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I need a new video cam - any suggestions?
I'm doing more videography of late, what with YouTube vids and virtual performances. I have a rather nice Sony video cam - except it now shoots dark, grainy, out of focus video. I don't know if it deteriorated, or was always that way, but it sucks.
I recorded a virtual performance yesterday, and as I haven't been too thrilled with the Sony of late, I set both the Sony up, as well as a Polaroid "action cam" that I have. Thank Goddess I did, the results were about what I expected. The Sony's video was horrid, the action cam's was pretty darn good - and had slightly better sound to boot!
Of course, neither was optimal; the action cam - being what it is - gave me a nice fish eye effect, which I was able to partially mitigate in post production. OTOH, the Sony really isn't wide enough for the videography I seem to be doing these days, I practically had to put it in the business next door to be able to get a large enough field of view! It didn't help that I was slightly over 8 feet tall with that candelabra balanced on my head - what if I'd been in heels? Although I managed to get the Sony back far enough, its video was so horrid, that I went with the action cam's.
Therefore - I need a new video camera. It needs to have a fairly wide angle lens, no fisheye and preferably with minimal rectilinear distortion. Telephoto is of little concern - I need W-I-D-E! Good low light capability is always a plus. Image stabilization isn't such a requirement, as I mainly shoot from a tripod anyway, but it wouldn't hurt. I would prefer one with both a viewfinder as well as a screen - but if push comes to shove, I'd take the viewfinder over the screen "by a nose". Physical size isn't a concern, good audio is. Yesterday's video had music playing as well as my playing finger cymbals. Finger cymbals can be problematic to mic - although both cameras did well yesterday, the action cam slightly better. What often happens is either you can't hear the cymbals, or they overload the mic and you can hear the music!
There's 50 million of them out there, any recommendations?
Oh, and good closeup focusing would be great too - doesn't have to be "super macro", but a foot or so would be wonderful - I've made a few gun vids as well!
-Zorba, "The Veiled Male"
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
)O(
Replies
Me hides i n the deepest, darkest corners of the web as now SHTF
I knew some wag would suggest that! Congrats - you beat GunNut to the punch! Well played. Even I'll admit that cell phone cameras are pretty darn good - they should be as much as they cost!
They are just about killing the commercial photographer gig, and I've gotten that from several professional photographers I know. The photos for my new website were all take with my iPhone 12 Pro and edited on the phone. But, the new picture editing software for the Mac is fantastic too and comes with the machine. Again not trying to convince you to buy any of this, I know better. Just a commentary on where the technology is nowadays.
BTW have you thought about buying a slightly older (1 or 2 generations older) tech SLR? My Nikon D90 which was state of the art a few years ago can now be had (lenses too) for quite reasonable money and it shoots amazing quality 720p video which for most folks, especially for website applications, is PLENTY good. And that camera still takes amazing still photos.
do you really need a "Video" camera? If you plan to do vids out and about i can see needed a camea.
but if you doing all of your stuff at home, maybe you can get by with a usb/connected type of camera and connect direct to your PC/Laptop.
- Don Burt
-Mikhail Kalashnikov
Exactly. The Polaroid "Action Cam" that I ended up using the video from is very similar. Takes great video, but the fish-eye is a problem!