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Help me choose a camera please!

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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
1) I'm looking to spend around $500. 600- 700 max. I will be able to afford accessories later.

2) I have very little experience using cameras. My friends and I filmed mostly with Gopros this season and I know how to work that.

2) I currently have no gear for filming (tripods, lenses, ect..) And my only editing software is iMovie.

4) I will probably use the camera for 95% filming on the mountain/ urban/ turf set ups. Keep in mind, we do a lot of night skiing.

5) I would very much like a camera that I could hand to my friends so we can all film each other. so nothing too complicated.

6) We mostly tend to do follow cams and side shots. But a tripod could definitely be something we use next season.

7) I am currently on a mac. I have iMovie, but I can use final cut express. I just need a lot of practice and patients. I would say I am a total novice though if someone asked me if I could use Final cut.

Please help me find the right camera with the right accessories for the right price.
All help is very much appreciated.
May 29 2011 2:00PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
A little bit higher up on your price range but I highly doubt that you will regret it. An awesome camera for the price.
May 29 2011 2:19PM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
what is?
May 29 2011 2:24PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
Sorry, here's the link.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/597424-REG/Canon_3686B001_VIXIA_HV40_High_Definition.html
May 29 2011 2:24PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
And here's a little video test, With some color correction it would be golden.

May 29 2011 2:31PM
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S.C
Posts: 3068 - Karma: 2,285
HV40's def a good cam, maybe also check out the M40 if you dont want tapes
May 29 2011 5:14PM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
what are the pros and cons of tapes?
May 29 2011 5:34PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
Memory cards are slightly easier to use IMO, and you don't have to buy new tapes when you run out.
May 29 2011 5:37PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
...but saying that contradicts my suggestion of an HV40. Don't get me wrong, the HV40 is an amazing camera for the price, but tapes are the only hassle.
May 29 2011 5:38PM
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deleted2
Posts: 958 - Karma: 107
pros: hard copy of footy
cons: transfers in real time, chance of play back issues i.e. drop outs and such
May 29 2011 5:41PM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
how are canon hv30s?
May 29 2011 8:22PM
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207
Posts: 8969 - Karma: 3,846
excellent, they use tapes though.
May 29 2011 8:33PM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
yeah, but i can get one for 400 right now. do you think that's a good deal? it comes with accessories too.
May 29 2011 8:34PM
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S.C
Posts: 3068 - Karma: 2,285
do it. only difference with the HV40 is that you don't need to do a pulldown to get 24p footage.
May 29 2011 9:07PM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
i'm enough of a noob to not even know what 24p is
May 29 2011 9:56PM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
I'd say get a nice consumer camcorder. DSLRs are too complicated to hand to friends and whatever you get make sure you get some necessary accessories such as some sort of stabilization (x-grip or glidecam if you're baller) and a wide angle adapter. No stock kit is going to be phenominal
May 29 2011 10:00PM
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HalfandHalf
Posts: 1216 - Karma: 207
my brother is selling his hv30, if your interested pm me.
May 29 2011 10:30PM
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alexat955
Posts: 2732 - Karma: 112
Get the SD equivalent of the hv40, tapes are just a pain in the ass. I have an hf200 and love it
May 29 2011 11:55PM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
i can get the hv30 for a lot cheaper though
May 30 2011 12:54AM
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deleted2
Posts: 958 - Karma: 107
I'm selling my dvx for 600$ hehehe
May 30 2011 1:21AM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,231
dvx is a fricking great camera, and has amazing quality even though its SD. I'd seriously consider it OP. You'll learn a shit ton about a camera from owning one
May 30 2011 1:28AM
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deleted2
Posts: 958 - Karma: 107
Thanks jamie, forgot to mention it comes with 3 batts(1 og, 2 dvxuser batts great batts) and i think i lost the charger though..... hah
May 30 2011 1:46AM
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MattL.
Posts: 252 - Karma: 20
dude if your looking for something with good to great video quality and really easy... just pickup a go pro and an lcd for it lol
May 30 2011 8:49AM
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deleted2
Posts: 958 - Karma: 107
1. it seems like he wants to actually learn some things about filming and not just press record 2. he said he'd be doing a lot of night filming, and go pros suck ass at night.
May 30 2011 8:55AM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
after considering it, i think im gonna go with the hv30 for $400. thanks for all the help though.
i was also wondering if anyone edits on adobe premiere and likes it.
May 30 2011 11:41AM
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K_FRANK
Posts: 513 - Karma: 277
that kids dvx for 600! you cant go wrong! the learning curve might be steep but if you really want to learn somthing abut filming its an amazing camera!
May 30 2011 12:02PM
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deleted2
Posts: 958 - Karma: 107
Thanks man, yeah just throwing this out there, i learned more from filming when i had my dvx in 3 days than i did with my hv20 in 6 months
May 30 2011 1:53PM
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Juice.Doctor
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 293
i dont doubt it. but i payed for the hv30 already. sorry
May 30 2011 3:51PM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
Premiere is an amazing editing system, but it is geared towards advanced filmmakers. Try Vegas Movie Studio 10, it's relatively easy to understand but gives you a lot of nice features. It's around 100 dollars paid or you could torrent or keygen it, just search for some youtube videos on how.
May 30 2011 4:21PM
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cbeebzthasteeze
Posts: 1862 - Karma: 85
What about the Lumix GH1? I know it's a hybrid DSLR, but it takes great video, and it's in your price range.
May 30 2011 6:17PM
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TaranItUp
Posts: 1313 - Karma: 802
^ he already got a camera.
May 30 2011 6:25PM
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cbeebzthasteeze
Posts: 1862 - Karma: 85
Okay, didn't see that in the OP.
May 30 2011 6:30PM
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