Need help from you genius users

C

Christopher_Neil

New member
Hello all, just signed up to the DVXUSER TODAY!!!! I need help, I am a director, shooter and editor, I know little technicalities, I want to learn, but here is my issue.

I am in need of equipment, a camera to the least extent. I am willing to invest up to $6000 in a camera and an adapter to push some great looking footage. I've been researching for weeks and I'm always up and down about the situation. This is what I am looking for..

Questions

1. I am interested in purchasing the HVX200a with a SGBLADE lens adapter, where is the best place to purchase the HVX200a? I've found that besides the scamming camera sites, I'm going to invest my entire 6k on the camera itself it seams... is there a better price on this camera lower than 5k out there?

2. I have used the JVC Everio which shoots to a hard drive for the past three years, with no lens adapter getting some alright footage and loving the easy transport of the footage from the harddrive. I recently found this link, about rigging up a consumer canon harddrive camera to some lens adapters and such, is this a smart idea? can this produce good looking material in comparision to a HVX200a with a lens adapter?

3. My set up issue for editing is that I have a Power PC, 2.5 ghz computer with 4GB of ram, I am in need of an intel processor computer, my girlfriend has an intel mac which I've used but for some reason I get the same results from both computers depending if the footage will run on my computer, but the rendering issues happen between both computers. If I can find a consumer camcorder that I can beef up with a lens adapter and spend around 2k give or take, and put the rest of my investment into a 8 core computer, I would be satisfied as well, being able to cut at great speeds and less wait time on the render, but sacrificing quality of the footage. Which route should i take? Buy a greater camera and work around the capture setting of DV tapes between my computer and my girlfriends? Or, purchase a cheaper camera that shoots to a harddrive, spice it up with the adapter and purchase an insane computer being able to work around some of the image issues with spicing up the post work?

Thank you all for your help, I am really in a bind and some outside sources and answers from people that use and abuse our love of film and camera op technology, is a satisfying feeling. Look forward to your helps.

Christopher Neil
559-977-4846
www.062785.com
 
even a bare bones adapter setup (rails, follow focus, mattebox, LENSES) is going to be at LEAST $3k. my brevis, indifocus, zacuto, used nikon lenses and pelican kit was about $5000 if i recall. factor in about another grand for a monitor...

your computer is FINE. unless you NEED after effects CS4 or the NEWEST FCP or other software that requires an inetl mac. my old quad G5 2.5 isnt remarkably slower than my new octocore macpro...

maybe tell us a bit more about the kind of work you intend to do.

you might also consider RENTING cameras as needed for the time being. there are things afoot like DSLRs and the eventual red scarlet that might changes the landscape a bit...
 
wgzn said:
even a bare bones adapter setup (rails, follow focus, mattebox, LENSES) is going to be at LEAST $3k. my brevis, indifocus, zacuto, used nikon lenses and pelican kit was about $5000 if i recall. factor in about another grand for a monitor...

your computer is FINE. unless you NEED after effects CS4 or the NEWEST FCP or other software that requires an inetl mac. my old quad G5 2.5 isnt remarkably slower than my new octocore macpro...

maybe tell us a bit more about the kind of work you intend to do.

you might also consider RENTING cameras as needed for the time being. there are things afoot like DSLRs and the eventual red scarlet that might changes the landscape a bit...
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Thank you for the feed back.

Ok, nice to know that the new octocore isn't any faster than older power pc, this is a huge relief to my pocket but what if I purchase a octocore with 16gb of sdram?

To clarify what I'm going to do with all this equipment is a toss-up. I'll list the speculated events that may bring in income and the list of things I will be doing regardless of income with the equipment.

MONEY MAKING LIST
1. shoot, direct and edit music videos, charging for package deal, search for gigs
2. DP for a day, week, rent out my abilities with the camera equipment for gigs (short film, music video, feature, etc.)
3. From listed events, try to gain access into a solid paying job with a production company

TASKS TO ACCOMPLISH WITHOUT PAY
1. Shoot my feature film that is ready to go, push to film festivals, try to gain notice from movement of film
2. Shoot short films and enter them into festivals
3. Spec Shoots and pitch to advertisers
4. Build a stronger visual resume, reel and pieces of work

OVERALL

I do agree with the arise of the RED Scarlet the game is going to change, and I'm noticing that the lens package with lens is going to be expensive, but at this point, I really have no networks.. I am trying to find a solution to getting a stable job in this economy and this competitive market, it's difficult with what I have. A computer, no material, and a reel and resume which doesn't enforce my capabilities to those in the market in need of editorial services. I also am looking towards the octocore, because I do know AfterEffects, and I want to be able to use this to my advantage, unfortunately the CS3 version I run on my power pc, is SOOOOOO slow!!

