New camera advice

[Aneurysm]

Up until now I’ve been shooting on a DVX-100B for events, documentaries, and interiors and exteriors on short films. However, I’ve been looking to upgrade to something that surpasses the DVX’s limitations (eg.: inability to handle low light scenes without noisy gamma boost, a codec that doesn’t allow for much latitude in keying/color correction/grading, fixed lens, limited DOF options, tape-based media, moiré, ho-rendous color aliasing, no ability to record in slow-motion, and of course it’s SD).


The AF-100 looks like a good option, except for one thing: no servo zoom. This kind of precludes certain event/documentary situations (even with the versatility of the Lumix 14-140mm lens). So I'm left wondering if I should go for the AF-100 or something like the HMC-150, or some other HD camera.



It seems I can't have something that's both good for cinematic shooting and ENG (unless a 35mm adapter is used, and I'd rather avoid that avenue).



What would you all advise?

 

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Do you really need to zoom while recording? The 14-140 zoom mechanism is not the smoothest, not sure someone can zoom that properly while recording if one wants a smooth zoom effect like in camcorders or ENG lenses.

What you can do is just work without in-shot zooms, just like most of narrative work is done.

 

[J Davis]

Do you really need to zoom while recording? The 14-140 zoom mechanism is not the smoothest...

+1 what he says
there is no still zoom lens of any brand or any set of focal lengths that will give you a video zoom shot, for that you need a cine zoom lens and they cost real money