Next camera to look for used after the HVX-200 (which won't break the bank)

B

brandonpaterno

New member
Hi !!

I came upon an HVX early this year which I've really enjoyed. Being aware of its limitations, I've been doing as much research and testing as I can to get the camera to perform well in post. I've been using the camera this past semester as my main camera for classes and it's worked out really well. I've been particularly impressed with the color of the camera, the global shutter, and the latitude... all things considered! It definitely helps that I've never worked with 10BIT video outside of a very brief stint with an Ursa 4.6K.
While shooting my last project I've been missing out on the variety of lenses a typical camera would afford, and so I was wondering if there's any relatively affordable version of this same sensor and compression algorithm in an ENG body? I would miss the not quite sharp and not quite perfectly resolving quality of the camera, but maybe I'm bound to lose this as there's probably a lot going on with the HVX lens in tandem with the software. Maybe in terms of absolute cheapness the GH1 or GH2 might be the best option? Seems too sharp and compressed to me frankly
 
This is an interesting question because many of us can understand that desire to have something similar, maybe even nostalgic, to something we already love, but it's also a beauty-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder question as well because many would consider the HVX200 very soft by today's standards...so I think you might have to just watch a lot of YouTube and test as many systems as possible.

ENG, hmm...maybe a HPX500 which was commonly used with the HVX200 back then.

A GH2 could be an interesting find. This also wouldn't be considered a sharp video camera by today's standards but maybe it would be fun playing around with hacking it with the different patches and what not (some people captured amazing results back then and it was a very eye-opening time on how software/hardware purposely limits tech).
 
I appreciate older cameras that deliver a softer look too. It's become of a hobby of mine. There are several ways to achieve this kind of look, and some things that you can pull off in post. But for capturing a look like this in camera, I think you're looking for a small (or windowed) sensor behind a mirrorless mount.

To stay in 3CCD territory, you could look at something like an older Panasonic Varicam or Sony F900. But those are pretty big cameras. The Canon XL-H1 is smaller. I still think that the lens options are pretty limited though, and the fast primes are still quite pricey.

Take a look at the Canon EOS-M. It can be hacked to shoot raw video, and is amazingly stable in 2023. You can also crop in on the sensor, opening up the possibility of using Super16, 16mm, and even Super8 lenses. Here's some footage that I recently captured with an old Super8 Angenieux zoom lens. I tweaked the color a bit, but the softness was all achieved in-camera. It's a good example of what a lens can do for your footage.

The original BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Micro Cinema Camera have 1in sensors and can be rigged up into whatever you need them to be. I still think the EOS-M is more versatile though, because you can choose your crop. 16mm lenses are a lot more readily available and affordable than dedicated Super 16 lenses.

GH1 and GH2 are okay too, but you're getting into large sensor territory.

And it isn't have an interchangeable lens camera, but I really enjoy my little Panasonic FZ47. It also have a CCD sensor and very importantly, full manual control.
 
If you want to buy a gh1
(or any other camera) test it on your hand,- not on tripod- you might not be happy with its rolling shutter...


you also can upscale hvx footage to 1080 , some softwer do this well, Topaz and davinchi depend ways to use result diferent, you can get beter image ...
 
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