Whats better for run-n-gun solo documentary: Canon XA10 or Panny GH2?

C

cuervo.taylor

Active member
So I’m thinking doing a documentary travelling to remote places sometimes dangerous. So I want to be light and not call too much attention on me. I don’t need the best quality out there, but also I need decent sound and decent footage.

At first I though I should buy the Canon XA10 which has a decent footage, it’s really small, better autofocus than GH2 but it’s more expensive $2.099.

Then I read about the GH2 and saw some footage on vimeo which makes it seems like a superb camera with cool filmlook. Also the Panny GH2 is cheaper, light, and small.

The problem is that as I’m interested in filming documentaries I will need good sound, Oh and I’m SOLO, so I will need to connect good sound to both cameras. All the guys I have seen shooting with the GH2 have a rig system that seems very uncomfortable and flimsy, also they will call more attention on the other hand a canon XA10 with mics doesn’t seem so big and strange as the Panny with rig+mic.

What do you think guys for run-n-gun documentary? Panny GH2 or Canon XA10? is there any other good camera under $2000, that I should consider?
 
Ask around to see if the GH2 have a mic input. If yes then get the rode videomicpro, you plug it into your camera and you don't have to sync in post. That's what I did for my t2i, just plug the rode vmp straight in and no headache in post trying to sync up everything.
 
Canon 4ti with 18-135 and 40mm? Best of both. Autofocus with facial tracking, stereo mic, new focus mechanism, 40mm pancake lens. IS stabilization for hand held video.

Or Canon mirror less to be announced in June? When do you leave?

Michael
 
I'm leaving next year, but I want to start receiving photography lessons ASAP, because I have no camera if I could wait, i would wait for the GH3.

Is canon really releasing a mirrorless camera???? or is that just a rumor?
 
I have a GH2 and my Rode Video Mic (Pro too expensive, besides I want to see if I can include a field recorder and a lav mic in my setup) will arrive this week. You do need a 3.5mm female to 2.5mm male jack adapter for the Rode. Everyone hopes the GH3 will use a 3.5mm jack. To my knowledge (will be able to tell you after this weekend or next week - please do remind me) you need a 2 band, 3 terminal jack adapter. I read something about it having to be the "long" version - but really I have no clue as yet. Hope to sort it this week and test the weekend.

GH2 is very small, no 12minute recording limit, the hack I have at the moment increases my footage quality but still allows me to record 1 hour on a 8GB SanDisk HD card.
 
Inprogress:

When is the GH3 going to be released? Will any 3.5mm female to 2.5mm male adapter will work? do you got any link
 
@ cuervo.taylor From what I have heard, MAYBE October this year, but more likely sometime next year - when exactly I am not sure since it all really depend on sales of the GH2. What the GH3 will have above the GH2 is still very much a mystery - a lot of people speculate though. Considering how many people still use the GH1, I think the GH2 will stick around a long time, and the GH3 will be bought by those who love gear hopping and those who don't have one. I'm still very happy with mine, if/when I upgrade I'll upgrade to a maybe the AF100 or the similar range. I'd do like to get a second GH2.

As for the audio jack, B&H has one, then there is a version that allows you to plug your ear/headphones in as well (basically splitting the audio allowing you to monitor what you record - a good thing). Give me some time to see if I can find the one video where a bloke incorporates a Fiifo earphone amplifier with his Rode Video Mic, and see if I can find that B&H link for that adapter for 3.5mm to 2.5mm audio jack - I need to find a local solution since B&H shipping to South Africa is unaffordable.
 
Inprogress said:
Ahh found it:

Bit of a long video - but you'll get the idea. Why exactly he does this I do not know yet - I will experiment when I have mine. https://vimeo.com/19722790

Ahhhh! Amazon - meaning I need to find a local solution since they don't ship to my country - the adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Stereo-3...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1295997405&sr=1-1
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How come amazon doesn't ship to South Africa, I'm in Colombia and they ship here.

Thanks for the advices
 
I'm trying to make this same decision now between the XA-10 and GH2. I'm about to start a project where I'll be doing a lot filming on the road with traveling agricultural workers. I have a Panasonic HMC-150 which I like but I want something smaller I can use when on the move. I want something where the footage can match the HMC-150 so I can use footage from both in the same film.

