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Looking for some camera help.

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averageMIskier
Posts: 600 - Karma: 1,385
I would like to get into filming. I've had a bummer 9 months. Full of freak accidents. Broke both feet over the summer slacklining, then tore a few ligaments in my arm working over the summer building ropes courses, climbing walls and ziplines. Then most recently I broke both wrists requiring two reconstructive surgeries trying a switch lip 2 onto a dfd rail that I overshot to flat concrete. Total bullshit accident. Should not have happened. I basically just gave up all hope for skiing until my girlfriend suggested instead of skiing and going a little too big. I should get into filming.

I dont want to go over 1000$ in camera and lenses right away. But I have jobs and such and will be able to afford more in the future. I have some camera experience from making a tv show for a media arts class about 6 years ago. I would like to film primarily my friends skiing, maybe some climbing or slacklining.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm just looking where to start!



Feb 21 2014 3:41PM
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NMMedia
Posts: 982 - Karma: 1,696
I have a sony a65, got it on sale with a lens for 1000. Its super solid for filming fast moving stuff since it shoots full resolution video at 60fps (21mp). Also it is one of the only DSLRs I know of that can do continuous auto focus while filming, other cameras have to stop since they must move the mirror out of the way to record.
Feb 21 2014 8:05PM
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raymondcabral
Posts: 747 - Karma: 1,094
A canon t3i is an awesome camera to start filming with. It will allow you too start at a fairly low price and build up from there.
Feb 21 2014 8:28PM
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Lou.
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 3,876
As raymond said, t3i is a great choice. Itll let you take great photos aaannddd video. Plus itll let you be as techy or simple as you want or as cheap or fancy as you want
Feb 21 2014 8:37PM
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hkn
Posts: 221 - Karma: 2,938
This. And after starting with a t3i, you may move up the ladder with time.
As you start with one Canon, you'll find that the menus and most of the controls are where you want them to be as you are getting better and better gear.

Here's a boring piece of advice, but for me it has proved to be very true:
Invest in good quality lenses so that you don't need to re-invest all the time.

I went all in on lenses right from the very beginning, buying the Canon EF L-stuff that was/is crazy expensive, which means that I still use one from 2003 and it still delivers (I've upgraded to new camera-bodies 4 times during that time).

Put more money in lenses than you thought from the start. Build your kit-bag slowly. Better buy one really good instead of three crappy ones. You won't regret it.

:: hkn ::
Feb 21 2014 9:10PM
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averageMIskier
Posts: 600 - Karma: 1,385
Thank you for the advice! Ill look into a canon t3i. Is the lens that comes with the camera good to start out with? Or is there something else to invest in? What about mounts for cameras and that sort of thing? I could probably get a glidecam from a friend for about 50$ i think its the hd2000.

My parents volunteered to pay for everything i need (holy shit) if i sell my winch and drop in and bungee. Is that worth it? Myself alone I have a 1000$ budget. And the urban shit cost my only around 300$ to aquire and make.
Feb 22 2014 10:14AM
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hkn
Posts: 221 - Karma: 2,938
What lens does the camera come with?
Is it the Canon EF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS (seems to be the most common one)?

Read this review (ya, there's a link there!) and see if it still makes sense. I've never used that lens, but simply from looking at the focal length it sounds like it could be a useful piece of glass.

I do think that you're into some smart thinking. Instead of drooling over more glass, you're thinking about getting some stuff that will make filming better. Work with that camera and a Glidecam HD-2000 and capturing the footage won't be a headache.

I have a stabilizer much similar to that Glidecam and it works like a charm.
BUT… expect to spend some time learning how to stabilize it and how to use it. It's not something that happens just because you've got the goods. These stabilizers will only work with some practice.
Getting into it is the worst part. It's possible that you – like me – will find it a bitch to balance (check YouTube for how-to vids).

A final word about lenses:
Going into a more wide-angle lens would not make sense at this point.
Heavier artillery is not what I'd begin with if I'd start filming today.

IF you want to beef up some more money, there's always this lens:
Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS. (another link there) That lens alone is $1150 or so, so you may want to think twice about it.
While I don't use it myself, I do know is that it's a pretty well-priced piece of glass that performs good.

If it's worth selling your winch etc.? Only you can answer that. But if you're serious about your filming, you probably know the answer already. :-)

Cheers,

:: hkn ::


Feb 22 2014 12:01PM
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LUIGI...
Posts: 23 - Karma: 377
Go classic and get an ol' VX1000
Feb 22 2014 7:52PM
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averageMIskier
Posts: 600 - Karma: 1,385
Thanks for all your help!! Getting the t3i soon.
Feb 24 2014 3:33PM
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