Camera or Camcorder Upgrade

[Ben Holcomb]

Sony was showing their new $1000 4k camera at CES which I think I may purchase. FDR-AX33. Super great stabilization motors and 4k on SD cards for $1k. It uses XAVCS and will talk to other Sony cameras and sync up timecodes with each other so you can edit perfectly synced up timelines. I think this might be the first camera to compel me to switch in over 5 years.

 

[Shane Adams]

Would any of you care to say if my current camcorder (Sony HDR-CX160 Handycam) is sufficient for the time being?

Anything that captures the moment would be sufficient.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

4k cameras are nice if you have everything to support it. 4k monitor/tv and a PC that can push 4k graphics like the GTX 980. I'd love to have the money to do stuff with 4k. But doesn't look I'll touch 4k for another 5 years or so.

 

[calvinkaskey]

I have a Sony HDR-CX240. I'm very satisfied with the picture and the zoom but it has serious problems focusing on clouds unless there is significant foreground. I think it is also very poor in low light. Does anything take lighting? I only spent like 200 or so on it. The focusing issue is what I have an issue with. Anything out there better for like 300 or so? Another question what is a good camera for taking pictures of clouds that gets real color and can zoom a little at least for 200 or less.

 

[Skip Talbot]

The focusing issue is what I have an issue with.

Autofocus = off for storm video 101. You want a camcorder that has a dedicated manual focus ring or knob. You set and lock it at infinity and then you don't worry about it. If this feature isn't available on $200 camcorders, I'd recommend something that doesn't even require focusing like a GoPro.

 

[calvinkaskey]

What about a picture camera for 200 or less Skip? Supposedly you can set it to infinity but I can't seem to get it to work. Anything take lightning or is there always going to be a line across the video camera.

 

[Rodney Nonamaker]

What about a picture camera for 200 or less Skip? Supposedly you can set it to infinity but I can't seem to get it to work. Anything take lightning or is there always going to be a line across the video camera.

I seen you probed Skip on this question, but this option may be a hair more than 200...but, I was able to snag a decent beginner dslr off Ebay for 325ish. It is a Nikon D3100 and I have gotten some "in my own opinion" decent shots of lightning. I still have to play around with the settings so it isn't just the lightning I'm capturing, but also include the foreground so my images can tell a story and show depth of the image. It has been an all around fantastic tool for capturing all forms of photography throughout a storm cycle, day/night.

As far as camcorders as you previously mentioned...I as well am satisfyied with my current model (Sony HDR-XR260, again I think I paid around 300) and as well as you, have been having issues with focusing, as nightfall ensues the focus goes nuts, that and when I've been leading a front with lots of blowing dust, tends to focus badly. I will be turning off auto-focus. Other than that issue, I have captured some decent CG as I was driving and kept it stationary on my dash.

 

[Chris C Sanner]

What about a picture camera for 200 or less Skip? Supposedly you can set it to infinity but I can't seem to get it to work. Anything take lightning or is there always going to be a line across the video camera.

Almost certainly you're going to have rolling shutter artifacts (the line you are talking about) with anything not up the food chain with camcorders due to the CMOS sensors.

I'm pretty sure you can set the focus to manual on the CX240, and if you can, just set it to infinity and leave it for storms. If you ever want to film anything else, set it to auto. Consumer cams typically look for faces and objects in front of the sky to focus on -- hence your problems.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Sony was showing their new $1000 4k camera at CES which I think I may purchase. FDR-AX33. Super great stabilization motors and 4k on SD cards for $1k. It uses XAVCS and will talk to other Sony cameras and sync up timecodes with each other so you can edit perfectly synced up timelines. I think this might be the first camera to compel me to switch in over 5 years.

Yeah, once the 4k offerings got below $3k it make me start to take notice. It's awfully tempting. The problem with all of the consumer/prosumer 4k models so far is that the rolling shutter is horrendous - not just for lightning, but any real motion at all. There's a clip somewhere of trains shot with the first generation AX100, the vertical lines are slanted at least 30 degrees as the trains pass. It will probably be fine for supercells, but DSLR timelapses handle those OK IMO.

Everything considered, I'm pretty well burned out on the camcorder resolution upgrade game. I got on board with 1080i relatively early on (2005) and barely broke even on all of my investment in it. It wasn't long before everyone expected HD for the same rates as SD! The way things are going, I'd bet by the time 4k delivery/display ownership is really ramping up, everyone's phone will be able to shoot better 4k video than the current consumer camera lineup. I'll probably upgrade when I absolutely have to in order to just stay current. With cameras at $1k already, hopefully in a few years a decent 4k rig with all of the necessary features will be at the price range for what a comparable 1080p cam goes for now.

 

[Bill Hark]

Ben, I've done some initial investigation of 4K set ups and from the many reviews that I have read, most of the available 4K cameras have fairly poor low light capability. Before you make the plunge, really investigate that aspect. I also didn't realize the rolling shutter is so bad as Dan mentions earlier. I am holding off for now.

Bill Hark

 

[Mark Ellinwood]

I'd like to thank those in this thread who posted suggestions, as I have been looking to get into the DSLR game myself (I've been a camcorder person up to this point). Budget was around $1100, give or take. Went with the Canon 60D with a 18-200mm kit lens... B&H has a nice accessory pack that they include with it for free, though I still needed to buy a few other accessories beyond what it offered (filter, cleaning kit, lens hood). It will be mostly for pictures, and fills the big gap that I had between taking video on my camcorder and using my phone for pictures.

It will help me push off getting 4k until that market matures in a few years.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

Mark, have you had a chance to play with the 18-200 lens? Does it seem like a good general all around lens for chasing? Like Skip said you want something that takes decent zoomed out and in shots. I have a Sigma 55-200mm lens that I was going to use for zoomed shots but if I wanted to quickly switch to a somewhat wide shot, I'd have to switch lenses. A bit cumbersome if you ask me. For video I'd like to have a great all-around lens, which that 18-200 fits my needs.

 

[Mark Ellinwood]

Well, I should be getting it today, so bump the post in another month or so and I'll let you know I don't expect too much from it... I'm just looking for something that gets the job done. Main reason why I went for the 18-200 is because I wanted one lens to do most of what I wanted, so I wouldn't have to worry about switching lenses while also managing my primary camcorder.

 

[StephenHenry]

For what it's worth, I got the Sigma 18-200 last year and used it all season. I was in the same boat - seeking flexibility to avoid in-the-field lens swaps. I knew what I was in for, but I still ended up being a little disappointed by the image clarity. What you gain in flexibility, you definitely give up in crispness. Shooting f6.3 in the 50mm range gives very nice results, but at wide aperture near 18mm or 200mm, there's a subtle muddiness to the images (not necessarily just at the corners either). And really wide or really tight is how I bet most chasers would shoot (definitely how I roll). That said, the Sigma really is very reasonable price for what you get, and I'm probably just extra picky.

I'm still not sure what I'm gonna do this year in the lens department. Renting some primes is definitely tempting, at least for a few chases.

 

[Justin Wilcox]

I love my 18-135mm 3.5-5.6 STM. Its a great all around lens and can now be had for the same price as the old one. I think I will be adding the 10-18 STM pretty soon too since those can be had for around $230 refurbed now.