zooroaster
Member
I am planning on purchasing a Pansonic ag dvx100a and want to eventually add redrock micro on it. Do I need to buy the bundle listed on their website at about 1700$!!! or is there a single adapter I can just buy?
Redrock Bundle?
- Thread starter zooroaster
- Start date
Chris Santucci
Veteran
No, you can buy just the adapter alone. And, you will need rods support for the M2, so go ahead and get theirs.
This is the adapter. You would need the achromat to use with this:
http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.472981/it.A/id.115/.f
This is the "Indie Bundle" which contains everything you'd need (I bought 2 but never got a hat...):
http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.472981/it.A/id.152/.f?sc=2&category=9
.
This is the adapter. You would need the achromat to use with this:
http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.472981/it.A/id.115/.f
This is the "Indie Bundle" which contains everything you'd need (I bought 2 but never got a hat...):
http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.472981/it.A/id.152/.f?sc=2&category=9
.
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zooroaster
Member
Ok thanks for the replies but here is the long and short of it: I am saving up for a camera. I am a beginner but have really become interested with cinematography and I also write so I decided to save up for something really nice not just some random 300-500 dollar camera. I am taking this very seriously and I want something with as great picture quality and as close to film texture as I can find. Then I found out that the Panasonic had 24p and with its relative price, it sounded like the perfect camera for my needs especially after reading the rave reviews. With my budget, I can only afford the 100a and even though I will probably have to get it used and will still take me some time to save up for it.
How much of increased quality will the redrock supply? and how essential is it especially if I want to start film short films and beyond if picture quality as comparable to film is my must need?
Thanks again.
How much of increased quality will the redrock supply? and how essential is it especially if I want to start film short films and beyond if picture quality as comparable to film is my must need?
Thanks again.
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Don't get a 35mm adapter if you're just starting out, especially if you can't afford the flip module. The light loss, additional setup time and need for a focus puller will kill your film. The fable "film look" isn't automatic with an adapter. Spend the money on audio, tripod or light, learn how to use the camera effectively, and then invest in an adapter.
Jeff Koenig
OMFGeek Member
Read Huy Vu's post, then re-read it about 400 times.
If you're just starting out, a 35mm adapter should be one of the last pieces of gear you buy. Learn your craft, make sure you have the audio and lighting equipment you need to make a good film, THEN start thinking about a 35mm adapter.
Cool out of focus backgrounds and nifty focus pulls mean nothing if your audio, lighting, and post production aren't up to speed.
-Jeff
zooroaster
Member
Well I have read it only 200 times but rest assure I will get there.
Lets say I gave myself around 500 dollars after buy my 100a for additional equipment. What would you guys suggest??? sounds like some sort of tripod/stand is a must?
Lets say I gave myself around 500 dollars after buy my 100a for additional equipment. What would you guys suggest??? sounds like some sort of tripod/stand is a must?
SomewhereinLA
Well-known member
I would get a good microphone and a cheap (used) tripod.
Jeff Koenig
OMFGeek Member
Tripods are necessary, yes. Having stability to your shots is a must; not everything can be hand-held.
The next two musts are 1) audio (you just can't get good sound with the on-camera mics) and 2) lighting (cameras need light to see and record a good image).
The sad truth to this hobby/occupation/passion is that no amount of money is ever enough. Most people take years to assemble a good kit because there's always something else to buy. Be it $500, $5000, or $50,000, I could spend it on a heartbeat on gear. And if anyone wanted to give me $500,000 or $5,000,000 I'm sure I could spend that, too, and still want more.
However, all is not lost! The advantage you have are the boards here at DVXuser and also at dvinfo.net. Both sites are heavily frequented by people just like you and me; passionate film making communities who want the best results but don't have unlimited dinero.
This is an advantage because you can generally find the best workable gear in several price ranges.
Some suggestions you're likely to come across on the forums include:
Tripod: you can get a tripod at Wal-Mart for $30, but if you do, you just wasted $30. There's simply nothing usable for less than a few hundred dollars. The bare minimum of general consensus for usability is the Bogen-Manfrotto 501 head with a decent set of legs ($300-$400). Again, usable, not great. Better would be the 503 head with sturdier legs ($800ish). To get to a tripod that people actually love, you're looking at the Schatler FSB-6 with decent legs (Miller are generally preferred to Schatler legs - never used Schatler legs but everything I've read says the heads are way better than the legs). A FSB-6 with good legs will run you at least $1200. Cartoni and Vinten also make good tripods in this price range, but most (not all) prefer the Schatler.
