What's your number 2?
- Thread starter Lensmith
- Start date
Tippster
The Fly on the Wall
The new unit I've been shooting for since 4/09 gave me an HPX170 originally - I talked them into giving me an HPX500 for my daily shooter, but still have the baby cam as backup. Not a bad little unit, actually, but no doubler means no ballroom Pressers/speeches from the riser, which is a pretty large component of our content.
grinner
Well-known member
When on a real shoot... that is a client-supervised paying gig, I rent accordingly.
I shoot a lot of my own content though and I'm in no way kidding whan I say my sons (12 and 9) with their miniDV cameras are my A-team lil freelancers. They've done this all their lives and in working so close together, little to no communication is required at this point. They are hand-held wonders and, well, as a daddy, it's a treat to get to hang with my dudes for a day while creating some content. Here's a clip from a couple of years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5PGdzjRTRU
Shakycam? Yes. Such is the flavor of this show. It's why it works and why I can really use em on many of these kinds of shoots.
Back in client world, more and more I am getting RED requests. It's really no different than the buzzword of Avid 15 years ago. Often they don't necessarily require it but they have a budget and some curiosity. I have not puchased a ONE. I'm holding out for a more affordable Scarlet.
I shoot a lot of my own content though and I'm in no way kidding whan I say my sons (12 and 9) with their miniDV cameras are my A-team lil freelancers. They've done this all their lives and in working so close together, little to no communication is required at this point. They are hand-held wonders and, well, as a daddy, it's a treat to get to hang with my dudes for a day while creating some content. Here's a clip from a couple of years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5PGdzjRTRU
Shakycam? Yes. Such is the flavor of this show. It's why it works and why I can really use em on many of these kinds of shoots.
Back in client world, more and more I am getting RED requests. It's really no different than the buzzword of Avid 15 years ago. Often they don't necessarily require it but they have a budget and some curiosity. I have not puchased a ONE. I'm holding out for a more affordable Scarlet.
First thing first, how did grinner got on this board, I though the idea was to get away from his type of amateur BS.
Anyway, to answer your question John, my favorite secondary camera is the Sony EX1, if the producer wants tapes then is the Sony Z1. I used my Canon 5D Mark II once just for test but wasn't very happy, mostly because we couldn't feed sound and it can only record for a short period.
Normally we would feed sound to all cameras from the mixer. I have to admit that bringing my MacBookPro with me, having to transfer the files and hand the producer a hard drive is a pain, even thou I'm getting paid extra for it. It's so much easier to just hand over the tapes.
On all E-60 shows we use either of these as an unmanned reporter camera, that's in addition to two HDX900.
Anyway, to answer your question John, my favorite secondary camera is the Sony EX1, if the producer wants tapes then is the Sony Z1. I used my Canon 5D Mark II once just for test but wasn't very happy, mostly because we couldn't feed sound and it can only record for a short period.
Normally we would feed sound to all cameras from the mixer. I have to admit that bringing my MacBookPro with me, having to transfer the files and hand the producer a hard drive is a pain, even thou I'm getting paid extra for it. It's so much easier to just hand over the tapes.
On all E-60 shows we use either of these as an unmanned reporter camera, that's in addition to two HDX900.
MtnShooter
Well-known member
I am now acquiring a Sony EXCam PMW 350. So my EX3 will become backup. I also also have a little Sony HVR A1U that I use for a handoff camera and B&W cutaways during interviews. I had a Z1U for a handoff, but a Buddy broke his and really needed one, so...
Sadly, the DSR 500 hasn't been out of the closet in over a year, now.
I also keep the two tape cameras to use as decks when I need one. I've got a lot of tapes from over the years.
Sadly, the DSR 500 hasn't been out of the closet in over a year, now.
I also keep the two tape cameras to use as decks when I need one. I've got a lot of tapes from over the years.
nautilusvideo
Well-known member
My Sony Z1U has made me quite a bit of money as a "B" camera on XDCAM HD, HDCAM and Varicam shoots. I'll be adding an EX1/3 as soon as possible though because of their popularity and image quality.
MtnShooter
Well-known member
I've thought about buying some porn. But I don't have a pornograph to play it on.
couryhouse
Well-known member
2ed cam...
These days the Sony Z5 is the first cam
and a sony Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder as 2ed cam
See the amazing details of this camera at... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/597655-REG/Sony_HDRXR500V_HDR_XR500V_120GB_High_Definition.html
But I have a handfull of others I can used as small 2ed cams but I like the Sony. It has a headphone jack and an eye lvel finder also which many palm units swee to me loosing.
These days the Sony Z5 is the first cam
and a sony Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder as 2ed cam
See the amazing details of this camera at... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/597655-REG/Sony_HDRXR500V_HDR_XR500V_120GB_High_Definition.html
But I have a handfull of others I can used as small 2ed cams but I like the Sony. It has a headphone jack and an eye lvel finder also which many palm units swee to me loosing.
Last edited:
JTFCM
Well-known member
I'm a news guy and I normally shoot with a Panasonic HPX-2000. She's a big girl at 36 pounds, so I also have a $120.00 Insignia 5 mega pixel NS-DV1080p camera that I bought at Best Buy. It's a true backup, that normally lives in the cup holder on my news assault vehicle. The great thing about it is it's consumer grade, it's something the average joe might have, so it works well when I'm sneaking around, and it has a bit of image stabilization just in case I have to give it to the reporter if I'm locked down on my tripod.
It shoots AVI and QT files, so you just plug it into the avid and import the video like it was a hard drive. 2 hours of record time on an 8 gig SD card and 2 hours of battery on a charge.
It shoots AVI and QT files, so you just plug it into the avid and import the video like it was a hard drive. 2 hours of record time on an 8 gig SD card and 2 hours of battery on a charge.
couryhouse
Well-known member
undercover cam!
