I recently picked up a Digital Betacam broadcast camera, just for fun. It's only Standard Definition but it's a great place to learn how to use this kind of kit for very little cost. And it certainly gets you noticed.
Very well stated and compared, and if you are doing any video production the correct choice can make the day go much smoother. And really in 2021 you would probably need both. Cj
Great video presentation! Thankyou. I will also argue that the broadcast cameras are much more durable. I shoot 1080 on a pair of Panasonic AG HPX300P cameras for less than the cost of a dslr/mirrorless. I don't need anything more than 1920X1080. My P2 Panasonics have no moving parts, overheating issues or cooling fans inside their bodies as well. An outstanding presentation.
I have a Canon EOS, I thought it would be fine for video. Until I filmed a live music show in a dark theater. The continuous autofocus sucked, it kept hunting all over the place. Had to switch to manual. I sooo missed having a zoom rocker. If I wanted to zoom in or out while recording, forget it. It was jerky and crap. So you'd have to pause recording, zoom in or out then start again. Then as you said, focus was also a pain zooming. Parfocal is so much nicer. Long story short. I found a used JVC 4k cam for $600 and it's so much nicer to use for video than my DSLR. The DLSR has its place for photos, but that's what it's designed for. Video is an afterthought. If you need to do video, get a real video camera. My 2 cents.
One big difference between broadcast cameras on one side and DSLRs and MLS is the speed. You are much faster with broadcast camera, the other factor is ergonomics. It's not the question which is better, but which is better for each job. Personally, I generally gon't like filming with DSLRs & Co. only if I'm doing it for myself and I'm not in time constraints.
Hi I tend to agree with you. However what made me open to dslrs in this capacity originally was documentary work I was doing. I had a JVC gy hm 790 of my own and Sony Xd cams I could borrow from work. The issue was getting them into some of the country’s I was traveling through was a logistical nightmare compared to taking canon 7ds and 5d miv’s. When I did use the canons I totally feel in love with the depth and look I was getting from them. I still use broadcast cameras every week for a good part of what I do but at the end of the day you are spot on - it depends on the project! Thanks so much for commenting we love hearing from other pro’s! Take care!
How is the broadcast camera faster? its more bulky, harder to handle, doesnt have built in stabilization (good luck with those shoulder shots) Ive used both and capturing broll alone is about 1000% faster on DSLR cameras and even looks smoother too.
@@VerifiedB On broadcast camera you have controls for all basic and most used functions as buttons and switches, practically all the cameras of all major manufacturers have them in the same position, nergonomisc are vastly better, no lens changes, parafocal zoom, zoom reach...... Trust me, my hand held shots are not much worse than with stabilization and weight helps with that, besides, I most often work with tripod. I'm not saying it is best on everything. When picture quality is more important, I will take a light cine camera, like FS-7, FX-6 or -9, rather than DSLR or a mirrorless. I use mirrorless, or DSLR, for that matter, only when weight is paramount.
I obtained a broadcast camera in a firesale auction after a Polish TV studio went bust. I grabbed the opportunity before the Brexit regulations began to bite. Even so, the Border Force opened the package to make sure I wasn't importing drugs or something else illegal. It is a Sony and I have used it on lots of location and studio shoots. The output has been accepatble to major broacast companies here in the UK.
Boadcast Cameras also have much longer Battery life and also no heat problem also broadcast Camcorders has no Record limitation also Broadcast Camcorders has no Rolling shutter issues on fast pan
And without worrying about memory space running out. Broadcast camcorders usually have two or more card slots (I remember that a certain model has five card slots in total) and are able to film in better-compressed formats with decent image quality at lower bitrate.
Most DSLRS dont even have this issue though... Ive used all kinds and never once had an overheating issue even for long shoots with non stop recording for multiple hours.
Broadcast cameras have their benefits for sure (Built in ND filters, pretty good in low light, easy to capture audio) but beyond that I think DSLR takes the win for everything else. Capturing Broll in the field on a broadcast camera is horrible. No stabilization, its bulky as hell, shallow depth of field looks worse, no 4k option.. Outside of a studio I personally would never want to shoot on broadcast camera over a DSLR. Just my opinion.
Very good video! But I have a question. What you think about professional / prosummer camcorders like Canon XF-705 or Canon XF-605? This Because I never used DSLR for videography... I use professional camcorders when I shoot video. I have XF-105 and XF-205 and I never ever like use DSLR like Canon 5D Mark III for my videos.
Well my opinion is, that it is still very very good camera even it is not 4K UHD... But let me say it was my dream and also now also because I have Canon XF-105 and Canon XF-205 and those cameras doesn't include as much features and settings than Canon XF-305. But I think Canon XF-705 is better choice now at 2024, because it is even better than XF-305. This is my short answer.
With the 12G sdi out technically you could run it to a pro video mixer. The challenge is getting it to match the other cameras in your broadcast chain. The best mixers have built in proc amps that help with this. On the other hand you can do a made for TV doc with a camera like this, but be aware companies like Netflix and BBC put out a list of cameras you have to use to air your shows with them. So in away they are dictating the industry standard. One other thing to note the image out of alot of cameras look great when you use them for RU-vid or web Tv but depending on the cameras sensor and file compression it might look aweful on air. Years ago I did a doc with a canon 7D and it looked good enough for some channels to air but was rejected by others. No promises but I will see if I can test one of these on air in the future. Thanks for the question!
