Help Mollyfilms Buy a Camera!
Mon, 01/05/2004 - 13:12 — Waldo
mollyfilms writes, "I'm interested in purchasing my first camera...I'm just starting out. I've been looking at the SONY PD 150. Any thoughts? I have NO training thus far....obviously I am looking into taking some classes in NYC. Any suggestions would be helpful."
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Re: Help Mollyfilms Buy a Camera!
The Sony PD 150 is a nice camera (a lot of film programs in colleges use it), but if you have a little more money I'd go with the Canon GL1 (which you'd need to buy used bc theyre out of production), GL2, or XL1 (out of the three I'd say the GL2 is the best value). These Canon series are used often in television broadcasts and would be great for a documentary.
If you have the money, the best option for a filmmaker going for a professional cinematic look is the Panasonic AG-DVX 100, which is a bit harder to find and can cost around $4,000. But it records at 24 frames per-second as opposed to 60 fields per second (which makes it look a lot more like film) and has incredible color and image quality. The last shoot I was on used the DVX100 and we would all stand around the monitor, amazed at the image (it can really look like film with the right lighting). Your fellow students would be VERY envious.
Good luck, and try each of your options out before buying!
Re: Help Mollyfilms Buy a Camera!
I used the PD-150 in film school in New Zealand. Incidently, I thought the pd-150 model name referred only to a pal format camera but I could be wrong. Anyway, at first I hated the camera. It has a few annoying features and seemed hard to focus manually but after a wile I grew to like the camera and found it to be great for on the go doco work. On the other hand if you're more interested in drama, canon's brands, Xl-1, Gl-1, etc... seem to give a great saturated cinematic look. They also come with a really nice lens. I also got to use that panasonic 24p witch looked absolutely fantastic to my eye. I'd go with that personally but it might be more than you have to spend.
Re: Help Mollyfilms Buy a Camera!
Filmmaking is so expensive when it comes to talent, locations, catering...I would try borrowing a camera first. You may be able to use one of the school's cameras if you take a class. Or you may meet someone who has a camera and barter/PA for them...so many people have cameras now - it doesn't make sense to buy one so early.
Re: Help Mollyfilms Buy a Camera!
I agree that you should first go about borrowing a camera first before buying one. If you have only one project to work on at the moment then it might prove costly to buy a camera that you wont be using for a while.
Try out different makes and models of camera before you are satisfied with the style of camera you want. People enjoy different cameras for different reasons, i.e ease of use, effects, lens.
The Sony PD 150 is a great camera to start out with but when it comes to proffesional work or shoots, it is only used as a back up camera or as screen tests. The versitility of the camera isnt that great. But a decent camera to have for the prive.