I know in my timeframe and the level of insanity I can bare, I am in need to make a decision soon. Yes, I would love to get on the list to get a RED Scarlet, but how long is the wait? My friend who was on the list for the RED ONE, waited two years!!! I don't have that time and especially with the rise of technology and great users of technology who are in highschool, my efforts to do something needs to be done now, before this technology arises and I'm singled out.

So, it is complicated, I could rent, I called and talked to a guy today, I can rent his HVX200a for a day, for $150, with no lens adapter. So I can mess with the camera and get some test footage, but then with that test footage, if I had a gig, for instance, a music video, I have to rent the camera again, pay for two days work, possibly three of shooting, flushing out another $450, and still not have that DOF that I am dyeing to have.

Maybe I am a little to anxious to produce great products in lack of not having money and being able to take a risk to better myself, is a chance I'm willing to take rather than wait for something to happen, but again, thank you for the post, I hope more out there will help me figure out what I should do and the pointers.
 
the new octocore isn't any faster than older power pc
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i did NOT say it isnt ANY faster, i said isnt REMARKABLY faster. there IS a speed increase, but not as much of one as id have expected. what WILL be a noticeable speed increase on ANY machine is if you are currently rendering to an external firewire drive is to get an eSATA card and a good eSATA raid drive. where the move to intel from ppc shaved off several seconds, adding 16 gigs of ram shaved off a few more. moving from firewire800 to eSATA sahved off several MINUTES from render times. in after effects and FCP

and be patient. i fear that you may be (like many others) drunk on the "DOF koolaid" a 35mm adapter DOES without a doubt open up a lot of new creative possibilities. but it also opens up a ton of variables you have to manage. first of which is time on set. adapters typically EAT light. so you will need to concern yourself with that. adapter setup EATS time, you will need to deal with that. and lens choices. are you experienced with still photography and lenses? you cant just throw any cheap DSLR lens from best buy or target on an adapter and hope to get great results. where the 20x zoom lens on the handy-dandy camcorder provided you with a lot of creative latitude, the best choice for adapter use are old-school manual-focus prime lenses. so you will need to have your arsenal of lenses and KNOW HOW TO WIELD THEM. and again i bring up external monitor - few if any people use adapters without an external HD quality monitor... and about $800 ($500 used) is about the cheapest you'll leave that discussion

i dont know what your background is but it sounds to me like youre young and the best advice might be to work with what youve got, dont just dump all your savings into a camera and expect that to bring in work. everybodys got a cam. this cam, that cam, whatever cam...

1. shoot, direct and edit music videos, charging for package deal, search for gigs
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every douchebag out there either wants to or thinks they can direct music videos and feature films (trust me, i came from the graphic design world nearly 2 decades ago and "desktop publishing" made every bored housewife think she was a graphic designer! and the same thing is happening now with desktop video and budget HD cams) there are so many people clamoring for groovy music video, short and feature film type work and it IS out there. but the competition is FIERCE. and there are people way more experienced and way more equipped than you are who are doing it for cut rates just to pay for their shiny new "RED ONE". not saying that you cant or that youre not as or more talented than those guys, but dropping your cash on gear isnt in itself going to change that situation.

i suggest taking jobs as you can get them with what you have (because aside from daily camera availability, nothing in your purchase plan is going to change your situation overnight) and to offer to work for free or cheaply for established companies and learn the ropes... i wish i had. i went through trial by fire on my own dime for years, just because my ego told me that was the way to go...
 
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Well, you're right, I should be patient, wait for the scarlet, but right now, I need to do something to keep my sanity, and to stray from murdering a RED user and making love to his camera next to his carcass. I'm attaching a link of the FIERCE competition, a nice guy, highschool kid, who has inspired me to get his camera set up so that I may let my ideas flourish.

HIS SET UP
HVX200a
SGBLADE
NIKKON LENSES

link

yes this footage he shot with his Canon XH-A1, but the music video he did was shot with the HVX. Great looking footage, he obviously knows his stuff, puts thought into it and does good work. Needless to say, it looks good, that's really all that matters in the making money world. But if he in change, didn't have the camera, and had the last camera I had, yes, maybe he would make some cool videos, maybe he would prove us wrong, and make a cool music video with concept, but would the value have what it has in these videos, no, and at his age and point, he's ****ing good. This is what he does, and this is what I do, but I don't have what he has, equipment.

If we really want to break it down to lament terms, if my mommy and daddy where ****ing rich, I could just hire a crew and writers, producers, etc. and have a feature made and probably have it shown in theaters, due to simply being rich. But unfortunately, I don't, you don't, if you did you would be making Star Wars X, and would give a **** about DVXusers.com.

