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Upstream Color?
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4 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
I just watched Upstream Color on Amazon Prime. It's slow-paced, high concept sci-fi. No space, aliens, or lasers. Just quiet, slow, sometimes confusing psychological/biological weirdness. It's by the same guy who made Primer. I really liked it.
Hi /u/qsv11427 - the least expensive used 5D Mark II you'll find is around $1000 - and if you have that much money to spend, there are a lot better video capable cameras on the market today.
For $500, the best video image quality you're going to find will be from a used Panasonic GH2, starting at $457.48 in the Amazon Marketplace as of this post. There are also a couple available in the Adorama used store right now, one for $399 and one for $474.
The GH3 and GH4 that /u/capri_stylee mentioned are fabulous video capable cameras (I have both of them), but they are above your $500 budget limit.
The GH2 is better than the T3i because it doesn't have the T3i's 12 minute continuous recording limit, it has a viewfinder that actually works while you're shooting video (unlike a DSLR, where the viewfinder is blanked out by the mirror during video recording), and it is resistant to the shot-ruining moire that bedevils lower-end Canon DSLRs - as seen in these comparisons between the GH2 and the Canon 60D (same sensor and downscaling algorithms as the T3i):
Here is what the GH2 can do:
FEATURE FILMS:
DOCUMENTARY:
You'll find many more examples on Andrew Reid's Vimeo GH2 group here: https://vimeo.com/groups/gh2
In my view, a used GH2 is the best bang for the buck below $500.
Hope this is helpful!
Bill
Hi /u/RascalFirkin - the camera guide that /u/SerialManslaughter linked you to is very good, but a little out of date.
My recommendations really depend on your budget level.
CAMERA BODY BUDGET BELOW $500
I have two recommendations. Either:
- A used Panasonic GH2, starting at $457.48 in the Amazon Marketplace as of this post. There are also a couple available in the Adorama used store right now, one for $399 and one for $474.
Here is what the GH2 can do:
Feature Films:
<em>Upstream Color</em> - 2013
DOCUMENTARY:
You'll find many more examples on Andrew Reid's Vimeo GH2 group here: https://vimeo.com/groups/gh2
Or:
- A Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera for $495 (on sale until 8/31, when it will go back up to $995 - sale price not in camera guide). This camera requires a much steeper learning curve than the GH2 or any DSLR - but, straight out of the box, it will give you stunning RAW video images that no other camera in this price range can match. Here is what it can do:
Narrative:
Music Video:
Documentary:
Commercials:
Corporate:
CAMERA BUDGET BETWEEN $500 and $1000
In this price class, I have two recommendations - neither of them are included in the camera guide.
- You may want to consider the Panasonic G6. This camera is $747.99 with the 14-42mm kit lens and has a built-in intervalometer, a viewfinder that works while you're shooting video, built-in 'focus peaking' (makes your life easier when focusing manually), on-screen sound meters, compatibility with power zoom lenses, wi-fi control from your phone or tablet and many other features that make it a great video camera. Here is what it can do:
Music Video:
Narrative:
Documentary:
Slow Motion/Sport:
Travel Video:
http://vimeo.com/86145944 (shot with a power zoom lens)
- If you don't want to bother with interchangeable lenses, but want the highest resolution images available in this price class, you may want to consider the Ultra HD resolution ("4K") $897.99 Panasonic FZ1000. This camera has a fixed 16x power zoom lens on a 1" sensor, shoots at up to 1080/120p slow motion and can produce Ultra HD images that look like this (please watch at your monitor's highest resolution):
1080/120p Slow Motion:
This is a very impressive camera for the price - and it is the easiest to use and least expensive large sensor Ultra HD camera on the market right now.
Hope this is helpful!
Bill
Welcome back! The three big things that have changed in the last 8 years are:
- Crowd funding, which you've already identified
- New paid, voluntary pay and free distribution channels, most notably video-on-demand, YouTube and the Vimeo "tip jar"
- The democratization of pro quality production gear. Shooters are now making features on large sensor, interchangeable lens cameras you can buy at Amazon. Theatrically released feature films such as Upstream Color (created by Shane Carruth on the sub-$1000 Panasonic GH2, a mirrorless camera, or DSLM) and Tiny Furniture (created by Lena Dunham on the Canon 7D, a DSLR) are examples. [Referral Links].
Depending on your budget, you can buy a 1080p Super 16 cinema camera that records to RAW, losslessly compressed, video for less than $1000, a 4K (4 times the resolution of HD) Super 35mm cinema camera with a global shutter that records to RAW video for less than $3000, or a shoulder mounted Super 35mm cinema camera with XLR inputs, a global shutter and pro quality internal sound recording for less than $10,000 [Referral Links].
Below $1000:
I own the sub-$1000 camera, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema camera. Here is what this little powerhouse cinema camera can do:
Narrative
Documentary
Music Video
Travel/Low Light
There are lots more examples in the Pocket Cinema Camera group I moderate over on Vimeo.
This camera is great for shooters on a limited budget.
Below $3000:
Many independent filmmakers are shooting with the Blackmagic Production Camera as their primary camera on several feature films, to include "Checkmate", starring Danny Glover and Sean Astin:
http://theactionelite.com/2014/07/first-look-at-checkmate-starring-danny-glover-vinnie-jones/
http://hdslrshooter.com/shooting-feature-blackmagic-productioncamera4k/
This camera is also being used in broadcast television: http://vimeo.com/100710793
You'll need a rig, plus external power and sound solutions to make it usable - but once it's rigged up, it is a powerful UHD ("4K") filmmaking tool.
With its Super 35mm sensor, 4K RAW recording and global shutter, this camera is the only cinema camera in this price range with these features.
Below $10,000:
The two primary contenders here are the new Sony PXW-FS7 and the Aja CION Production Camera. I recommend the Aja CION for serious theatrical production because of its global shutter. Coming from a 3 CCD camcorder, you may not be familiar with "CMOS skew" - but the new CMOS cameras all have a problem with horizontal motion, as seen in whip pans from the FS7 here. This problem is much worse for DSLRs. Global shutter fixes this.
Here is what the CION can do:
This is the best value-for money production camera in this price class, in my view.
Hope this is helpful and best of luck with your feature!
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