I'm a little worried about the lack of microphone jack on the GH2. The GH2 has a larger sensor and gets a better image. On the other hand, there is no microphone jack so the only way I can check audio while filming is to getting something additional, a Beachtek or Zoom 4N. That impacts the portability and is making me lean toward the XA-10.


Thoughts on this? Should I reconsider? I'll be working on this project for the next couple years and I want it to look really good. I'm hoping it's a film that'll be good enough to shop around to TV and festivals, so part of me thinks I should go for the better image quality of the GH2.
 
Correct me if i'm wrong, but the gh2 does everything the canon you listed does now, is cheaper, is available, and will most definetly have much sharper footage, and is hackable. From what I have seen from the new canon t4i, it's the same tired arse footage as the t3i,t2i,60d,7d. Canon is so far behind and people buying their minor incremental changes keeps them doing the same old crap. People please stop supporting this. If people refused to put up with this crap, they would have no choice but to add what people need. I find it shocking they didn't even add a headphone jack. And people get excited about longer record times, OH BOY, GOLLY JEEWIZ, MY 1985 VHS COULD RECORD FOR AN HOUR. UHGGGG. it's sickning to me. People STOP!!!
 
of course the gh2 has a mic jack. It does not have a headphone jack, but you can always use a beachtek as you suggested, or a wireless system usually gives the ability to monitor audio. I honestly use the mic input, and use the levels, it works just fine for little jobs. The levels can be adjusted, and their fairly accurate.
 
Indeed. I meant it had no headphone jack. I dont want to do audio without the ability to monitor it and I feel like having two pieces of gear makes it slightly less easy to do run n' gun than one piece.
 
I'd get the XA10 for one reason if nothing else: two XLR inputs! Not monitoring audio is not an option. Levels don't tell you if there are other audio problems, and there will be sometimes. Don't lose great footage because of un-fixable audio that you didn't notice until you review it later. For this kind of work I would avoid external audio because it means twice the amount of files to offload and organize, plus syncing can be a pain if you have lots of short clips. One of the main reasons I prefer using HVX cameras to DSLRs for most things is the simplicity and reliability of the audio system.
 
oxband said:
I'm trying to make this same decision now between the XA-10 and GH2. I'm about to start a project where I'll be doing a lot filming on the road with traveling agricultural workers. I have a Panasonic HMC-150 which I like but I want something smaller I can use when on the move. I want something where the footage can match the HMC-150 so I can use footage from both in the same film.

I'm a little worried about the lack of microphone jack on the GH2. The GH2 has a larger sensor and gets a better image. On the other hand, there is no microphone jack so the only way I can check audio while filming is to getting something additional, a Beachtek or Zoom 4N. That impacts the portability and is making me lean toward the XA-10.


Thoughts on this? Should I reconsider? I'll be working on this project for the next couple years and I want it to look really good. I'm hoping it's a film that'll be good enough to shop around to TV and festivals, so part of me thinks I should go for the better image quality of the GH2.
Click to expand...

The GH2 won't match your panasonic. Especially if you hack it. Shallow DoF to deep, resolution will change, dynamic range, etc.. You will have a much better time with the XA-10. But I would recommend looking into the new Sony counterpart. This looks like it could be the ultimate low-profile documentary camera.

 
Ryan-Guy said:
But I would recommend looking into the new Sony counterpart. This looks like it could be the ultimate low-profile documentary camera.
Click to expand...

Wow that looks like quite a package, I especially like the image stabilization features. The "built in projector" sounds like a total gimmick though, I can't really imagine any good use for it in the professional market they are going for.
 
C Lehmann said:
Wow that looks like quite a package, I especially like the image stabilization features. The "built in projector" sounds like a total gimmick though, I can't really imagine any good use for it in the professional market they are going for.
Click to expand...

Yah the projector thing doesn't really do anything for me, but the fluid handheld motion looks pretty awesome!
 
wtf, did the camera operator moon walk accross the floor, or was I hallucinating. WOW that was odd, Why in gods name would the cam op be moonwalking while shooting. lmao
 
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