[Hidden-tech] questions about digital video cameras

Adam Bauer adam at dharmaboutique.com
Tue Jan 19 09:11:23 EST 2010


Yeah Jeff, they're space hogs alright!

We used a Mac laptop w/Final Cut Express to dump data onto a bank of
external hard drives. No way around that for a project of any heft. We ended
up with about 45 hours of HD footage--a few terabytes of 1s and 0s.

Unfortunately, now my ex-gf and I are not seeing eye-to-eye on the project,
so I may soon be casting about for an alternate (read: high quality/low
cost) process for editing the footage. I am many things, but a video editor
ain't one of 'em.

Some great footage, too! We found the poet Rumi's ancestral home in Balkh
(outside of Mazar-e-Sharif near the Uzbek border), shot footage of ISAF
forces talking about their work, explored a 1700 year old stone Buddhist
stupa, interviewed Afghans and Westerners about their experiences of the
Taliban era and now the reconstruction effort--all kinds of goodies that
really should be being shared with the world instead caught up in a custody
battle. 

Sigh. Human nature. But that's another topic...


on 1/19/10 9:00 AM, Jeff Rutherford at jeffrutherford at gmail.com wrote:

> Adam,
> 
> I'm curious. What kind of computer did you use to transfer that video to?
> 
> I've edited very short digital videos (3-6 minutes), but those videos quickly
> take up a lot of space!
> 
> Jeff
> 
> Jeff Rutherford
> jeff at jeffrutherford.com
> 413 475-0087 - phone
> 
> 
> On Jan 19, 2010, at 8:38 AM, Adam Bauer wrote:
> 
>>   ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>>   ** If you did, we all thank you.
>> 
>> 
>>> My son has been working with a small $250 video camera that uses memory
>>> chips,
>>> rather than tapes. He is frustrated with its limitations and wants to get an
>>> HD video camera that uses tapes instead of memory chips. He has budgeted
>>> about
>>> $1,000, but can go up to $1,500.
>>> 
>>> Does anyone know,
>>> a) is this the best way for him to go? (he does a LOT of video editing,)
>>> b) is this a reasonable amount to budget, and
>>> c) what would be a good camera for him to get?
>>> 
>>> Thanks, 
>>> stephanie 
>> 
>> Hi Stephanie,
>> When I went to India and Afghanistan to work on a film/media project, I
>> faced exactly this scenario, and my girlfriend/travel partner at the time
>> was media person.
>> 
>> She preferred tapes. No chance of a simple digi-glitch ruining all your work
>> and leaving you no backups. Yeah, you've got to capture all the video onto a
>> drive for editing, but that's OK.
>> 
>> HD is a must. We chose the Canon HV20 (I think they are up to the HV 30 or
>> 40 now)--very small, very high quality, pretty easy to learn and use. I
>> think the unit itself (through B&H in NYC or whomever else) was approx $700;
>> once you added all the necessaries--external shotgun mic w/on-camera
>> adaptor, lavalier and proper boxes for plugging the mics into the HV20,
>> you're definitely somewhere north of $1000.
>> 
>> Maybe the whole thing is doable in the ballpark of $1500 (depending on one's
>> choice of mics etc.), although then you've got to get a supply of digital
>> media (not too expensive from the right sources but still, every 100 tapes
>> adds up!).
>> 
>> So depending on what he needs for external mics etc., he might bust his
>> budget--but for a solid HD video recorder that's small and potent, he should
>> at least look at the Canon HV 30, or whatever takes it place these days.
>> 
>> B&H in NY may be worth a call for basic info gathering.
>> 866.264.7509 / 212.560.3239
>> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
>> 
>> Good luck!
>> adam
>> 
>> -- 
>> Adam Bauer
>> Founder, Dharma Boutique
>> 
>> http://www.dharmaboutique.com
>> sacred & sensual offerings  ~  3% for people & planet
>> 
>> See video of our latest container of goods arriving from India:
>> http://www.youtube.com/dharmaboutique
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 

-- 
Adam Bauer
Founder, Dharma Boutique

http://www.dharmaboutique.com
sacred & sensual offerings  ~  3% for people & planet

See video of our latest container of goods arriving from India:
http://www.youtube.com/dharmaboutique
    














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