Shooting digital videos: dSLR or DV camcorder?

by Lee.Koo May 24, 2013 8:44AM PDT

Question:

Shooting digital videos: dSLR or DV camcorder?

I used to do a bit of filming, Super 8 film in the very old days and on VHS in just the old days. I'd like to start doing some film work again. I want decent quality, good enough to project at local film society nights. Now, with a budget of around $1,000 should I invest in a DV camera or a DSLR? What are the pros and cons for each? Any opinions? Thanks!

-- Submitted by: Stan W.

Note: This post was edited by a forum moderator to fix the dollar sign on 05/27/2013 at 2:45 PM PT

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DSLR run limitation

by pixelriffic Jun 23, 2013 12:34AM PDT

You can run Magic Lantern on Canon DLSRs, and it will restart the camera as soon as it stops shooting. It's pretty quick.

That said, any single camera shoots I do for clients, like a public performance, I use a Sony NX5U. It can shoot continuously for hours. I shot a dance performance a week ago, that was two hours long. The dropouts would not have been acceptable to the client.

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DSLR or Camcorder

by snapshot2 Forum moderator Jun 23, 2013 12:52AM PDT

If your goal is video - Use a Camcorder.

Digital Cameras all suffer from sound problems.
They use a simple auto gain control circuit and an inexpensive microphone.
If you are too close to the sound sourse you will get distortion.

..

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Not exactly correct

by windorah Jun 23, 2013 9:48AM PDT

My Canon 60D certainly has a cheap crappy inbuilt mic but it also has manual gain control.
The audio problem is easily overcome either with a unit such as the Beachtek or in my case I use a Zoom H4n digital audio recorder, either will give superb audio, and have XLR mic inputs.

There are certainly hoops to jump through to use a DSLR for video and get good results. But a consumer camcorder at the same price will never compete for DOF control or low light performance.

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Sony a57

by zahmbee Jun 25, 2013 8:35AM PDT

Hey Windorah and R Profittt , You guys would have gotten better audio results with the SONY a57. I was looking at replacing my old vid cam and ended up getting the Sony. It has auto focus in video mode and the mic is capable of high sound pressure levels. see my audio test:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnjOL6CiTZw

This band was loud enough to knock your fillings out. It was crazy loud and the mic didn't crap out. The Sony a57 also records 29 minutes of video at a time. Those Canon cameras you purchased are very fine cameras. They just require a lot of audio help. The Sony also is very quiet when it comes to the lens motor.

happy hunting guys.

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Good advice.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Jun 23, 2013 9:51AM PDT

My son is shooting now with a Canon (I'll skip exact models) and for audio using one of those other audio recorders. Because it suffers the usual overheat issue I loaned him a second device to record while the Canon cools down.
Bob

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SONY a57

by zahmbee Jun 25, 2013 8:35AM PDT

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HD Camcorder

by keithsplace2 Jul 10, 2013 1:28AM PDT

DSLR's are for photo's Video cams are for Video. Usually what they are designed for they do the best.
As far as ease of use and quality, an DV HD video cam is the way to go, (my opinion).
I have been using a Sony CX500 HD cam for about 3 years now and I must say I get great results.
I tried a couple other cheaper cams that I sold. I'd really like to be able to have two of these.
I am a sound tech with my own company as a side line business. I run the sound for several groups around town and a couple of big festivals. I have been involved in a few projects when the band hired their own videographer. Well the results where not always what they expected, some of the best shots where from my Sony at the back of the room.
Which I almost always run, since I usually have to mix the audio from the music record system and sync it with the video. This helps me out in the video sync part to have a constant running video. Oh another thing, with internal and biggest SD card available. The Sony can run most all day, in HD high res, I do need to drop the video for the day if I have a two day event.
The biggest problem with the DSLR's that I have seen, was lighting, which my cam did quit well with cooping with.
I can't say the video resolutions and focus was any better on some of my shots, but generally with choosing the right scene lighting mode it does quit well. Going from the stage lighting in one scene, a quick button click or two to change the scene to Fireworks to catch the fireworks display. Software I use is Pinnacle Studio..

Shooting digital videos: dSLR or DV camcorder?

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