I'd like to hear various camera replacement plans

CClub wrote on 2/16/2011, 5:47 AM
It's amazing how dramatically the video technology changes each year. I know that's not new, but geez, it seems to have been extreme the last year or two and will certainly continue.

I'd be interested in hearing how others are addressing this "camera replacement flow." For myself, I just do videography as a side business/hobby. I did jump into the HDV world, but recently sold my V1U's and transitioned into AVCHD. I currently have a Panasonic GH2/TM700 combo which I love, but but I'm contemplating either a Panasonic AF-100 or an EX1R for the bigger jobs. The problem is that I can only afford to make a significant camera transition every 4 years or so, while the technology changes dramatically every 1-2 years. I'm almost finding it easier to buy the smaller/inexpensive cameras and work with the new technology on a regular basis and just rent for the big jobs, rather than get tied down with a bigger camera such as an EX1R. Then, I've been spending more of my equipment funds on things I don't have to replace such as Redrock Micro equipment for the GH2, great audio equipment/mics, better tripods, etc.

It will understandably vary depending on your specific videography needs (and whether you do this full-time, of course!), but I'd be interested in hearing what others may have for their camera upgrade plans.

Comments

JohnnyRoy wrote on 2/16/2011, 6:03 AM
> The problem is that I can only afford to make a significant camera transition every 4 years or so, while the technology changes dramatically every 1-2 years.

Funny... I haven't seen a dramatic change for the better. ;-)

I'm still using my Sony HVR-Z1U that I purchased back in 2005 and I see no compelling reason to buy anything new. It works... the HDV still looks spectacular to me. I add the HVR-DR60 Hard Disk Recording Unit and so I'm tapeless for 4 hrs with no flash cards to fumble or loose and I'm very happy with the performance of HDV when editing.

My camera replacement plan is to use the Z1U until it stops working or they come out with a format that's better than HD that customers want. (...do customer even want HD yet? lol) If the Z1U does stop working, I'll probably buy another HDV camera or an EX1R. I have no desire to use AVCHD although I do have a small AVCHD Sony CX-12 for vacation videos.

~jr
kkolbo wrote on 2/16/2011, 6:25 AM
I am with Johnny. My Z1U out performs any needs I have. It is not going anywhere. When it dies, I will most likely move to XDCAM of some flavor. I still prefer it over AVC.

I have AVC camcorders, but they are for vacations and POV.

Just because it is new and being marketed does not motivate me to change my primary tool. If I were shooting for Discovery I would change to an XDCAM. Other than that, my Z1U is the way to go. I have to see quality improvements that motivate the change. The only thing that an AVC camcorder has offered that attracts me is the large sensor models coming out. If I were doing cinematic work, I would consider them, but for run and gun event video and news, extreme DOF is not an advantage.
Steve Mann wrote on 2/16/2011, 6:48 AM
I'm with Johnny.

A pair of Sony HVR-Z1U's and HVR-DR60's deliver, in my opinion, a superior video file than any AVCHD camera. My quad-core editing PC handles HDV just fine, but would coke on the more heavily compressed AVDHC. If a prosumer camera came on the market with 10-bit 4:4:4 video, then I would consider a change. But not to just feed the marketing machine.

Johnny, few customers ask for HD - they simply expect the best quality that we can produce. I shoot and edit everything in HDV. My projects only become SD when I encode the MPEG file for the DVD.