I'm looking to purchase a prosumer camcorder (or maybe a DSLR). I know there's tons of posts on this so I'll be specific about what I'm looking for to avoid redundancy.
Budget: up to $4000.
This includes any lens and tapes/cards I need to use it effectively. I've already acquired/budgeted for support, sound, lighting, editing, etc. I could make adjustments though if someone convinces me.
Considering: XH A1, HMC150, XL H1 (used), HVX200 (used), 5D Mark II, but open to suggestions.
I've watched probably a hundred videos of these cameras online, but it's impossible to tell how much is the quality of the camera vs. the skill of the operator.
My intended use for the camera is narrative and documentary film to be displayed primarily on the web for now. Since narrative film is the main use, 24p is a must and the ability to create shallow DOF would be great (I know the 5D is awesome but it can't be the only camera you can get that with as long as you know how to manipulate the iris, shutter speed, etc.) Given that I'm not counting on my work to be blown up on a huge hdtv or the silver screen, sharpness isn't as important to me a color (this make sense, right?).
It's also important to get a camera that I can learn with. I'm less interested in one which shoots fine by itself but doesn't offer a lot of real manual control either during production (I'm skeptical about panasonic's iris 'knob' and about the 5D) or post-production (I've read the 5D lacks enough color info to seriously play around with in post.) Interchangable lens would be great for this reason and others, but the cost can add up quickly. It would also be nice if the camera was forgiving about lighting. I'm more concerned with too much in one area than too little overall.
Audio quality is irrelevant. I'll be using a portable audio recorder.
Tape vs. P2 is a concern, but as long as I don't plan on shooting more than 4 hours of footage a day, I shouldn't need to worry about offloading, right?
Lastly, I'd like to mount the camera on a Merlin. They should all work except for the XL H1 which is too heavy, but maybe someone can warn me about trying to use the 5D on one.
Budget: up to $4000.
This includes any lens and tapes/cards I need to use it effectively. I've already acquired/budgeted for support, sound, lighting, editing, etc. I could make adjustments though if someone convinces me.
Considering: XH A1, HMC150, XL H1 (used), HVX200 (used), 5D Mark II, but open to suggestions.
I've watched probably a hundred videos of these cameras online, but it's impossible to tell how much is the quality of the camera vs. the skill of the operator.
My intended use for the camera is narrative and documentary film to be displayed primarily on the web for now. Since narrative film is the main use, 24p is a must and the ability to create shallow DOF would be great (I know the 5D is awesome but it can't be the only camera you can get that with as long as you know how to manipulate the iris, shutter speed, etc.) Given that I'm not counting on my work to be blown up on a huge hdtv or the silver screen, sharpness isn't as important to me a color (this make sense, right?).
It's also important to get a camera that I can learn with. I'm less interested in one which shoots fine by itself but doesn't offer a lot of real manual control either during production (I'm skeptical about panasonic's iris 'knob' and about the 5D) or post-production (I've read the 5D lacks enough color info to seriously play around with in post.) Interchangable lens would be great for this reason and others, but the cost can add up quickly. It would also be nice if the camera was forgiving about lighting. I'm more concerned with too much in one area than too little overall.
Audio quality is irrelevant. I'll be using a portable audio recorder.
Tape vs. P2 is a concern, but as long as I don't plan on shooting more than 4 hours of footage a day, I shouldn't need to worry about offloading, right?
Lastly, I'd like to mount the camera on a Merlin. They should all work except for the XL H1 which is too heavy, but maybe someone can warn me about trying to use the 5D on one.