Originally posted by Gallifk111:
Should I be embarased when I show up at news events where there are other photogs with their pro shoulder cams? I just get the feeling the guys who dont know me are like who are you with that handheld cam!
Absolutely not! There's nothing wrong with using a GL2 or similar cam for spot news! Infact the little cam can be an advantage, as many PD agencies like to corral "media" in a particular spot while letting John Q Public meander about without a problem - it's happened to me before when I would run that big betacam I used to use. With a miniDV cam, you could slip in under the radar and get the shots no one else can. As far as Joe Tape Cop is concerned, you're just a lookie loo with a handicam.
Sure, you might get some snickers from the peanut gallery, but when you get the shot they couldn't then they won't be laughing much after that.
Here's a classic example: Went out on a high speed chase once that ended with the bad guys literally cutting their stolen car in half around a telephone pole, killing all inside. Real nasty. I had staged where I guessed the car would go and some of the overnight staffers had guessed same as me. Meanwhile the Hi-8 guy saw us there and decided to pick a different spot. As a result, he was there within seconds of the car getting torn in two - he was literally setting up the cam when it happened. A second or two sooner and he might have actually caught it on tape!
Naturally, the cops sealed off the whole area and kept all of us out for half an hour but they let the Hi-8 guy remain. Result? He got all the shots of the bodies being pulled out, the car being cleared, FD hosing it down so it wouldn't explode, everything. He sold to everyone that night and I got squat, despite my big expensive beta. So when it comes to stringing, WHERE YOU ARE is much more important than what format you shoot. That was not an easy lesson for me to learn...but it stuck.
Think of it this way. If you gave a betacam to a chimpanzee, the results would be no different than if you had given him a handicam. There are times when the bigger better camera is needed, but for shooting typical spot news footage, the GL2 will work just fine. Just ask RichVid, he shot a water rescue that went national on his GL2. Plus, due to the lower maintenance costs involved and ease of use, it's a good choice for most stringers. I intend to go MiniDV myself for my next cam - the betacam was just a maintenance hassle, and overkill for what I was using it for.
So let 'em laugh. When their cam is in the shop AGAIN, you'll be laughing all the way to the bank.