Need a camera recommendation

I'm looking for a decent quality durable camera. A crossover between a homeowner camera and a professional one.

My primary need is making short videos for website clips.

This will mostly be used by photographic novices, not photographers- simple is definitely better.

However, it is also an important sales tool for my business. We will be standing in front of hundreds of customers doing interviews and how-to videos. The camera itself is a sales pitch. It should look like we are using reasonable equipment, not pocket flip cameras.

I think I am leaning toward an SLR digital HD, but could certainly be talked out of it. I am NOT interested in mortgaging my house for this.

Sound quality will always be an issue. Most of the work we will be doing with it will be on construction sites or convention floors- high noise environments. I think the ability to use a shotgun mike or a separate audio (lapel mike) that can be synced later is important.

Flip screen a plus in order for the user to focus on himself (with no actual camera operator).

We need to be able to edit the files in readily available software like Moviemaker or Imovie.

Dummies using it. Simple use important. Basic editing. A bit on the durable side, 'cause we beat stuff up on construction sites. But the balance is that we are trying to give a professional appearance, and may occasionally pay for more professional editing of certain footage.

The Cannon 60d has been suggested. Other thoughts?

The D60 is nice and does have the flip screen, but first hold one. It felt a little plasticy to me--not as beefy as the D50, D40, etc. I'm shooting with a 7D. I love it, but it doesn't have the flip screen. Perhaps the D60 is your answer.

By the way, lots o' camera info here: http://dpreview.com/

I think the 7D may be a bit too pricey.

I'd heard about the plasticy feel. Flip screen is not a must.

Other suggestions?

The D60 does not shoot video, but the D5000 (updated version of the same camera) does. B&H has a D5000 with a kit lens for $629. bhphotovideo.com

The best advice I can give, is before purchasing, go into a local camera shop (not Best Buy) and look at the cameras and ask your questions. You may be surprised at what feels like a good fit for you and will meet your needs.

Pretty much everybody on staff uses Canon equipment, so forgive the bias, it's what we're used to. (Tom Suddard uses a Nikon, so I'm sure he has thoughts to add.)

I'd suggest a Rebel T2i. Scott and JG here in the office both seem really happy with theirs, and if I were to replace my camera body tomorrow, that's what I would get too. The videos of the Lincoln project were mostly shot on one, so you can see some examples.

I'd also say that sound quality is all about microphones. Add an external mic to your budget and it will pay dividends.

Editing is a whole other headache/joy. To process HD video in a reasonable timeframe is very tough with a laptop. I use iMovie primarily (shame) but I'm learning to use Final Cut. Again, it's tough on a laptop, since the files you're working with are huge.

Keep us posted...

SVreX, do you need to take photos at all? It sounds more like you're after a video camera than a still camera...

Also, do you need HD?

With your requirements, I'd be looking at video cameras rather than still cameras that can also shoot video, and probably at something like a used semi-pro Mini-DV camera (Panasonic GV400, for example or a Canon XL1S if you really want to splurge). Most consumer video cameras perform abysmally in low light situations which you might actually encounter on convention floors and the darker corners of building sites.

I think David meant to say 60D and not D60. The 60D is an AMAZING piece of equipment of for the money. If you want to save a few bucks, and forego the flipout screen, you can get a Canon T2i for a couple hundred less. The T2i, 60D and 7D all have what amounts to the same guts. The 7D gets a stout metal frame, and can shoot faster still bursts, but video quality is essentially identical. The T2i and 60D have plastic bodies, use SD cards (rather than the 7D's CF cards), but will essentially do anything the 7D will. The 60D has a top-mounted lcd readout, which is handy, especially when shooting video.

I love, love, love my T2i, but sometimes find myself wishing I'd waited for the 60D to come out. It's a remarkably future proof consumer priced camera, with insane image capabilities.

jg

EDIT: What Tom said about sound +1000000. Get a decent mic. I have a Rode Videomic, which is an amazing piece of equipment for about $150. You can also look into a portable digital recorder like a Zoom H1 or H2. I have an H2 and it's incredibly easy to use and produced great results when used properly. Good sound is way trickier than good image. Good sound is all about practice, and taking the time to figure out your environment. With a Rode and a portable digital recorder with outboard inputs, you should be set for any situation.

