Need a back-up camera

CVM wrote on 4/9/2009, 6:25 AM
I know this isn't totally a Vegas question, but you guys save my life all the time and I know you can now! I am looking to buy a back-up video camera for my GL-2 (won't take the plunge into HD yet) for my side wedding videography business (only six a year). I want to buy the Sony DCR-SR220 because it's in my price range ($449). I plan to use the Sony DCR-SR220 as back-up, but I'm sure I will set it up as a iso cam on a tripod as well (or my girlfriend can use it to shoot with when she comes with me on shoots - God bless her). Here are my questions:

- If I shoot with the GL-2 on 'widescreen' mode, will the widescreen mode of the Sony DCR-SR220 be the same as the GL-2? Can I edit between the two w/o proportion differences? (GL-2 widescreen is faked, I think the Sony DCR-SR220 is real because the LCD monitor is wide).

- The Sony DCR-SR220 has a single 2.3Mp ClearVid CMOS Sensor, while the GL-2 has three CCDs. Will brides tell the difference if I edit between the two sources in post (I can and you can, but do you think they can?)

- The Sony DCR-SR220 is HDD-based. How would I capture that to Vegas 7?

- Does anyone have other cameras for $449 they would recommend to work well 'with' my GL-2?

THANKS!

Dave

Comments

Terry Esslinger wrote on 4/9/2009, 11:14 AM
My advice? Get a Canon HV20 for about $100 more. I know that you don't want to go into HD yet but you can shoot SD with this camera and it will somewhat future proof your purchase. You could end up using it as your first camera and the GL2 as the backup, except that the small size does not impress clients much. But the picyure sure will.
CVM wrote on 4/9/2009, 12:14 PM
I'd love to... but it's discontinued at BHPhoto.
richard-courtney wrote on 4/9/2009, 2:02 PM
Terry,

look at this photo from http://www.cinevate.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2471Cinevate forum[/link]:




Show them a demo reel first. (You can get the flip module so camera is mounted normally)

I agree equipment is not as impressive as the product produced.
You may be able to rent if customer is impressed with heavy cameras.
ronhurt wrote on 4/9/2009, 3:17 PM
I sure wish the world would get over the notion that you have to have a large phallic camera to get the job done. At my job (newspaper), we have two $3500 Canons that wobble and sway in the wind and three HV20s that are more than adequate for producing web videos. I'd like to sell the two big cameras and buy 8 HG20s because of the capture time we can save. Predictably, a couple guys who shoot infrequently love carrying those big things around because it makes them look like the real deal.
Tim L wrote on 4/9/2009, 6:43 PM
Be aware that the Sony SR220 is an AVCHD camera. I have no experience with either this camera or with AVCHD, but according to a lot of people on this forum editing AVCHD is sluggish unless you have a very fast computer.

The HV20 has been replaced by the HV30, and will be replaced by the HV40 in a couple months. The HV30 is currently $600 at B&H. $150 over your budget, but can record std def DV or hi def HDV on miniDV tapes. I've never used either camera, but they seem to be the darlings of the sub-$1000 camcorder offerings -- many glowing reviews and satisfied customers.

Plus, I am guessing (but I don't know this) that staying with a Canon camera to go with your GL2 might result in similar image colors and less fussing with color correction to get your footage to match.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/539289-REG/Canon_2680B001_VIXIA_HV30_HDV_High.html