This thread is open to any suggestions about my project, not just camera suggestions. I want to make a video--- me playing different instruments here in my living room "studio", then edit it to one of my songs. I don't really need "pro" quality, I'm a musician, not a video producer. I just want to make something for YouTube etc. I have some decent LED lighting that should be non-flicker etc. I want a camera that is good enough to capture drummer motion and look OK. I want to record me lip sync, drumming, playing bass, perc. etc. and edit all that back to the song. Although I care about quality, most people don't much, and it needs to fall in my price range. I was thinking of shooting drum motion with a borrowed Go-Pro, and then maybe I could get away with something else for the other video "tracks". I don't like the wide angle of Go-Pro for some things... I will be working in Adobe CC --Premier, and all the other software tools in there that I still don't know how to drive. Have to start somewhere...Plenty of storage, plenty of tools, except cameras. Also, it appears that I can change the apparent camera angle in After Effects?

 

Last edited: Oct 19, 2015

I doubt the last part, much you can do is eliminate the barrel effect of the lense but the angle will still be noticeable to a used eye. The Go-Pro usage is not a bad idea actually but if you can do it with something with bigger lense and smaller angle it's better. But still for the purpose of doing a montage of you playing around one of your songs in multiple instruments, the camera is not a big concern and with the GP you will do more than fine, it has amazing quality. if not, a cheap DSLR (like anything from nikon D series) or a mirrorless with good quality (like something from Sony or Olympus) are amazing options and the kit lenses are always a better-than-good starting point; But I'd recommend you to put much effort in getting good moody illumination and in doing a good montage rather than worrying about the camera (Yes, camera is a factor, but not the most important one). The real sell out in amateur videos is the light. Hope it helps

 

use an iphone?

 

what's your budget?

 

Sony alphas (5100, 6000 or the like) are great for video and their lenses are good for video stabilization too, in case you also plan to shoot other vids too. They also offer enough manual tweaking options like fixed focus, fixed exposure and fixed aperture (all important if you mount the cam on a tripod and don't want any focus or illumination pumping).
Apart from that, even a smartphone with an appropriate app (fixed focus and exposure capability) can be good enough for what you plan to do. Did it myself with an iPhone, not too bad but of course these tiny image sensors are much less sensitive so you need more light.

 

--Thanks, that's how I feel about it. My starting idea is to shoot drums with sound triggered lights and maybe strobe effects. All the other shots just one intense solid color for each me/instrument. Not too creative, but a place to start and I just need color and motion for people who don't listen to music without pictures. ha ha ---I really only have one pro quality light. The others--I'll have to see how they look. Maybe OK for back lighting or hair halos or something.

 

Last edited: Oct 19, 2015

cheapest I can get that doesn't make me feel too bad....the artist in me is going to constantly struggle with compromise here. Even if I had a Red System, I would need a pro to get my money's worth out of it.I suppose those Sony's would be in my range, though. Pretty close.

 

I would go with

A) Anything that has decent low light tolerance. (A modern phone camera?)
B) Shoots raw - so when you go crazy with color lights the image isn't filled with artifacts (Some cheap P&S from Canon allow RAW after software mod called CHDK)
C) Going by your avatar here, even 24 fps will work but 30 fps or higher should give better results.

 

Sony's mirrorless cameras have always been great for shooting video on a budget, take a look at the A6000!
I think someone said it before, but when shooting video it really comes down to good lighting. Even my Nikon D5100 (which isn't really built for shooting video) records some pretty good 1080p material with enough light. So you might wanna take a look at a cheap softbox too (or two)

 

Look into Blackmagic Pocket Cinema camera (with adapter + some good lenses). Costs a bit more but you get stunning results!

And as said, lighting has alot to do with the end result. Get a softbox (or build one yourself, DIY style).

 

Sony HDR-CX240E
this is enough i think...

 

I can find a pretty good deal on a softbox kit and a green screen. Holy crap, I'll get lost in chroma key world....

 

will the motion shot mode capture a drummer?

 

Thanks. I understand that that will have the professional "look" (more like film). Would like one of those one day. May be out of my budget right now, but thanks for a good tip. As a guy who does lots of outdoors activities, I could really get into having one of those. Would be a versatile tool.

 

here you have an example of slow motion

 

OK I'll buy the Mustang instead....The spinning belt and the exhaust plumes are pretty good examples here, I guess.