Best camera for FCP

I have an upcoming project to shoot and edit on sight for 9 days in an island. I'm having MacbookPro with FCP 6. We are planning to buy a new camera (portable HD) so that we can save time (instead of capturing from tape based camera). Could you please recommend the camera, specs etc. that is compatible with FCP.

Thanks,
Ramesh

You'll need to give more information about your needs and wants. For example:

1. What's your budget range? The fact that you're buying and not renting the camera seems to suggest to me you're going for low- to mid-ranged prosumer cameras.
2. What kind of "look" are you going for? 60i? 24p? AVCHD? DVCPro HD? DSLR? Corporate video? Infomercial? Narrative film? Realistic? Effects-heavy? How much flexibility in terms of features and specs (eg. overcranking, resolution etc.) are you demanding from this camera?
3. How portable? What are the shoot conditions?
4. How much storage will you have? How much will you be shooting?
5. Is the camera also doing the transfer of files? Are you going to have a DIT on set transferring and backing up files as you shoot? To me, that is a non-negotiable part of the work process if you're going for tapeless.

I think you probably need the voice of your cinematographer and a knowledgeable post-production supervisor/editor in the mix.


www.derekmok.com

There are 2 kinds of money in this world- my money and other people's money. Fortunately for the OP, I love spending other people's money. And I will no doubt provide you with excellent recommendations for cameras that produce the biggest bang for their buck.

If you have access to a Mac pro with a RED Rocketcard, I would highly recommend the excellent RED One, and a Phantom HD Gold for superb slow motion up to 1000 fps at full raster hd (the RED One itself can shoot up to 100 fps). That is provided you have the time to transcode. Even better if you can afford to wait for Epic, which can go on HDR mode, providing excellent dynamic range. If creating offline material for on location preview and editing is your concern, you can no doubt generate low resolution material for offline edits fairly quickly with the free Redcine-x even without a Red Rocket card and Mac Pro.

If you require instant editing capabilities, the Arri Alexa holds her ground, with the ability to shoot to prores hq and prores 4444, depending on your needs.

These cameras are excellent pieces of gear which will come in handy even with the most demanding of clients. Graeme Nattress, the chief architect of the REDCODE codec moderates this forum.



www.strypesinpost.com

vg
Well you kind of asked for it by asking such an open ended question but assuming you aren't made out of money, delicious money, none of Strype's camera suggestion are going to be in your ballpark.

You probably want to look at the Sony EX3 or EX1. Shoots on Express card which fit right into a Macbook Pro 17" that has the express slot on the side.

There are cheaper AVCHD cameras that shoot onto built in hard drives but the cameras themselves are more consumer then pro.

Another option is Panasonic's HDX170 or if you are willing to buy used an HVX200. They shoot onto PCMCIA cards which need reader to connect to your MBP.

With all these solid state cameras, you'll need to work out your ingest and backup routine for working in the field. Ingesting a card and wiping it to shoot again is a nervewracking experience if you don't have a solid VERIFIED backup.

Each camera comes with it's own workflow quirks (EX3? you probably/maybe want to transcode your footage to ProRes before you edit) and relies on a specific codec that has strengths and weakness's in shooting and post.

Start there, answer some of Dereks questions and come back here, do some research on workflow then ask some more questions.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

Just curious, Andrew, are there any Panasonic (Avc-intra or dvcpro hd) or alternatives to the ex 1, other than the hvx200/202 and the hpx170? Frankly, I never really liked the ex 1s in post.



www.strypesinpost.com

I know Panasonic has larger cameras that do AVCHD and DVCProHD but they're more ENG/EFP cameras as far as I can figure.

Sony (NEX?)and Panasonic(?) have recently added new cameras with larger chips to take on RED and the perpetually imminent Scarlet. The RED forum is hilarious right now with the discussions about these cameras. Such strong words about electro-mechanical devices.
BTW I am starting a religion based on the concept of the Perpetually Imminent(tm). Messiahs, cheap energy, sensible urban planning, it's all perpetually imminent.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

They should stop taking on Red, who are doing a pretty good job at making the red one. It's the ex cameras they should compete against. I tear my hair out everytime I have to work with long GOP formats. It's an expanded workflow that offers zero advantage in post production aside from having a hardy sxs casing that can survive the laundry and dryer. Sure, you don't have to do real time capture, but you have to plan to transcode, and you really want to transcode out of long GOP, as you know it will sting your tuchus later on if you don't.



www.strypesinpost.com

Hey Andrew,

is perpetually imminent something like endless nameless?
I would be willing to join.

cheers

hamaca

News Flash!!! There is no "best camera" for FCP. There is only the best camera for the job you need to shoot.

1) Work out what you want to shoot.
2) What is your target audience and deliverables
3) Figure out your budget.
4) Do some research on Cameras.
5) Do some research on work flow.
6) Decide on best camera suited to your needs.