Digital Camcorders/Film Editing

[Red Baron 0]

I'm wondering if anyone knows what camcorders are the best for recording/quality and the best film editing programs there is.

 

If I do get lucky and get myself a Mac, then I would be halfway set on the film editing program.

 

I have roughly 900 to spend.

[Guest Vitamin X]

For a film editing program, get Final Cut Pro if you get a Mac, Avid if you get a PC.

 

As for a video camera, I'd recommend Panasonic's DVX100 or Sony's latest HDV camera.

 

The above equipment is what my film program at my school uses. Final Cut in particular is really awesome, and easy to use.

[Sideburnious 0]

is it 900 for everything?

 

I'd agree with Vit-x about using final cut pro if you get a mac. But you'd probably need a decent mac if you were doing alot/ hardcore editing. As for the camera, personally i'd go for a canon. Being honest, the "best range" would probably set you back a good few grand. I'd say about 5k, if you wanted a really sweet setup (as in the mac/camera/software etc).

[Red Baron 0]

I prefer to use Mac over anything, but since me being poor and in debt=not getting a Mac yet 900 bucks is about as much I can go for without stretching my limit.

[Guest Vitamin X]

is it 900 for everything?

 

I'd agree with Vit-x about using final cut pro if you get a mac. But you'd probably need a decent mac if you were doing alot/ hardcore editing. As for the camera, personally i'd go for a canon. Being honest, the "best range" would probably set you back a good few grand. I'd say about 5k, if you wanted a really sweet setup (as in the mac/camera/software etc).

 

A Panaosnic DVX100a is about $2800 (this is a production quality camera though, if you wanted to shoot an indepedent film or documentary, you could definitely go with this and get perfect quality), Final Cut Pro is $1000, and a PowerMac G5 is $2000. So yeah, expensive.

[Ripper 0]

For 900 hundred bucks? Go to best buy and get a Mini DV camcorder (canon or Sony) for around 3-5 hundred, and get Adobe Premiere(or Aftereffects if you want to do more...um effects) and call it a day.

 

You aren't going to produce any great video, but thats the best you are going to get for 900 bucks.

 

I did actually see a 3CCD video camera for 900 one time, but honestly, that thing must shoot like shit.

[Guest Vitamin X]

No no no no no, stay away from Adobe Premiere, TRUST ME.

 

If anything, go for Final Cut Xpress or Avid Xpress, but don't go for Adobe's programs.

[Frosty 0]

I actually have the 3ccd camera that was around the $900 mark and the quality is actually very good in the light. But it is terrible in the dark.

[Sideburnious 0]

Yeah, I have Adobe premiere on my laptop, but I haven't used it in a long time since I have access to decent iMacs and Final cut pro. Its so fucking slow, its unreal.

 

I think the best deal I ever saw for a camera was on ebay. It was for an older model Canon semi-pro degital camcorder for about 300. I can't remember the model etc but for a semi-profesional camera it was a great deal. All that really needed changing was the rest for the eye-piece and it was a little tattered. If I had money at the time I would have snapped it up straight away.

 

It might be worth checking ebay. Every now and again you find some seller from china with really cheap electronics.

[Ripper 0]

No no no no no, stay away from Adobe Premiere, TRUST ME.

 

If anything, go for Final Cut Xpress or Avid Xpress, but don't go for Adobe's programs.

 

 

If you know what you are doing, the Adobe video editing programs are great.

 

Trust me, with a 900 dollar budget, I know he doesn't have the system to run Avid well enough to see promising results. The Adobe programs are easier on the system, cheaper and can produce quality results.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I'm positive he will get better results out of one of the toned-down versions of Final Cut or Avid than Adobe Premiere.

[Ripper 0]

For the record, I am the SHIT using after effects. Avid is suprisingly less complicated though.

[Sideburnious 0]

My only problem with using after effects etc was that it seemed to take ages on my laptop. Probably because of the age of it etc, but if I was putting some heavy effects on, it could take hours.

[Guest Vitamin X]

For the record, I am the SHIT using after effects. Avid is suprisingly less complicated though.

 

I haven't used After Effects yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll be pretty good at it considering how quickly I've picked up digital editing this quarter and aced my class in it. And if you thought Avid was less complicated, have you messed around much with Final Cut Pro? THAT is a piece of cake, my friend.

 

I'm not a big fan of Macs, but once I started using Final Cut, I've started singing a bit of a different tune.

[Sideburnious 0]

Yeah, that was my main concern getting used to Final Cut Pro (the fact that it was on a mac and I have little idea how to use them, and that it wasn't my mac and if I broke it i'd owe about $2000) but once you get the hang of it, its piss.

[Red Baron 0]

I'll never use Adobe, ever. Hated anything with Adobe especially PhotoIllustrator.

[JJMc 0]

I would get Avid regardless of whether or not you get a PC or a Mac. Final Cut Pro IS really, good, though. And Final Cut Express (the barebones version of FCP) is a bargain at $300 or so. As far as doing simple editing, you can't go wrong. The only drawback in your case is that FC is only for Mac.