Analysis Paralysis - I'm Stuck On Which Camera To Buy!

[LovinItAll]

Hi, all. Brand new here. I have exactly $5,000 to spend on a video camera. I have lots of top-of-the line audio gear (an amateur musician with more money than sense), so I'm set with audio. Tons of lighting gear, too...(from my many forays into making little 15-30 minute videos using basic mini-dv cams). Now I'm stuck----

I have been looking at the Z-1, but I have also read much about the (much debated) importance of being able to shoot 24p natively. I would really like something that could transfer to film easily should my unrealistic and unfounded aspirations of making a "movie" ever be realized.

All opinions count! My original thinking was that HD was important, but.... Also, I should mention that I shoot a lot of video content for internet delivery. That is what I will use the cam for at first.

I shoot about 6 hours of video a week right now. I get about 6 seconds worth of decent footage from it (that's a joke....sort of!)

Everytime I think I've made up my mind, I vascillate.......HELP!

Thanks ~ Lee

P.S. I am in the U.S., if it matters

 

[MarkG]

I have been looking at the Z-1, but I have also read much about the (much debated) importance of being able to shoot 24p natively. I would really like something that could transfer to film easily should my unrealistic and unfounded aspirations of making a "movie" ever be realized.

Z1, shoot PAL (or rather, 50Hz 1080i), deinterlace, slow from 25fps to 24fps. Done.

Sure, in the worst case with a really basic deinterlacer you'll lost half the vertical resolution, but you'll still have twice as many pixels as any DV camera, and about 80% as many as shooting progressive scan on a JVC HD100. With a good deinterlacer the figures would be even better.

Being able to shoot both PAL and NTSC at the click of a menu option was one of the main reasons why I bought a Z1: I believe it's the only camera which can do so.

 

[surjones]

I would saw for TRUE 24p, and Varible frame rates, and you want to make films for a living. Or maybe do some other video work, Panasonic's HVX200 is the Way to go.

Here is some pal footy, and also the 2nd link is the VFR footy.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=65350

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=65053

 

[surjones]

I also might add with the Frame Rate Hack, I also get a 2fps with a 350degree shutter. For those light streak looks.

Here are your frame rate choices. 2,3,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,23,24,26,27,28,30, 32,34,36,38,40,42,44,46,48,50,52,54,56,58,60.