re: question for the DVX G-ds

B

Brian Schiller

Member
re: question for the DVX G-ds

Hi guys,

I'm about to buy the Panasonic DVX100B to shoot my feature documentary. I have a bunch of grants to shoot this doc. The documentary will be shot cinema verite, incorporating interviews and followed action. Pretty standard. However, I was just paging through a magazine and saw the advertisement for a new handheld Canon HD camera for $1300. Isn't HD a preferred format to shoot? And if so, since it is a lot cheaper than the DVX, can you provide me with compelling reasons why I shouldn't buy this camera to shoot my documentary, instead? Hope you guys can help with some thoughtful answers.

Best,

Brian
 
Hey Brian,

First and foremost, shoot with whatever camera fits your needs. If you feel that DVX isn't right for the job, screw everyone else, use what you want.

However for a feature is a consumer HD camcorder going to fit all your needs?

HD is great, sure no one is denying that. However here are some questions to consider.

Do you want your project to be 24p? Maybe not nessesary for a doc, a lot of people like to use the sony pd150s and 170s and vx2100 for docs, which don't have 24p.

Do you want manual control? Are you find with the auto focus or would you like to manually control your camera?

How are you capturing your audio? Are you recording via a DAT recorder, or a harddrive? Are you planning to record audio straight into the camcorder? If so does the camera you are looking at have xlr imputs?

HD is just one factor in picking out a camera. But there are other things to be considered.

What is going to be done with your finished docs?
Will you be sending it out to film festivals?
HD would be good for making film transfers, HD with 24p would be the best option.
If you are planning to put your doc on DVD, HD won't do you much good. DVD's don't do HD yet, so it would have to be converted to SD anyways.
Is your doc being sold to tv? Maybe your local PBS? Will they need SD or HD?

Just remember it's not our job to sell you the camera, but it is your job for making sure you invest in the best tools for your needs.
 
Thanks epsilon...very informative. The dvx has the xlr imputs and I do intend to record audio straight into the camera. Also, I do want to shoot on 24P as that seems to be the prefered and more popular way to go. I've only seen and heard great things about that. I do like the idea of having the option of using automatic focus, but that is a small consideration. I do intend to send this out to film festivals, but I'm not sure if that HD camera for $1300 shoots in 24P...so I'm thinking the Panasonic 100B is the best option for me. Thanks again.
 
Well, i wasn't too caught up with the times. I just looked into the information about that 1300 hd camera, and it actually looks like it does have the 24p going on. Which is what the big hoopla is about it.

Something else to consider is that it isn't too difficult to capture audio seperate from the camera. With either a DAT machine, or even like a laptop with protools, an mbox, and a small mixer. If you don't have this stuff, its very likely you can find someone with it. It would require the extra work of syncing it up later, and having to use a clap board, but in the end it would probably be better for your project rather than taping directly into the camcorder.

With a seperate person opperating sound, you have someone to monitor, so audio doesn't peak, or isn't too quiet, or notice if an air conditioner goes on.

It looks like if you go for that HD cam you won't have all the control over color and image that the DVX has, however if you have good editing software, you could color correct all the images in post.

Now if you haven't gotten either camera yet, and your looking for the best output for both the video and audio I'd say consider all sides of the options.

Hypothetically you could go for the HD camera, and then still have at least another 1,500 that you could invest into getting a sound person who can probably get you better sound than if you just went from boom to xlr input. For Docs, lavaliers are pretty crucial for sound, with the boom pole.

Another option just to throw out there is another cannon HD camcorder (XH-A1) thats only 600 more than the DVX that is HD and 24p and has xlrs and all the color controls that the dvx offers.
 
Im a mere mortal when it comes to the dvx but I was the shooter for a doc that utilized the dvx100b and I loved it. After the shoot I bought the camera off the director and started some of my own projects. My only potential regret is that my new camera, and any camera for that matter becomes last years goods so fast. My higher enlightened self says do what you can to use the best without buying it. If thats not an option theres great info here to determine what your getting into.
My last word on this and its purely an observation, but if you look at this years sundance festival almost every doc or feature shot with video that was in the competition used a Canon HD camera. I noticed this just thumbing through there film guide.
good luck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top