks for the in-depth input, i appreciate it. I found a hacked gh1 for $650 only used once. I think that might be the cheapest choice. 60d sounds like a good choice too, the swivel screen just like the gh1 would be helpful. Any good adapters out there that will meter with my lens? or is every single one manual focus and aperture?

I've been shooting with the 550D on paying projects since March alongside an EX3. It's a great camera. I would sell it and get the 60D but the price has dropped so much on the 550D that I'll keep it for a 2nd camera when I upgrade. I was offered $600, not worth parting with for that price.
You would smart to take your time before building a collection of gear to go with the camera. lenses with no external aperture control won't work well on competing brands. Until you settle on a format a safe way to experiment is with older manual lenses like Nikon, Olympus, Pentax etc. They will all be able to go with most other new camera brands simply by changing the adapter.
One thing that I like about Canon is the option to use lenses on both 550D/60D and full frame 5D. No other camera manufacturer has this option. (Not yet anyway). When the new 5D Mark 3 hits next year the bottom will fall out of the price on 5D Mark 2. That will be a great time to pick one up.

 

[Samuel H]

if I had to buy a camera in a month, I think I'd go GH2, the other options being 550D or 60D

in any case, take GH13 out of the list, it's not available anymore (new GH1's are not hackable)

 

[PerroneFord]

I love Nikon and have a few nice lenses. The D7000 looks good except that it doesn't offer 25p in 1080p (important in PAL land) and you can't change the aperture after you've entered Live View mode or during movie recording. So close, Nikon, please get it right in whatever replaces the D700!

What?

Grab the lens, change the dial. Done.

I do the same on my 550D.

 

[YOUNG GUN FILMS]

thanks guys, decided to go with the gh1 w/ gh13 hack for now found a good deal on one. I'll buy the next camera to come out either gh2 or whatever Nikon or Canon bring out to shake up the market.