Stupid to buy new cam?

Evan S

Evan S

Veteran
Does anyone else think it's stupid to buy a new cam right now? I own a DVC30. Had it for a while. I want to go HD, or at least something capable of 24p. The problem is, I'm broke between car payments and other bills. I've got no monies! I don't like to rent. I'm one of those people who sit and caress their camera with love (like a wife you know).

So the question is... is it dumb to say, "finance" a camera. I would rather buy one outright, I am kind of holding out however. Hoping someone release an HDcam that has 24p and manual controls that is similar to the HV20! (lol, and I'll only buy it if it's 1,500)

So this is not a question of what cam to buy... but if I should buy it or not? How else are you people making enough money to afford your nasty addicting cocaine like hobby of videomaking!?
 
Well since you brought up cocaine - those with a bad habit often turn to dealing so they can afford their habit. So start making some money with what you do have and then make other people pay for your addiction.
 
nicely put jdajda.

do you really need HD?
if its bothering you that bad why not sell the dvc30 and get a used DVX for the true 24p?

all though it doesnt have 24p ive seen nice things shot with the dvc30.
 
Personally, I think with the advent of HD in consumer cams, and pro's buying up the HV20's could lead to either a cam that is inbetween pro and consumer and offer 24p and manual controls for at least 2,000. (like the new panny that is coming out, even though it doesn't sound all that great, the avchd one) So, I think I want to hold out. I'm mostly doing short films and I love the look of the DVX. The DVX just doesn't seem as good quality (seeing as how the chips are smaller).

what have you seen that's good on the DVC30?
http://strobelightfilms.com/ maybe you can tell me what you think of my work on my website (under construction) Everything on it is on a DVC30.

Im desperate for critique on anything. Website or video. Please check it out
 
The dvc30 is a great camera. Frame mode ain't 24p but with some post work it looks pretty damn good.
Production skills will go a lot further towards a great short then upgrading camera models. A poorly shot film looks just as bad in 24p, 30p, 60i, ntcs, pal, hd, sd, dvc, dvx,a1, red, hvx......
And you won't have to finance anything to get better production skills. Just keep shooting. When your heads are worn out, it's time to upgrade!
 
What do you want to do in your life? Do you want to be a camera guy? At your best, you can aspire to end up like Barry here, which is a laudable ambition. In that case, go knock yourself out, buy any camera you can afford.

Are you, say, 15 years old? You know, if you are a teen and just want to fool around with a camera to learn some technical stuff or to experiment, go ahead.

Do you just want to document your family moments, or document your tourist adventures? Go ahead!

But for ANY OTHER PURPOSE - buying a camera is USELESS.

Now, that will immediately set 99% of the site against me, but I honestly believe this. If you want to become a filmmaker in any capacity other than a DP, owning a camera is silly. You want to break into the industry as a writer? Write; you don't need a camera. You want to direct? Write, or get ahold of a script and then direct, but leave the camera to the DP (who will have his own, and will know his own a lot better), if your property is good enough, you'll get financing and the camera will be rented. You want to do a little DIY indie project? Exactly the same rules apply: write or obtain a great property and hustle a bit (producer role)... people will come out and collaborate - and one of them will have a camera or know how to get one. Create the content - and leave the technical stuff to the techno geeks. It's the same reason why you should never self-finance your projects. If your project is not strong enough to have other people part with their money to finance it, then the finished product will not compel other people to part with their money at the movie theater either... external financing is in that way a form of quality control, a reality check, an objective measure of: is this REALLY worth something, or am I just fooling myself? Same with technical stuff and people: if your property (content, skill) is good enough, they'll come - camera in tow.

If you want to become anything other than a DP or camera guy - getting a camera is a huge red flag for me, and should be for you. It is just a means of distraction. It is a psychological trick you use to deceive yourself that you are getting closer to your aim of becoming a filmmaker - because it seems a single clearly defined goal that's achievable one way or another... it gives you a clear path. Yet, it ultimately means nothing - you'll just be in possession of a hunk of metal and glass, no closer to making movies than you were before (except you are a bit more poor). What this distracts you is from what becoming a filmmaker REALLY is about - creating content (again, unless you want to be a DP or camera guy). Put your energy into writing/directing/acting/editing/producing/whatever and NOT into acquiring a camera that'll be obsolete within months anyway.

There are thousands upon thousands upon thousands of owners of cameras - how many got into the industry thanks to obtaining that hunk of metal and glass? Exactly.

