Camera Advice/Recommendations

**benakaginge** · 02-26-2012, 11:33 PM

Hi there, this is my first post on here but if you would, I'd like some advice please.

Ok, so first off, I have got a Canon 60D with a Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD IF Lens which I use to make videos to put on youtube. Unfortunately I do think the 60D I bought off of Ebay from Hong Kong may be a fake (stupid on my part I know) as I do really only use it for video and the image it puts out is rather poor when I compare it to other youtubers using a 60D. I know they may be using different lenses to mine but when I compare it to people using say a T2i/550D with just a kit lens, their image quality seems tenfolds better than my own.

I have taken it to a local camera shop where I asked if they could take a look at it, and they did say it was real but the guy only guessed due to it's weight. Now I'm no expert but I'm going to say that's not really reliable. I have done tests to see if it was my lens but when compared to other lenses, I couldn't tell the difference. And I have asked on other forums to see if I'm doing anything wrong in the editing process and they've not noted I'm doing anything wrong.

So my real point to this is that I intend to sell my camera and lens, what I'm looking for is advice on what to get. I was looking at the 600D although it lacks on the photography side, I have seen it is relatively same-ish as the 60D on the video side. So do I go for this with (Canon EOS 600D Digital Camera Kit with 18-55mm EF-S Lens) and get a canon 50 mm F/1.8 and something like this (Canon 17-85 EF-S Lens in Whitchurch, Cardiff | Digital Cameras for Sale | Gumtree.com). Presuming I sell it somewhere near the £800 mark.

Or is there another DSLR I should get? Or should I go down another route by choosing something like this (â˜… Sony Handycam HDR-FX1 NTSC US/Canada + VCL-HG0872 Wide Conversion Lens â˜… (4901780934515) | eBay) or maybe this (Canon LEGRIA HV40 High Definition Digital Camcorder plus Extras in Loughor, Swansea | Camcorders & Video Cameras for Sale | Gumtree.com). If anyone has any other suggestions, e.g. selling it and saving up for another camera, I would greatly appreciate them.

Thank you in advance for any responses.

**vidmanners** · 02-26-2012, 11:42 PM

Just how bad is this camera? - What test have you tried?
You should be able to check authenticity by asking Canon....why not?
The reason it may have been cheap may be it's a sub-standard camera, or the software is an early version . . . . but I guess quality on YouTube is more to do with "Content" than definition, etc.

FWIW I'd be surprised anyone would create a "fake" DSLR - rather that it might be a knock-off or a one from a faulty batch that wasn't destroyed, but I'm really grasping at straws with this. . . . fakers tend to attack simple things, although there may be tales of "fake" Rolex, I suspect anyone familiar with them would spot the fakery.

Weight is not a good "test" simply because a decent faker would adjust the weight so it weighs the same - can't be that difficult. What's difficult is making lenses and viewfinders, software can be "knocked-off" but anyone with that much design talent should be making their own brand . . . .

Is there a route to alert others about this Seller? _ shouldn't you attempt this?

**benakaginge** · 02-27-2012, 03:15 AM

Well it's not bad per say, I've seen worse i.e. my old VGA camera on my phone. But the point is, it is nowhere near the capability I've seen you can do with cameras below a 60D.

The majority of tests are just comparing a few lenses in a different camera shop and messing around with the settings and nothing seems to produce a good video image quality.

On the fake side, I mean a lot of things can be faked, apparently cars from china are a thing or so I've heard. But I mean just looking at the price of it on amazon (£729) and the price I paid (£575), I believe I've fallen for the "if it's too good to be true, it probably is". And I thought I was smarter than that. And what struck me is the charger, it comes with a 2 pinned charger,the ones you'd see in America or such however Hong Kong operates on the 3 pinned ones like in the UK although I was supplied with an adaptor in the box, this has me raising questions now.

And the weight test, yeah, have no idea what the guy was on about.

The seller I bought it off was on ebay going by the name of DCtrade-uk, link here: eBay My World - dctrade-uk

**Marc Peters** · 02-27-2012, 08:46 AM

It's likely a grey import rather than a fake. Why don't you upload some raw footage for us to have a look at? What video mode are you shooting in?

