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Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

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jont
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2014 2:04 pm

Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

Post by jont » Sun Oct 16, 2016 1:33 pm

Hey guys, I am a newb and looking to get my first proper video camera.

I am interested in shooting amateur videos, with decent HD quality and also decent sound.

The videos will be typical 5-10min single and multiple aircraft air show displays from croud line, and also general glide slope vids from RAF Lakenheath/Mildenhall etc.

I really don't know where to start, but my only stipulations are I guess:

- a camera that is suited to focusing on small fast moving objects. From my limited video experience, focusing on planes was always a nightmare, and caused a lot of trouble.

- a sound capture setup suited to mega loud afterburnering DB, whithout clipping, and a way of reducing wind and croub noise. Maybe this means it will have to be some kind of addon external cats-tail type directional mic? Presumably so.

- compatible with tripod

- £ budget? No idea TBH. I figured I'd get a feel for what kind of machine is required, and decide on a budget then.

Thanks very much as always.

Jon Terrell

Rob140VVTi
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 5:10 am
Location: Pembrokeshire Wales

Re: Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

Post by Rob140VVTi » Mon Oct 17, 2016 12:21 am

Jon

Just seen your thread which caught my attention, as for the last month I’ve been toying with the idea of complementing my DSLR equipment with a decent HD camcorder. The idea was sparked off by watching some really great footage on YouTube taken by enthusiasts at various airports, bases & shows across the country. In most cases where the footage is of good to exceptional quality viewers tend to ask what equipment is being used, Canon, Sony & Panasonic being the main three. You will then be able to see how advanced these camcorders have become.

You can then do a web search for the makes & models you fancy which will give you a fair idea of prices & spec’s, you can also check out the reviews plus pro’s & con’s for each model. Not knowing your budget you can spend between a couple of hundred to over a grand but definitely make sure you go for one with a rear viewfinder, it seems now that manufacturers are omitting the viewfinder in a lot of their models, maybe for cost reasons, only to have the swivel LCD screen to capture your views, which is not ideal when tracking flying aircraft or using it in bright sunlight.

Ideally you want a camera which records at a frame rate of 50p at full HD.

Your question about wind noise, I believe from what I’ve read technology has moved on a lot since the days of the old cassette camcorders, many models now boast a built in wind canceller. How effective these are I don’t know but again some models can support external mics & to further minimise wind noise you could use a dead cat.

Hope all the above helps, all the info is out there you just have to spend a little time researching, which is what I did & am just about ready to order a Panasonic HC-X920. Prices do vary so shop around, apart from the camera don’t forget to order a couple of SDXC cards as they usually aren’t part of the package, also a spare battery is essential.

Maybe someone else on the forum that already uses HD equipment could also put you in the right direction.

Good luck with your search

Cheers
Rob

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albur99
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 8:43 am
Location: Scarborough

Re: Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

Post by albur99 » Mon Oct 17, 2016 6:39 pm

Hello Jon

Glad to hear you are thinking of getting serious about videoing planes!

You have quite alot of choices to make !

Palm held "Camcorders"
-Built in-lens usually with good long zoom
-Powered zoom - a weak spot of amateur video-ers is endless "zooming in" , "zooming out" etc etc
-Very portable and compact

DSLR style conventional looking cameras - IMHO the Panasonic GH4 is king for video.
-you choose your own lenses to attach
-bigger in size (but no bigger than stills camera)
-ultimately a more professional result can be had perhaps??

You have quite rightly already identified some of the key problem areas
- Autofocus will often "hunt" when shooting a plane against sky - Manual focus is the harder, but ultimately more reliable option.
- In built MICs are actually capable of great sound recording - but are TERRIBLY susceptible to wind noise - the slightest breeze results in a very irritating sound recording. (Ive just bought some RYCOTE Mini-WindJammers to see if they are any good.........)

Remember a key part of this is nothing to do with hardware - its the SOFTWARE you decide to adopt for editing/adding titles to your clips !

By the thoughtful nature of your questions I think you understand the challenges very well and Im sure you will make great vids regardless of what camera you finally choose...

Best of luck!
Alan

redshift27
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:47 pm

Re: Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

Post by redshift27 » Tue Oct 18, 2016 2:06 pm

A cheap external mike with a "dead cat" sock over it solved all my wind-noise issues.

jont
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2014 2:04 pm

Re: Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

Post by jont » Tue Oct 18, 2016 4:03 pm

Hey guys thanks for the response.

I have been doing some research from scratch over the last few days, and found the following:

- there are basically 2 pathways for decent video:
1) a camcorder, which is I guess like an all-in-one sound and video package
2) a DSLR with some extra bits. I didn't realise that DSLR's are also suitable for video. I thought they were efectively still shot only.

So far I am favouring the DSLR route, because it seems to come with the most visual capture functionality/variability per £.

I consider sound just as important as video. My bro, who is a pro sound engineer, suggests that I use a camera just for the video, and a stand-alone sound recorder for the audio, because it gives yet more functionality this way. E.g. for the sound, a proper modern recorder = £150, and direction external mic £50-150 with a cats tail. This can give me variable noise gate at capture etc, nullifying wind/crowd/ambience etc

Regards the video capture. I'm really stuck. I guess it's something between a £250 modern mini-type camcorder on tripod, up to a £1500 fully lensed-up DSLR. I haven't go a clue what I really require TBH.


Can you guys loic check the above please, and let me know your thoughts on that?

Many thanks

Green133
Posts: 173
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:57 pm
Location: West Midlands

Re: Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

Post by Green133 » Tue Oct 18, 2016 10:09 pm

One thing with using your DSLR is the view finder cannot be used and you have to use the lcd screen instead, at least that's the case with my Nikon D7200.I have purchased a viewfinder that sits over the lcd and you look through that.It's quite big and added to a telephoto lens, length could be a problem handling wise......(No sniggering at the back!).I haven't tried it out yet to be honest.
I think there are frames available to mount all this kit to that may be helpful.
I have also heard that it's best to have a separate sound recorder as your brother has mentioned, but obviously costs go up.

Green133

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albur99
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 8:43 am
Location: Scarborough

Re: Please help with: choosing a suitable video camera.

Post by albur99 » Thu Oct 20, 2016 6:19 pm

"I guess it's something between a £250 modern mini-type camcorder on tripod, up to a £1500 fully lensed-up DSLR. I haven't go a clue what I really require TBH"

Hi Jon
So... maybe go for the cheaper option - then get out & about using it for x months and start developing your technique?

I bet after 6 months (winter permitting!) you will have much clearer ideas on what features, what performance/quality levels you desire, and then you might want to sell your first video cam and invest in something more fancy.....

Of course another factor is would you rather own TWO cameras - one for stills, one for video - or just have ONE that is able to do both things well (ie DSLR style).

Best regards
AL

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