Come to think of it ... no one comes up an says "can I be on the TV" like they do with the larger one.
Gotta remember to take your creds. off too for full stealth effect. An added touch is a hamburger in the other had you can munch on as you walk along and video.
The small Sony has a strap on it so I can wear it around my neck. I also have a canon F100 shhots to an sd card cam rigged like this also.
Yes... no one thinks you are with a station the small ones are good stelth cam. Yes my small one has no company marlins on it where as the Z% has a 'Planet sticker on the side and a flag on the mic that is clamped up on it.
Come to think of it ... no one comes up an says "can I be on the TV" like they do with the larger one.
Gotta remember to take your creds. off too for full stealth effect. An added touch is a hamburger in the other had you can munch on as you walk along and video.
The small Sony has a strap on it so I can wear it around my neck. I also have a canon F100 shhots to an sd card cam rigged like this also.
HokiePhotog
Well-known member
That's a nice little Sony... It has just about every feature I'm looking for in a 2nd cam/personal cam, and a decent amount of on-board storage too...
Capt. Slo-mo
Well-known member
Funny, when I bought my HDCam, I also bought one of the first Z1Us shipped to the gear house out west. On the 2nd day of training, they asked if they could borrow my Z1U for a show and tell, because there were some video producers coming to look. Word got around quickly that these were producers of, shall we say, "adult" viewing material. Sure enough, a slicked-back hair guy and an incredibly attractive young lady in skin tight clothing were in the crowd...handing out biz cards for their alternative production company.FWIW...I was shooting a story/interviews at a big time internet porn production studio in Miami.
Camera of choice for them. Sony EX-1. Editing on FCP.
Just a fun fact to know and tell.
The consensus seemed to be that the Z1U would be the skin trade camera of choice.
So naturally, when I brought my little HD camera home with its big brother, I named the Z1U "Squirt."
Squirt and I still log a lot of hours, even though he's long since been retired as the new kid on the block.
shootist
PRO user
Not quite what you're talking about Lensmith...but this IS my second camera. I picked up the GoPro Hero HD Wide last month. Literally fits in my palm and mounts to anything. Perfect for POV shots (so far,,,,inside of furnace looking out as tech removes cover...attached to snow shovel...driving shots mounted above wheel slamming the potholes....driving standups etc...) and cutaways...2 shots...tough angles and hard to fit spaces.
Waterproof housing and a slew of mounting hardward included...Sound isn't that good but when I need good audio, I record with my HPX2000 and sync later.
Here's a link: http://www.goprocamera.com/?_kk=gopro camera&_kt=df089809-599b-40f4-ad1e-defee725689d&gclid=CKLQx7e3l6ACFaAO5QodyFv3gg
Here's a pic:
John, you've seen this vid. This was a quickie when I was still figuring stuff out with it. The choppiness is due to youtube compression. In the Avid it is smooooooooth.....
Waterproof housing and a slew of mounting hardward included...Sound isn't that good but when I need good audio, I record with my HPX2000 and sync later.
Here's a link: http://www.goprocamera.com/?_kk=gopro camera&_kt=df089809-599b-40f4-ad1e-defee725689d&gclid=CKLQx7e3l6ACFaAO5QodyFv3gg
Here's a pic:
John, you've seen this vid. This was a quickie when I was still figuring stuff out with it. The choppiness is due to youtube compression. In the Avid it is smooooooooth.....
Last edited:
Capt. Slo-mo
Well-known member
Scott:
The GoPro is an AVC-based camera, right? What's your workflow to get it into the AVID and make it play well with the other clips?
The GoPro is an AVC-based camera, right? What's your workflow to get it into the AVID and make it play well with the other clips?
cameragod
Well-known member
A guy at one of the stations I freelance for has just bought a GoPro Hero HD and it's amazing. I would not have believed the pics he gets out of it... unfortunately the AVC is a real problem and getting it to play nice with Quantel editing is another story.
Still he mounted it on his viewfinder and got a wide cutaway shot of a political press scrum and man it worked well. I'll see if I can find the story.
Still he mounted it on his viewfinder and got a wide cutaway shot of a political press scrum and man it worked well. I'll see if I can find the story.
Flaca Productions
Well-known member
the gopro is an awesome little tool and its H.264 compression, saved as MPEG4 (.mp4) file.
i've got one and have used it on a GMA shoot, others on this board (dwaine) have used it during his olympics coverage on a zipline among other places. check out their site. if you prefer, b&h has them as well.
another cool thing is that they can do playback either HD or SD straight out of the camera, so i've dubbed footage straight to an SD XDCAM deck to get them right to an easily useable format for the client.
i've had a couple of conversations with the gopro tech guys - they have more things coming out like backpacks that add 2 battery capability for extended run-times as well as a viewfinder back. they have also said that they have figured out how to stream live out of them - not sure if that means output from the usb port or one of the video ports...and that will be updatable thru software. pretty cool stuff.
i've got one and have used it on a GMA shoot, others on this board (dwaine) have used it during his olympics coverage on a zipline among other places. check out their site. if you prefer, b&h has them as well.
another cool thing is that they can do playback either HD or SD straight out of the camera, so i've dubbed footage straight to an SD XDCAM deck to get them right to an easily useable format for the client.
i've had a couple of conversations with the gopro tech guys - they have more things coming out like backpacks that add 2 battery capability for extended run-times as well as a viewfinder back. they have also said that they have figured out how to stream live out of them - not sure if that means output from the usb port or one of the video ports...and that will be updatable thru software. pretty cool stuff.
cameragod
Well-known member
Thanks will be looking at that as soon as pos
Frank McBride
Well-known member
Grinner, can I assume that you intentionally removed your name, or was this the result of some glitch?
FMc
FMc