**dariv** · 02-27-2012, 10:51 AM

Also remember that a DSLR is exactly that, it is a digital, single lens reflex STILLS camera, with a video function. It has a 4:1:1 sensor, instead of a 4:2:2 as most prosumer video cameras do... I know this isn't answering your question directly, but it is something to think about if you're going to be shooting a lot of video, especially if you're going to be green screening.

Video Production Services Company UK London

**benakaginge** · 02-27-2012, 08:53 PM

@Marc I would but unfortunately, my internet and laptop are not at their best and it's difficult to do so. Although I'm not sure what you mean by what video mode am I shooting in, I shoot on the movie mode with the canon at 1920x1080 at 24 fps if that was what you were looking for.

@dariv I appreciate the response nonetheless, but do you think it would be best then to get the Sony FX1 rather than the Canon 600d? If I were thinking of making short films i.e. something like this? BlackBoxTV - "The Vampire of Sacramento" - YouTube I think that this video was either shot on a 5D mark ii or 7D but I'd like to know your opinion. Or if there is another camera I should be considering?

**dariv** · 02-27-2012, 09:26 PM

This is the review for the FX Sony HDR-FX1 Review | Camcorders | CNET UK For me the bad far outweighs the good, no XLR inputs and no 24p would have me running in the other direction.

For that kind of price range for what you're doing, I might be tempted to go with the Panasonic AF100 Panasonic AG-AF100: First Micro Four Thirds camcorder teased | CNET UK as it's cost effective has a large sensor so therefore will give you broadcastable quality and has a reasonable lens selection and you can use various still lenses.

Downside if you're editing in Final Cut Pro, you'll have to convert your H.264 to pro res before editing, however Premiere and (I think) FCP X deal with h.264 fine.

Even if you don't go for this, try and find a similar camera, I know everyone is crazy for DSLR these days, but the 4:1:1 sensor means that for every 4 black and white pixels, you get 1 colour pixel, giving you potential problems in grading and green screening. The AF and cameras like it are 4:2:2 cameras, which; you guessed it, give you 2 colour pixels for every 4 black and white (grey) pixels, full broadcast by the way is 4:4:4, but unless you've got £30k to spend, you can forget that for the mo.

So for flexibility go for a nice large sensor, I'm a Panasonic freak, so I'll always advise to go for them, I hate Sony for many reasons, too many to go into now, without sounding like a raving lunatic! However you'll get others who'll advise the Sony EX.

So those are a few things to think about, if you want to be a photographer first and film maker 2nd, then go for a DSLR, otherwise get a large sensor camera with interchangable lenses, remember you can invest in a body and a lens, then hire out ones for specific jobs, which can be surprisingly cost effective.

Video Production Services Company UK London

**benakaginge** · 02-27-2012, 11:50 PM

Unfortunately, the panasonic does look good however it is stretching my price range massively as FX1 seemed like a bit of a steal on ebay compared to thee price it usually goes for. Although there's no used on ebay for the panasonic AF100 so it suggests no one's willing to sell theirs. Any possibly recommendations lower in the price range? Maybe around the £1000, I highly doubt their is though.

**benakaginge** · 03-05-2012, 09:27 PM

Thanks for all the help guys, I've narrowed my search down to either getting the Panasonic HDC-TM900, Canon HF G10 or Sony HDR-CX700E, anyone suggest which camera to go for? or have any other suggestions?

**vidmanners** · 03-05-2012, 10:38 PM

dariv, I wonder if you can give an expose of this 4:1:1 standard you touched on?

Fact is that I've seen HD footage from Canon DSLRs which is mind-blowing (but possibly being played on BlueRay - I didn't check).
Also, my own NEX5 was tried in a shop, copied to USB-stick and played on a HD TV-set. It was like I was standing in the very place the camera recorded.

Of course I'm aware that 4:2:2 is a higher standard and that the list of "BBC-accepted" cameras is quite short ( AND expensive!) . . . which appears to be demanded so the several stages the digits pass will result in a good result on viewers' TV screens. However, I understand YouTube definition isn't as demanding and as those vids are short, "Content is King" is top of the list, second maybe being the audio as many PC speakers are not top-notch.

I sometime hanker after a real camcorder with XLR-inputs and there is a modest canon with dual SDHC card-slots, adding to flexibility.
I use Vegas Studio v10 and burn to DVD for general showing.