Overall, thanks for the input, I'll think about my questions before posting so I don't waste space and time upon the forum. I'm going to take the dive and if I get some footage I'll post it for some ****'s n giggles, or to say, "Thanks guys!!"
 
i got about halfway through that clip before having to close it to keep my eyes from bleeding.

"one trick pony" appropriate lyric for that footage. hes a high school kid. and my critique is overly harsh for such but in the spirit of your questions i think its valid.

yes, he has cute depth of field effects - and its fine work for a youngster. but if you think that footage is good you ARE drunk. his ability to use DOF relative to the context is non-existant and his camera moves are HORRIBLE. nearly unwatchable in fact. the kid should have bought a good tripod before he bought an adapter. and i think you might be well advised to do the same. the money he spent on his adapter would have bought him a pretty slick tripod and the time to learn how to use it. all the DOF in the world aint worth chicken piss if you cant control your frame of view!

YES with a DOF adapter you will win a few stupid and probably underfunded clients with your sexy look and "package deal." but that will run out quickly. then the other cats who know how to use their adapters will swoop in and kill you. from a business sense of course ; )

again, not trying to pee on your picnic. i say get in and play! but do it wisely. if you lived in houston id hire you tomorrow and put you to work schlepping gear and logging footage
 
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If we really want to break it down to lament terms,
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thats "layman's terms" from the word laity. lay person, "lay"meaning common person or someone who is not an expert on the given topic.
yes, im being petty discussing grammar. but i think in this context its appropriate to point out where wisdom and capital expenditure converge

if my mommy and daddy where poo pooing rich, I could just hire a crew and writers, producers, etc. and have a feature made and probably have it shown in theaters, due to simply being rich.
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no. thats not exactly true. money in and of itself isnt going to buy success. it can but dont fool yourself.

But unfortunately, I don't, you don't, if you did you would be making Star Wars X, and would give a poo poo about DVXusers.com.
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again, no. and this is where your youth is showing. just because you work in video/film doesnt mean that your goal is to direct music videos and blockbuster films. i wonder if simply because of where you live (im basing this on the location under your username) you are also drunk on the expectation of the video/film/music/media vocation?

I'll think about my questions before posting so I don't waste space and time upon the forum.
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NO! dont do that. your questions are superb and are more than valid. but they are also typical and based on very limited actual real world information - as nearly ALL questions at your stage are. they are good questions and they have a TON of possible answers. dont think that just because i choose to point out the error of you logic that im saying youre stupid. you are off to a very good start and are asking the right questions. but please. listen to others before you make young, ego and testosterone driven decisions.

im just one guy, lets see how many others jump in tomorrow...

cheers!
 
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You make valid points, I'm not going to argue with you, I agree and I appreciate the update on terms, it's good to know the right way to post to someone. :) Any how, I think at my stand point, personally, I can only answer the question I have set up for myself. And yes, I hope others join in so I can receive more input. There's so much to consider in "GOOD" film making, but when it comes down to making money and a living, the point I wanted to make is, a kid that has equipment to provide a good looking reel may be enough to get some clients, and you agree, and that's all I will need in order to pay off the camera. I of course, have some knowledge in areas he may not, due to a little bit of schooling in film, but one cannot say they know enough until they've done it enough, and that is another reason I am in need of a camera, a good camera this time around, is to greaten and learn what I haven't of the film process. Hey, if I was in Houston I would jump on your offer.

Ha, your eyes bleeding, I mean, he does need to sharpen up somethings, but for me, my reel and his, side by side comparison to someone who doesn't know what true cinematography is all about, may look at his reel and consider his work before mine for a gig, simply on looks. But what do i know, I get gigs still with what I have, so that must say something. Either way I enjoy the constructive criticism and await the voices of this forum.

P.S. Money does account for somethings, let's be honest, paris hilton didn't get into movies because she was a good actress, her porno put her on the mainstream, and before that, her wealth put her in front of the press...
 
This may sound stupid, but, why a HVX200a ? do you really need a tape recorder ?
Check out the HPX170 ! That's what I have and I'm really happy with it !
 
The HPX170 also has a bundled 16GB p2 card and a $500.00 rebate.

Shop around Panasonic authorized and you'll get all that after rebate for about $4400.
 
I definitely will check out the HPX171E and HPX170. I would rather work with straight conversion workflow rather than the old school tape method. Thanks for the tip. Do you two have any links to personal footage with the HPX170's? I'll search on vimeo for some footage.
 
from an imagery standpoint. an hpx170 is more or less an hvx200 with less noise and better low light performance. i have owned both and greatly prefer the hpx170
 
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