Nick Navaro
Well-known member
I really need your help. I’m making a big career move and I’m really stuck on what equipment to get.
Basically, I produce a TV show about dance music-it’s broadcast on satellite TV in 6 different countries around the world at present, Canada, France, Holland, Portugal, Switzerland & Italy – The stations in Holland, Portugal and France also reach parts Africa and Asia too. And of course the internet is global, where the links are below.
Just watch the first 2 or 3 minutes of each to familiarise yourself. Amazingly I have shot these using just a Sony Z1 and Wide Angle Lens. I produced and directed and edited etc etc, all on my own. No help with anything at all.
Miami show - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnENPibFHIo
Ibiza show - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR8K5QCdHuo
I have since left that company and joining a new one. I want buy new equipment to make the shows look better and more professional. Will be using travel lights to light better, using tripod more when appropriate, better sound with a sound guy hopefully, etc...
I edit using Final Cut 7
I want to increase production values to get on more TV stations and more distribution deals.
What camera and lenses should I get?
On a couple of recent gigs I have rented and tested the following
Panny HPX2700
Pros – amazing quality images, AVC intra 100mbs
Cons – Ridiculously large and heavy! Not practical for most of my shoots
Canon F305
Pros – Good image, light, affordable, zoom lens, 50mbs bit rate, XLR inputs
Cons – MXF files, zoom is very slow, no knob on the zoom ring for quick dynamic ‘mtv style’ shots- like there was on the Z1.
Lumix GH1 (hacked 80mbs)
Pros – small, lightweight, good image
Cons – not flexible enough with standard lens, no XLR, transferring the files to use in FCP was a nightmare- I had to use a converter and it would only max at 15mbs!??
Others I’ve not tested but are in the picture
JVC 790
Pros – MOV file format for easy ingestion, relatively cheap (compared to HPX’s), CCD
Cons – 1/3” sensor, low bit rate, boooooo
HPX3100
Pros – Amazing image 2/3” CCD, 100mbs AVC Intra
Cons – Very expensive for body and lens, still quite big like 2700
Panny AF100
Pros – small, cheap, M4/3” sensor, XLR, 12 hours recording
Cons – Only 24 mbs bit rate, no specific lenses available (!!).
I think the AF100 would be good (on paper), but my friend has been speaking with Jan Crittenden at Panasonic and she says there are no lenses yet, but it works with a range of current M4/3” lenses. However, when using cine-lenses for example there is a x2 crop factor and a 25mm lens, becomes the equivalent of 50mm lens on 35mm film. So you lose your AOV.
I can’t work out if this would be a big problem for me. I’ve heard of ultra-wide 7mm lenses but not seen any, so this would give 14mm on the AF100 chip. And this as a prime would be cool. Also, is there a good zoom lens to use on the AF100, as an all-purpose lens?
From what I’ve seen of the DSLR’s like the 7D and 5D shooting video I don’t really like them. And I downloaded and watch the last episode of House too.
Ultimately what I need is a true 35mm chip like in the RED, or even 3 x 2/3” CCD’s as found in the HPX2700, but in the body of the AF100 or even the Canon F305. Haha! Wishful thinking hey. But I guess the day will come. Until that day. What should I get?????
PS VERY IMPORTANT - I like the AF100, but a good CCD would be ideal as I film in a lot of clubs and the CMOS flashband artefact is a pain...
Please help.
Nick
Basically, I produce a TV show about dance music-it’s broadcast on satellite TV in 6 different countries around the world at present, Canada, France, Holland, Portugal, Switzerland & Italy – The stations in Holland, Portugal and France also reach parts Africa and Asia too. And of course the internet is global, where the links are below.
Just watch the first 2 or 3 minutes of each to familiarise yourself. Amazingly I have shot these using just a Sony Z1 and Wide Angle Lens. I produced and directed and edited etc etc, all on my own. No help with anything at all.
Miami show - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnENPibFHIo
Ibiza show - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR8K5QCdHuo
I have since left that company and joining a new one. I want buy new equipment to make the shows look better and more professional. Will be using travel lights to light better, using tripod more when appropriate, better sound with a sound guy hopefully, etc...
I edit using Final Cut 7
I want to increase production values to get on more TV stations and more distribution deals.
What camera and lenses should I get?
On a couple of recent gigs I have rented and tested the following
Panny HPX2700
Pros – amazing quality images, AVC intra 100mbs
Cons – Ridiculously large and heavy! Not practical for most of my shoots
Canon F305
Pros – Good image, light, affordable, zoom lens, 50mbs bit rate, XLR inputs
Cons – MXF files, zoom is very slow, no knob on the zoom ring for quick dynamic ‘mtv style’ shots- like there was on the Z1.
Lumix GH1 (hacked 80mbs)
Pros – small, lightweight, good image
Cons – not flexible enough with standard lens, no XLR, transferring the files to use in FCP was a nightmare- I had to use a converter and it would only max at 15mbs!??
Others I’ve not tested but are in the picture
JVC 790
Pros – MOV file format for easy ingestion, relatively cheap (compared to HPX’s), CCD
Cons – 1/3” sensor, low bit rate, boooooo
HPX3100
Pros – Amazing image 2/3” CCD, 100mbs AVC Intra
Cons – Very expensive for body and lens, still quite big like 2700
Panny AF100
Pros – small, cheap, M4/3” sensor, XLR, 12 hours recording
Cons – Only 24 mbs bit rate, no specific lenses available (!!).
I think the AF100 would be good (on paper), but my friend has been speaking with Jan Crittenden at Panasonic and she says there are no lenses yet, but it works with a range of current M4/3” lenses. However, when using cine-lenses for example there is a x2 crop factor and a 25mm lens, becomes the equivalent of 50mm lens on 35mm film. So you lose your AOV.
I can’t work out if this would be a big problem for me. I’ve heard of ultra-wide 7mm lenses but not seen any, so this would give 14mm on the AF100 chip. And this as a prime would be cool. Also, is there a good zoom lens to use on the AF100, as an all-purpose lens?
From what I’ve seen of the DSLR’s like the 7D and 5D shooting video I don’t really like them. And I downloaded and watch the last episode of House too.
Ultimately what I need is a true 35mm chip like in the RED, or even 3 x 2/3” CCD’s as found in the HPX2700, but in the body of the AF100 or even the Canon F305. Haha! Wishful thinking hey. But I guess the day will come. Until that day. What should I get?????
PS VERY IMPORTANT - I like the AF100, but a good CCD would be ideal as I film in a lot of clubs and the CMOS flashband artefact is a pain...
Please help.
Nick