Lighting - Again, avoid wasting your money on anything too good to be true, especially light kits from EBay. The cheapest acceptable lights to work with come from Cool Lights USA. They suffer a bit on durability compared to the more professional Mole and Arri lights, but the quality of the light they produce is professional level. Anything cheaper than Cool Lights is a waste of money, and there are sellers out there peddling a whole lot of cheap crap for you to waste your money on. In order of cheapest to most expensive (and, arguably, worst to best, though opinions differ), the main trusted brands are Cool Lights, Lowell, Kino-Flo, Mole, and Arri. Lowell has some great light kits for beginners, and tons of accessories (flags, scrims, etc.), but they're quite a bit more expensive than Cool Lights (though a lot less than Arris), and not much better lights. For me, I would start with Cool Lights lights, accessorize with Lowell bits, and then skip Lowell lights completely for (used?) Moles and Arris when I was ready to upgrade.
Microphones: a search through the audio forums will turn up repeated mentions of two relatively inexpensive boom mics - Oktava MK012 and the Rode NTG-2. Research those and use them as starting points. Look at K-Tek and Rode for needed accessories like boom poles, zeppelins, and shock mounts. Rycote softies are a popular and relatively inexpensive wind protection for your mics. Wireless lavelier mics start with the Sennheiser UHF G2 100 system and Countryman B6 mics and go up from there.
Audio Mixers: vital for getting good, balanced audio. Lowest (usable) end is the Sign Video ENG-44 (just over $500), followed by the SD MixPre ($800) which only has 2 channels (ENG-44 has 4) but is a much sturdier build. Skip most of the cheap Azden stuff.
You can check out most of the items I mentioned at B&H Photo.
The basic rule is, as always: you get what you pay for. The above items are just a examples of what people have used that, yes, are not as good as more expensive gear, but represent the minimums for acceptable equipment.
Can you find items cheaper than any of these? Definitely! Will you be sorry you wasted your money on cheap gear? Definitely! Search the forums and trust the consensus of the masses, they're in the trenches with empty wallets just like you and I.
-Jeff
The next two musts are 1) audio (you just can't get good sound with the on-camera mics) and 2) lighting (cameras need light to see and record a good image).
The sad truth to this hobby/occupation/passion is that no amount of money is ever enough. Most people take years to assemble a good kit because there's always something else to buy. Be it $500, $5000, or $50,000, I could spend it on a heartbeat on gear. And if anyone wanted to give me $500,000 or $5,000,000 I'm sure I could spend that, too, and still want more.
However, all is not lost! The advantage you have are the boards here at DVXuser and also at dvinfo.net. Both sites are heavily frequented by people just like you and me; passionate film making communities who want the best results but don't have unlimited dinero.
This is an advantage because you can generally find the best workable gear in several price ranges.
Some suggestions you're likely to come across on the forums include:
Tripod: you can get a tripod at Wal-Mart for $30, but if you do, you just wasted $30. There's simply nothing usable for less than a few hundred dollars. The bare minimum of general consensus for usability is the Bogen-Manfrotto 501 head with a decent set of legs ($300-$400). Again, usable, not great. Better would be the 503 head with sturdier legs ($800ish). To get to a tripod that people actually love, you're looking at the Schatler FSB-6 with decent legs (Miller are generally preferred to Schatler legs - never used Schatler legs but everything I've read says the heads are way better than the legs). A FSB-6 with good legs will run you at least $1200. Cartoni and Vinten also make good tripods in this price range, but most (not all) prefer the Schatler.
Lighting - Again, avoid wasting your money on anything too good to be true, especially light kits from EBay. The cheapest acceptable lights to work with come from Cool Lights USA. They suffer a bit on durability compared to the more professional Mole and Arri lights, but the quality of the light they produce is professional level. Anything cheaper than Cool Lights is a waste of money, and there are sellers out there peddling a whole lot of cheap crap for you to waste your money on. In order of cheapest to most expensive (and, arguably, worst to best, though opinions differ), the main trusted brands are Cool Lights, Lowell, Kino-Flo, Mole, and Arri. Lowell has some great light kits for beginners, and tons of accessories (flags, scrims, etc.), but they're quite a bit more expensive than Cool Lights (though a lot less than Arris), and not much better lights. For me, I would start with Cool Lights lights, accessorize with Lowell bits, and then skip Lowell lights completely for (used?) Moles and Arris when I was ready to upgrade.
