your reccommendations for best $1500 range for documentaries

Acts7 wrote on 1/25/2004, 7:28 PM
Im looking for a camcorder around $1500 that will output excellant video for uncompressed avi footage - the end result will be full screen video on computer but I the final format I see before it leaves for another company has to be standard video in uncompressed avi

I can get the canon XL1 for $1299 so that is in the price range - what else is good? Most shots will be coming from auditoriums (members of the company doing world-wide speaking engangements) and close up interviews in controlled lighting. Obviously auditoriums are NEVER wll lit - however at the church I attend things are pretty dark inside and they seem to have good luck with the canon xl 2 and xl1 anyone else have thoughts?

Thanks

Acts7

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 1/25/2004, 8:04 PM
Uncompressed AVI? That's going to be difficult to find. You won't get that from any DV-class camera, and probably not from any digital camera. All DV cameras compress to DV for recording on tape and feeding the firewire output. Probably the only way you'll get uncompressed is with an analog camera and digitizing the signal in the computer. The result may or may not be worse than DV. Even a Beta SP cam isn't uncompressed.

Are you sure the other company wants uncompressed AVI files? Those run about 1.7GB per minute. These files are huge! A blank DVD data disc will hold less than 3 minutes of uncompressed video. A 40GB tape cartridge will only hold about 23 minutes worth.
Liam_Vegas wrote on 1/25/2004, 9:40 PM
XL1 for $1299... where can I get me one of those?
Acts7 wrote on 1/25/2004, 9:42 PM
Ill double check but Im positive thats what they want
weird huh?
but if I import from DV and can I export as uncompressed avi from vegas?
Acts7 wrote on 1/25/2004, 10:01 PM
I appologize - its the XL2
here is the link
http://www.infinitycameras.com
MUTTLEY wrote on 1/26/2004, 1:41 AM
Get the XL1, check out my site. All the vids on it ( except the AMN Spot ) were filmed with it. Recomend it highly.

- Ray
cyanide149 wrote on 1/26/2004, 3:11 AM
Where is the XL2?
epirb wrote on 1/26/2004, 4:20 AM
I think he meant GL2, they have two one for 1239ish and one for 2399.ish dont know what the USA kit is though for 1000.00
Chienworks wrote on 1/26/2004, 4:47 AM
Acts7, yes you can export uncompressed from Vegas. However, it won't be even one smidgen of a bit better than the DV output if you're using a DV source to begin with. You would merely be increasing the file size by a factor of about 8 with no increase in quality whatsoever.

Now, if your project consists of large amounts of colorful titles, still images, generated media, and other non DV material then there could be a slight gain in using uncompressed, but probably not worth the expense of sending such huge files.

If you do go uncompressed, i think i would suggest using an external firewire/USB drive for transmitting the data. A 120GB drive would hold about 70 minutes worth and can probably be had for around $100 to $150 these days. That's a whole lot cheaper than tape backup drives and probably much faster and easier to use. Dump the entire output to the external drive, pack it back up in the orginal box, and ship it to them.
Acts7 wrote on 1/26/2004, 10:20 AM
I just found out what the USA kit is versus the others.
The cheapest one is pal - box only - no additional items
There other is NTSC

The USA kit also includes this:
+ 128MB SD MEMORY (additional disk)
+ 5-Year Parts & Labor Warranty
+ 10 HIGH RES. TAPES
+ EXTRA LONG PLAY BATTERY
+ PROF. UV GLASS FILTER 58MM
+ SHOCK PROOF WEATHER PROOF CASE
(important for me as this is for international use and ths runs about 300)
riredale wrote on 1/26/2004, 1:37 PM
The red flags went up big-time when you described the package they were offering.

There are lots of stores offering to sell you a camera at a really good price, especially in the New York area. If you call them and say you want to buy the camera, they make sure to load you up with cheap junk (but sold at premium prices) in order to get their margin somewhere. If you then say, "No thanks, I just want the camera" then, golly, that camera isn't in stock after all! Okay, so when will you have it in stock? "Try back in 10 days..." Guess what response you'll get when you call back in 10 days?

Do yourself a favor. Go to www.resellerratings.com and check out the report for "Infinity Cameras" and also for a legitimate well-known outfit, B & H Photo (also in NYC). Then at least you'll know what to expect if you still want to play their game. If you read the customer reviews on that web site you'll see that these guys are pretty much Pond Scum.

By contrast, if you REALLY want to get an excellent price, get something on eBay or in the local papers. I have not been burned yet on slightly-used equipment, and typical prices are roughly half of new.
Acts7 wrote on 1/26/2004, 7:56 PM
thanks for the heads up
Jessariah67 wrote on 1/26/2004, 9:08 PM
I'm of the Gl-1/2 crowd. The XL-1/XL-1s has some additional features and an interchangeable lens, but I have yet to see anywhere where the footage was "that much better" than a GL-1 or GL-2. It certainly "looks" more professional, but unless I'm missing something, the actual picture quality between the two - fresh out of the box - isn't that much different.

I'm ducking now...you may commence with the tomatoes : )
corug7 wrote on 1/27/2004, 7:51 AM
If you can spend a few hundered more, you can get a brand new gl2 on ebay. Otherwise, you may have good luck with a panasonic PV-DV953. I have one, and love it as a second camera to my VX-2000. The biggest problem is its low light capabilities, which aren't great due to the small size of its ccd's. If you want to go used, you should be able to find a decent VX-2000 or GL1 in that price range, especially now that the VX-2100 has hit the market (and it isn't much better). Hope this helps!
FuTz wrote on 1/27/2004, 8:49 AM
I'd go with a Sony PDX-10 if I had to buy now.
But it all depends on what usage you do... if I was in a "bigger league" I'd go with the Sony 570. But there's a big difference in price!
riredale wrote on 1/27/2004, 8:51 AM
I should have mentioned in my previous post that a used VX-2000 would be in that price range, as just mentioned. Lets face it--most camcorders would work just fine, but each one has certain features and faults. The VX-2000 is wonderful for me because it has excellent low-light sensitivity, much more so than my little Sony TRV8. On the other hand, it's about 3x the size.

Oh, another thing: the VX-2000 is so popular that you won't have much trouble finding accessories for it down the road.