You know how most of those owners end up? Well, years down the road, they have nothing to show for their acquisition, but an outdated camera. Zero progress toward becoming a filmmaker.

Take the harder road - but one that will actually allow you to make progress. The road to content creation.

FOCUS on becoming a filmmaker - content creator (unless of course you want to be a DP).

Leave the hunk of metal and glass to guys who will always be better than you handling that. Skip the camera, pick up a pen... cheaper and better. Ignore all the folks who'll attack this POV. Just think about this calmly and make your own decision.

This is the best advice you'll get, by a long shot :)... perhaps you won't appreciate it today, but one day, years down the road, and you'll wish you hadn't wasted all that time.
 
Oldcorpse....I think you've given some very solid and sound advice. However, the biggest clue that Evan S might have a hard time following it to the letter is "I'm one of those people who sit and caress their camera with love (like a wife you know)."

Evan S seems to be a gear whore. As am I and many others here. Correct me if I am wrong Evan S....

You seem to be the type that wants to be in possession of a camera, period. I can relate. The question is should you buy new?

Well, obviously that is your decision to make. But, chiming in here, you have a very good camera. And, believe me, I agree with Oldcorpse advice more than what it seems like based on what I'm saying...but, as a broke mo-fo, your choices are limited. HV20, or used DVX/XL2. That seems to be it.

You can get a new HV20 for on the cheap. Or a used DVX for on the cheap, especially if you sell your camera. That seems to be your best option if you want something new and improved and I'm not even sure the HV20 is better than what you have.
 
OldCorpse said:
But for ANY OTHER PURPOSE - buying a camera is USELESS.

There are thousands upon thousands upon thousands of owners of cameras - how many got into the industry thanks to obtaining that hunk of metal and glass? Exactly.

You know how most of those owners end up? Well, years down the road, they have nothing to show for their acquisition, but an outdated camera. Zero progress toward becoming a filmmaker.

Take the harder road - but one that will actually allow you to make progress. The road to content creation.

FOCUS on becoming a filmmaker - content creator (unless of course you want to be a DP).

Leave the hunk of metal and glass to guys who will always be better than you handling that. Skip the camera, pick up a pen... cheaper and better. Ignore all the folks who'll attack this POV. Just think about this calmly and make your own decision.

This is the best advice you'll get, by a long shot :)... perhaps you won't appreciate it today, but one day, years down the road, and you'll wish you hadn't wasted all that time.
Click to expand...

Sorry, can't agree. And you said you saw this coming, so let me at least give you a run for your money.

Owning a camera was (along with a 5 year film and TV production University degree) probably the most important thing I did in order to being a working director/producer.

First, theory you can learn on books, but to develop "The eye" for framing and creating your own film language, nothing beats creating films yourself. And for that, operating a camera, looking trough it and see the world the way it sees is very, very important. Bare in mind that if you're to be working professionaly, you need to know the filmmaking language. As a director, you need to to be able to speak to the cinematographer, the camera operator, the lighting technician, the sound operator, the actors, etc. And, for that, you need to at least know what they see and how they see it.

The best directors are also capable of being great cinematographers and camera operators. Riddley Scott operates his own camera. Lars Von Trier ditto, and Wong Kar Wai, my personal favourite, was also a camera operator.

Nowadays, owning an HD 3 chips prosumer camera is relatively cheap. You can actualy produce comercialy and artisticaly viable fiction stuff with it. Use these cameras, learn how to "see" the world as a filmmaker, as well as learn how to "paint" it. After you develop your own language, you are ready to leave the camera to others.

This will undoubtedly help you develop your film language. There are directors, however, that have incredible communication skills and don't even bother with knowing the technicalities of the craft, living it to his colaborators. This can also be a way to go, but, then, you need to be a natural talker. :)
 
I understand and agree with old corpse. But like others said. I'm a gear whore. Not only do I make short films. I work for politicans doing event video. So usually it's only me and one other person. Or sometimes just me. I LOVE to document and I love documentries. So it is important to me to have my own camera. I also love to operate it. I wouldn't want to be a DP per se . However I have other things that I do besides short films I need a camera for. So it is important to me as a "content" creator to have a camera as it really helps me than paying someone else to show up and set up their equipment. It is extremley difficult to find someone to work for free anyway!

I do agree with you though. You're right, but I think I just love gadgets to much.
I'm 20.. for reference
 
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