So, here's the deal...

[Grimnoc]

Fellow Icrontians, I'm looking to buy a a higher-quality camera to record HD video with but I have absolutely no idea where to start, and since you all are collectively about fifty million times more knowledgeable than myself in said arena I request your input.

The goal is to begin learning video editing/production while working towards completing a short which I've been writing...and basically go from there. The only other thing that would be nice is to have decent still-shot functionality, but video is my primary interest. So yeah, um suggestions?

As far as a price range, because I know someone will ask, I'd be willing to go up to $2,000 but I'd like to stay around the $1,000 mark.

[shwaip]

Ask keebs how much he likes his canon hg20 :D

But are you looking for flash storage? Hard drive? Tape?

[Grimnoc]

Well, firstly I don't know the technical ramifications of choosing tape vs. hard drives/flash, but having said this I do not have a specific preference towards either media. The bottom line is that I'll need to be able to record at the very least an hour of HD footage whichever way I go.

[UPSLynx]

Throw away still photography expectations. Unless you're buying a Canon 5D Mk2 or some other DSLR that shoots video, stills fuctionality won't get you much on a camcorder.

Technical ramifications of tape/HDD: Tape is generally cheaper, and you can have lots of media with you on shoots if you buy a bunch of tapes. Drawbacks? Forgetting tapes means your effed on a shoot (If I had a dollar for every time Skibbe did this while shooting Man Who Knew Nothing) and upon beginning post production, you have to start by capturing.

Capturing completely sucks. You have to roll tape and capture it to a computer in real time before you can edit anything, and it must happen in real time. So if you shoot for an hour, it'll take an hour to capture and ingest the footage.

Digital handles footage by storing them on a clip basis. You roll, you cut, and you have a clip. You hook the camera up to your PC, copy, paste, and do what you want.

At least I think that's how all or most of them work.

now, if you're shooting HD, some digital formats will shoot in their own proprietary RAW format, which will take converting, typically, before you can do post. Converting gets nasty, so be sure you know what kind of file formats you're dealing with before you buy the camera. This is a VERY important piece of the process. Learn video resolution standards, learn video encoding standards, and learn about the different file formats and encoding options. This stuff will put your head in a spin if you dive in without doing your homework.

As for camera recommendations, hard for me to say outside of what I've used, because I don't pay attention to the market. We shot Man Who Knew with two Canon hv20's. Great cameras, they shoot HD, have a direct audio line in for microphones, interchangeable lens mount, records on MiniDV, ect. Pretty affordable too, around $600 I believe.

The hg20 we got for Lincoln is really sweet, digital storage, shoots HD, but I don't know much about the technical specs and options of the camera outside of that

[primesuspect]

I will say this, having experience with loading clips from both tape and digital:

GO DIGITAL. It is SO much easier, you literally just copy files over to your computer and you've got video clips. Dumping tape is fraught with issues. Tape is dead. Do NOT get a tape camera.

[Lincoln]

Ask keebs how much he likes his canon hg20 :D
Pretty much epic.

[rolleggroll]

While I cant offer any camera buying advice, I do think you ought to record lynx and all the weird shit he does when no one is looking.

[primesuspect]

THIS IS HOW WE DO

[UPSLynx]

While I cant offer any camera buying advice, I do think you ought to record lynx and all the weird shit he does when no one is looking.

:range:
no. the world is not ready.

[Grimnoc]

While I cant offer any camera buying advice, I do think you ought to record lynx and all the weird shit he does when no one is looking.

Oh I will, but I need a camera first.