Thread: Budget (Semi) Professional Camera

Hmph, back to the decision process, the "b grade" versions which were £80 cheaper have all gone now, so I'm considering finding another.
I will buy tomorrow so I'd best figure out what to do now.

For £200, £250 maximum would recommend anything? I know I'm not gunna get anywhere near pro quality, doesn't matter now, just want the best for my budget.. and preferrably a big chunky mother.

Sorry about all this :/

No need to apologise - I feel just the same when i think about new caneras, well similar at least -

For 250 I would suggest a good used dv camera.

I am not sure what exactly to reccomend as I am a bit out of touch.

Panasonic made some great 700 quid dv cams that will be 200 ish now - anyone recall names ?

And... Pro quality - thats more sales talk BS.

What quality broadcsters accpet depnds on who they are, what the video is of and more.

Thereis no such thing as ' boradcast quality' in simple terms.

For what it's worth, I used the Sony HDR HC1E for quite a while with no problems at all, and still do. In fact, I tied for first place in a certain videoforum competition using just one of them. Batteries a snip - even Sony ones (on eBay) wide converters available (only buy a Sony one though, cheapies are shocking) and it performs very well indeed. Heaps of manual settings available too. Main downside - no XLR inputs, and you have to take it off the tripod plate to reload tapes.

I still have it and use it when I need to be discreet, and also controlled with LANC on the end of my crane. It's light and very easy to use.

I would have no hesitation in recommending as a starter or fall back unit.

Yea - had a go one one of those.

If I was a rich bloke I would go for the pimped up xlr version as my small cam - in a flash.

Just missed it by an hour, couldn't afford it anyway :/
How long ago did those panas come out? I'll have a google about, doubt there'll be many in circulation though, ain't seen anything of the sort in my many hours of crawling through search results.
Thanks

edit. You shouldn't have sent me a link to the Red One, I can't stop looking at it :|

Originally Posted by alexgeek

..Just missed it by an hour, couldn't afford it anyway...|

Patience is a virtue Alex. Please don't rush in and buy something cheap and nasty just because you want it now. You WILL regret it. Wait - the right deal will come around sooner or later. And while you're waiting, you can save more cash towards it...

I think I may have found one of the old panas:
PANASONIC M-S5 PRO-SVHS CAMERA + CHARGER & CASE '' PAL' on eBay, also, Camcorders, Photography (end time 10-Jun-09 20:45:33 BST)

Looks a bit too ghetto though, cassettes..

If I can make ~£200 in 8 days this may be an option:
SONY DCR-VX1000E 3CCD MINI DV PROFESSIONAL CAMCORDER on eBay, also, Camcorders, Photography (end time 29-May-09 20:00:00 BST)

Anyone know what a digital iris shutter is? Never came across one of those before.

I believe its that thing shaped like the "Goldeneye" thing. ha

The M-S5 was superceded by the M10 I think. And I had one of those in the early nineties. Batteries are virtually unobtainable now. Not interchangeable lenses. No XLR inputs. All it has going for it is the fact its shoulder mount. Other than that its twenty years out of date. And it's SVHS. THat went out with the ark. Its FAR from pro. It should be in a skip. And the advertiser should be done for mis-representation.

The Sony option is far better.