Cameras for VJs

I was just wondering if anybody could tell me what kind of cameras VJs are using these days. I am especially interested in anybody who is shooting for the web. Any ideas on specific attributes or drawbacks of these cameras would be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Dan
 

Canonman

Well-known member
I second what Cameragod says. There are features of this camera that make it a good fit for VJ use. Granted, I own an F350 so I may be a bit biased.

cm
 

soonershooter

Well-known member
My station has 2 VJ's....er, BPJ's (we're a Gannett station). We're hoping to upgrade in the future.

We use the Sony PD-170. We're hoping to upgrade in the future.

Other Gannett stations use the Sony Z1--KUSA & WBIR at least, maybe more.
 

cameragod

Well-known member
Sort term maybe but long term? No headwear, 7 year guarantee on the laser bits, you can use it as a deck as much as you like so that will save you on a separate player… if you are smart you could easily make a business case for a F330 HD/XD at least.
 
I'm curious to know how many stations are going to the VJ format? And how many of you photogs are now reporting, or are the reporters taking your jobs?

AC
 

Canuck Photog

Well-known member
I'm a VJ...well...some of the time. We use a variety of DSR300s and DSR-450s. They work well and you don't look like an amateur when you walk into a room.
 
Just a note from the newspaper world: there is no standard.

Gannett is handing out Sony A1U's, which are ill-suited to the run-n-gun tasks they're being used for.

Some of the big papers and the AP are buying Sony XDCAM EX1's.

A lot of papers use the Sony Z1U and some the V1U, and a few use Panasonic HVX200's.

But I think the biggest base of users is on the Canon XHA1. It's cheap, has a great lens, and has decent manual controls -- much better than the Sony Z1U.

One advantage the Canon XHA1 has over some of the others is the ability to take in and put out pool feeds.

The Canon has a really awful default setup and gives a muddy, noisy image out of the box -- but it is able to be tweaked to your heart's desire and gives a really great image if you take the time to set it up. (Except if you set it to shoot in SD... then it sucks no matter what.)

The way things are going in the newspaper business world, though, the standard video camera will be a $200 point-n-shoot still camera - which is what a lot of small papers use already.
 

couryhouse

Well-known member
One advantage the Canon XHA1 has over some of the others is the ability to take in and put out pool feeds..
the sony z1 can analog in and record to tape and also send analog out to others while shooting to tape. would this not also work for pool use?

I loved my Z1 then an evil phx aerovac helicopter prop washed it into the ground and it looks like a martha stewart glue gun project with all the finders hanging off it.
 

couryhouse

Well-known member
I use some panasonic GS-35's which get you no respect whn you walk into a room but they are dependable and have extermal microphone in. (no headphone out though)

They have an outragious zoom range of 30x optical and with a $25 wide angle or even the fisheye from wall st camera you can zoom though them and yest due to large zoom size you still have reach!

quality is ok would not place against a 40k$ camera but ntot too bad and actually have seen it on a harkins movie screen when I used to for a 48 hr film festival. Definatly useable.

What a large sensor camera will get you is better low light gathering.
 

bluffton

Well-known member
Use'm All

I use our panasonic dvcpro (don't know the numbers) to the z1 and a canon elura.

It boils down to the story, where, when, time constraints, platform, style et cetera as to what I use.

My biggest problem with the z1 is the focus ring is tought, the elura is great for ride alongs and spot news in the middle of the night and then the station issued camera (dvcpro) is great for all uses.

I think the station will is getting me a jvc 200 or 250 hdv camera. I'll let you know later if I like it. Don't have it yet. But I've looked it up and you can get one from Amazon.com for under $5k and as much as $8k from B&H. Depends on the model and pkg.

Good luck.
 

bluffton

Well-known member
OOPS Sorry bout that

I have a difficult time getting a sharp focus fast enough because the ring doesn't stop or start. It just is. You almost have to know where you are. There is now macro unless you go to autofocus. Trust me, I like it, it's just a bit testy for my style of shooting (which is different from what others editing my material have told me later.)
 

couryhouse

Well-known member
feel of the ring

ok.... it is like a servo ring rather than one connected mechanically thus giving a differnt feel when used?


I have a difficult time getting a sharp focus fast enough because the ring doesn't stop or start. It just is. You almost have to know where you are. There is now macro unless you go to autofocus. Trust me, I like it, it's just a bit testy for my style of shooting (which is different from what others editing my material have told me later.)
 

Canonman

Well-known member
There is now macro unless you go to autofocus.)
I can't say for certain, but on many cameras like this, there is macro in manual focus mode. The standard method is to go full wide and set focus all the way towards infinity (even though there isn't a mechanical stop). You may find that you can then focus on your finger right in front of the lens. Adjust the focal point with the zoom setting.

Just a thought,

cm
 

jim sitton

PRO user
Old MMJ-Multi Media Journalist

how many of you photogs are now reporting, or are the reporters taking your jobs?
AC
Over 20 years of shooting and I just wrote and voiced my first Pkg. Thru the years I've done many Nat Paks and shot Anchor pkgs solo, but never wrote or voiced any of them
till now.
I felt the need to produce and report a story so if, and when
layoffs come they will see me as a more versatile player in the newsroom.
I'll tell you that writing for me is like squeezing blood out of a thesaraus! And my voice, ARRrgh!
But I like my job and it actually felt good to be in complete control of a piece.
I'll post it after it airs.

PS I think that we Photogs are more valuable than reporters in this VJ enviroment because, we can light, shoot, edit, do interviews, and produce the story while most reporters are inept at all but writing/and doing St Ups.
(We just need to learn the importance of fact checking!)
 
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Astocker

Active member
Sorry, I'm new here. Just finding these threads.

I just posted on the general about the whole VJ thing. I do the VJ classes for NBC news on the west coast. NBC has outfitted all their producers with the Sony V1U HDV. Same size as a PD-150/170. At $4K pretty much a disposable camera to them. They like the small size (possible by the 1/3" CMOS chips) because a lot of them go to fairly small women. You can fit a camera and basic audio in a backpack. All producers at NBC news are required to shoot and edit now. They also went with tape as opposed to disc or cards because of cost. Tapeless media is far too expensive. And out of town (or anywhere) you can buy tape at a grocery store or WalMart. But like all prosumer equipment, it's a b*tch to use if you're starting from scratch. We see a lot of out-of-focus interviews and over-exposure. Then again, no one seems to care.They like that "rough" look.

I like my V1U. A useful tool for some stuff. I did a feature length doc with it. More time consuming to get a good look than a real camera, though.

my $.02

t
 
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