Microphones: a search through the audio forums will turn up repeated mentions of two relatively inexpensive boom mics - Oktava MK012 and the Rode NTG-2. Research those and use them as starting points. Look at K-Tek and Rode for needed accessories like boom poles, zeppelins, and shock mounts. Rycote softies are a popular and relatively inexpensive wind protection for your mics. Wireless lavelier mics start with the Sennheiser UHF G2 100 system and Countryman B6 mics and go up from there.
Audio Mixers: vital for getting good, balanced audio. Lowest (usable) end is the Sign Video ENG-44 (just over $500), followed by the SD MixPre ($800) which only has 2 channels (ENG-44 has 4) but is a much sturdier build. Skip most of the cheap Azden stuff.
You can check out most of the items I mentioned at B&H Photo.
The basic rule is, as always: you get what you pay for. The above items are just a examples of what people have used that, yes, are not as good as more expensive gear, but represent the minimums for acceptable equipment.
Can you find items cheaper than any of these? Definitely! Will you be sorry you wasted your money on cheap gear? Definitely! Search the forums and trust the consensus of the masses, they're in the trenches with empty wallets just like you and I.
-Jeff
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zooroaster
Member
Thank you very much Jeff!
I expected answers but not to that extent and I'll go on to say that thankfully replies such as yours have shown the ideology of the users on these boards: low on funds but high on passion and that is something I respect.
To further expand this query, are there certain things you would say is okay to get used/ebay(filters, lenses?) and some that are a must as new bought(such as the light kits you mentioned)?
I expected answers but not to that extent and I'll go on to say that thankfully replies such as yours have shown the ideology of the users on these boards: low on funds but high on passion and that is something I respect.
To further expand this query, are there certain things you would say is okay to get used/ebay(filters, lenses?) and some that are a must as new bought(such as the light kits you mentioned)?
Jeff Anderson
Custom Title!
Buy your lights used! I've gotten 3 650's and 2 1k's (all desisti) for less than 1000. There always seem to be a few of these as well as lowell, arri, mole available. Impact makes a nice cheap heavy duty lightstand for $50 or so.
Heck just about all of your equipment can be gotten used for much cheaper. Just have to keep an eye out on ebay and the marketplace around here. Get an assortment of fresnels, some black and white foamcore from your local hobby store (think flags and reflectors) some cinefoil/blackwrap, a roll of diffusion, and stands and sandbags and you have a stellar little light kit. You could add a china ball or two if needed. If you end up doing lots of bounced light look into PAR64 Cans. Much more effecient and cheaper than fresnels, but much uglier output. Doesnt matter if you are bouncing or hitting a large silk. My 1k was $20 new. Bulbs are less than 20.
Audio wise get the oktava, ntg2 (or 1 if you will always have phantom power) some xlr cable (learn to solder and make your own) and a good set of headphones for your boom op. Sony 7506 and Sennheiser 280's always get good reviews. Find a 12' boom pole (gitzo makes a good inexpensive one if you cant find a used one). Find a friend to be your boom op and make them watch the Sound for Film and TV DVD. Watch it with them, watch it repeatedly. Some good stuff there. If you still have some money get that boom op a mixer so they can stay away from the back of the camera.
Heck just about all of your equipment can be gotten used for much cheaper. Just have to keep an eye out on ebay and the marketplace around here. Get an assortment of fresnels, some black and white foamcore from your local hobby store (think flags and reflectors) some cinefoil/blackwrap, a roll of diffusion, and stands and sandbags and you have a stellar little light kit. You could add a china ball or two if needed. If you end up doing lots of bounced light look into PAR64 Cans. Much more effecient and cheaper than fresnels, but much uglier output. Doesnt matter if you are bouncing or hitting a large silk. My 1k was $20 new. Bulbs are less than 20.
Audio wise get the oktava, ntg2 (or 1 if you will always have phantom power) some xlr cable (learn to solder and make your own) and a good set of headphones for your boom op. Sony 7506 and Sennheiser 280's always get good reviews. Find a 12' boom pole (gitzo makes a good inexpensive one if you cant find a used one). Find a friend to be your boom op and make them watch the Sound for Film and TV DVD. Watch it with them, watch it repeatedly. Some good stuff there. If you still have some money get that boom op a mixer so they can stay away from the back of the camera.