As I begin my journey back into filmmaking and visual
effects, the first and most important item I need to purchase is a camera\camcorder.
Camera technology has completely changed since I last purchased a camera. It
can easily get overwhelming for a newcomer but after much time and research I
was able to break the various cameras into three categories. You have the
traditional camcorders like the Canon Vixia HF G10 and XA10. Then you have DSLRs
which included the Canon 5D Mark 3, T3i, and Panasonic GH3. Finally you have
cameras that are labeled as cinema cameras, this include the Red Scarlet and
the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera. There is no doubt in my mind that any of
these cameras can create a beautiful image but the million dollar question is,
which camera is right for me? Since I only plan to buy one camera, I need something
that can grow with me as I learn new techniques. So after much thought, I have narrowed down my list of requirements to three items:
1.
Since color grading, color correcting, chroma
keying are on my short list of things to learn, I need the ability to record raw or uncompressed video (either internally or externally). Since I’m shooting
for the sky, preferably something with color information higher than 8bit.
2.
Shallow depth of field! SDofF can control how
you tell your story, so this is a must.
3.
Since I’m not made of money, I had to set a
limit on how much I can spend. I do have a kid and wife to feed after all. With
that said I’m sticking within a budget of three to four thousand dollars.
After weeks of going back and forth I have decided to
purchase the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, specifically the MFT model.
