In the market for a new video camera. Best recommendations for pro-sumer cams?
I want something a little better than your average family video cam…but not looking to go full professional yet. Will be using footage to edit on FCP, HD preferred and would like it to record to a memory card instead of a tape.
Tagged with: hd • memory card • video cam
Filed under: Video Marketing
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There is no prosumer that records to flash memory.
Suggested high definition prosumer camcorders:
Sony HDR-FX7
Sony HDR-FX1000
Pro using flash memory card:
Sony HVR-Z7U
Panasonic AG-HVX200
JVC GY-HM100
The main differences between pro and prosumer are
XLR audio-in vs 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo audio-in.
DVCPRO HD (Panasonic) or HDCAM/XDCAM (Sony) vs HDV only.
The main similarites of pro and prosumer cams:
Lenses larger than 60mm (filter diameter)
Imaging chips are 1/4" or larger (usually 1/3")
Manual controls on the OUTSIDE of the camcorder and not buried in a menu (zoom, focus, audio gain, neutral density filter, video gain, among others) so they are easy to get to and use when the camcorder is not in auto mode.
No high compression video files… so no AVCHD/MTS and no MOD files. Les compression using HDV (pro and prosumer) for high definition video.
When you capture video to flash memory, how are you planning to archive video?
Just to be complete, additional camcorders in the Pro/Prosumer gray area, add the Canon XHA1…
whats your budget? For HD, you can look for Canon’s HF100 or HF200. They cost less than $600 online (amazon, for e.g.). They have excellent video quality, use SDHC cards for storage (no moving parts, no sound, no rewind), are extremely small, and are very easy to use. You wont stand out in a crowd while using it, but you can make unbelievable video with it
Whichever camcorder you buy, HD or SD, make sure you get a flash-based model (SDHC cards). Those models are very light, and have less chances of failure.