We just got a Sony Alpha DSLR for the missus, and it was a great value. We got the 500 series (although, this particular model does not shoot video, other Alphas do). The upside is that the lenses can be found cheap - some older minolta lenses can fir this body. Weve shot hundreds of pix and have been very happy. Sony refreshes their line every year or 2, and just did (similar to car model lines), and therefore you can find good closeout deals.

That said, she was more interested in a Nikkon after doing her own research. We ended up Sony because A) it was her B-day and thats what I bought, and B) it was really discounted due to the model switchover, so that persuaded me as well.

Yeah, 60D. Blame Canon.

c-list for a canon gl1 or GL2. Used GL1s (baby brother to the XL1) around the $500 range. These are prosumer video cameras - you can do basic/simple shooting and get your videos up on the web pretty quickly. When you're ready to do more advanced shooting, the camera will have the capacity to handle it - up to shooting broadcast quality. Works very well with external/wireless microphones - so sound editing isn't a problem. OTOH, I notice mythbusters are using a bunch of Go Pro Heros for well-lit image capture. Try an A/V rental place and test out a few options - see what you like using and what gives you the results/image you're looking for.

Wow! Looks like I asked the right people!

That's a great link, David. Thank you.

Morbid:

The D60 is a Nikon. The 60D is a Canon (and does shoot video).

BoxheadTim wrote: SVreX, do you need to take photos at all? It sounds more like you're after a video camera than a still camera... Also, do you *need* HD? With your requirements, I'd be looking at video cameras rather than still cameras that can also shoot video, and probably at something like a used semi-pro Mini-DV camera (Panasonic GV400, for example or a Canon XL1S if you really want to splurge). Most consumer video cameras perform abysmally in low light situations which you might actually encounter on convention floors and the darker corners of building sites.

This. Unless I missed something. Why not get a video camera?

SVreX wrote: Morbid: The D60 is a Nikon. The 60D is a Canon (and does shoot video).

Yep, but in David's first post, he said D60, not 60D, hence the confusion :)

That idiot who can't spell wrote: This. Unless I missed something. Why not get a video camera?

Certainly an option.

I'm intentionally dumbing down what we hope to be doing. The first goal is video, and the equipment must not be over the heads of amateurs, but additional (professional) uses will follow. The SLR gives a few creative options related to the varied focal lengths and lenses available. It is also a very professional package.

I know I downplayed the professionalism, but it is important. My sense is that professional quality in a camcorder is a bit of a price stretch with less versatility in applications, although it would give more in-camera video user options. I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

But I'm just exploring options. Haven't closed the door on a camcorder. Any suggestions?

Bump. I need to replace my cheap Canon A640 as I think the sensor's shot. I'm getting thin green lines across the images. Prefer to buy new but I'm really, really tight on funds...

A week ago there were some awesome deals on the Pentax K-50 + 18-55mm kit lens. But that's apparently ended. But what are you really wanting for a camera and how much do you want to spend?

Hoping for $500 or less complete. Just general snapshots and short videos of my daughters at things like church choir recitals, that sort of thing.

Try to find a "weatherproof" camera if you go DSLR route. Just because one day it will be important.

And check out www.keh.com for used gear

I'd go for either a Pentax K-50 with an 18-55 for a fairly compact camera for about $370, or a K-50 with an 18-135 for a not much larger camera setup with a much nicer lens that has a lot more reach (although that lens isn't so great past 75 or 80mm). That setup is selling for about $550 on Amazon. I'm kind of slutty for Pentax, though, so that's my usual go-to. Canon and Nikon cameras that are comparable are a good $100 to $300 more depending on the lens you want to go with the body. I also really like interchangeable lens cameras with real optical viewfinders so a Micro 4/3rds setup doesn't interest me.

The quality of DSLR video is such that it is being used as a replacement for camcorders in many situations, but remember, zooming is a manual affair AFAIK. And to get decent audio, you NEED to add an external mic. To me, it starts looking kinda wonkey. Why not just get a camcorder at that point?

I used a Canon similar to this: Canon VIXIA
Amazing image and sound right out of the box, with the ability to easily add a shotgun mic to the body or a lav mic. Plenty of storage space, flip out screen, and it looks like you are serious about shooting video...not making due with a still camera. (even if you know a DSLR is as good or better quality, your customers might not)

It's really weird seeing zombie threads from my former self coming back to life.

I don't even remember writing some of this stuff.

In reply to SVreX:

So, what did you end up with?

In reply to Brian:

Bad pictures.