Does anybody here own professional or prosumer gear? (Sony, play, tape)

[tvdxer]

Expensive Canon or Panasonic cameras (AG-100DVX, XL-2S, etc.)?

Very expensive software (Avid, Media 100, etc.)?

Other expensive gear? (P2 decks, etc.)

[lovecda]

Not really. I use pretty slim setups for my "everyday" work (a dSLR with video capabilities, an HDR FX1, that kinda thing) and rent if I need something more.

[thecoalman]

I did ten years ago, I have a Canon GL2 which cost me about $3K. This is one step down from truly professional camcorder. The big difference being I can't use detachable lenses. Looks like they are still selling in the $1600 range. ...That's a SD cam...

I also purchased a video suite including Ulead Media Studio Pro and DVD Workshop. DVD workshop at the time was considered the second best DVD authoring program second only too Scenarist which is used by the studios. That itself was about $500 and still a very viable program if you want to make DVD's Ulead was bought out by Corel and stopped production on both MSP and DVDWS, thy only continued the consumer products. It's a shame becuse Ulead was supposed be within weeks or months of releasing updates to both. The editor didn't have a great following but DVDWS3 was highly anticipated.

I alos have some expensive analog equipment for VHS or other analog transfers. JVC9911 VHS deck, Canopus 110 DV converter and a Datavideo 1000 TBC. That's about $1k altogether, I've seen the VHS deck on Ebay for more than what I paid for it. LOL

[tvdxer]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

I did ten years ago, I have a Canon GL2 which cost me about $3K. This is one step down from truly professional camcorder. The big difference being I can't use detachable lenses. Looks like they are still selling in the $1600 range. ...That's a SD cam...

I also purchased a video suite including Ulead Media Studio Pro and DVD Workshop. DVD workshop at the time was considered the second best DVD authoring program second only too Scenarist which is used by the studios. That itself was about $500 and still a very viable program if you want to make DVD's Ulead was bought out by Corel and stopped production on both MSP and DVDWS, thy only continued the consumer products. It's a shame becuse Ulead was supposed be within weeks or months of releasing updates to both. The editor didn't have a great following but DVDWS3 was highly anticipated.

I alos have some expensive analog equipment for VHS or other analog transfers. JVC9911 VHS deck, Canopus 110 DV converter and a Datavideo 1000 TBC. That's about $1k altogether, I've seen the VHS deck on Ebay for more than what I paid for it. LOL

Making professional-quality video (or near it) is probably a lot easier today with non-linear editing on PCs and relatively inexpensive camcorders (or "HDSLRs" or even some 4/3 system cameras!) compared to the analog days, when it seemed like you needed a lot of "gear" that would now be replicated by a computer - character generators, mixers, etc.

A lot of independent feature films and even some network series nowadays are shot on such equipment. For example, the sitcom Always Sunny in Philadelphia was shot originally with an AG-DVX100, a $2,600 camera...imagine a network series being shot with $2600 cameras 20 years ago.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

Making professional-quality video (or near it) is probably a lot easier today with non-linear editing on PCs and relatively inexpensive camcorders (or "HDSLRs" or even some 4/3 system cameras!) compared to the analog days, when it seemed like you needed a lot of "gear" that would now be replicated by a computer - character generators, mixers, etc.

The analog equipment I have is for converting analog to digital. The Canopus is simply a DV converter which will take an analog signal and convert it to DV-AVI, same format used on DV camcorders. I can also use it for previewing on SD TV which is where you really need to preview. I have small Sony 13 inch TV, I can send the preview from right from the editor on my computer back to the Canopus which wil convert it back to analog for viewing on the SD TV.

The TBC (time based corrector) retimes an analog video. Becuse tape stretches and other issues like mechanical slop it eventually skews and each field may not be timed right, the result is a poor or unwatchable video. You might see that fuzzy looking appearance around contrasting colors, that's because the timing is off. Note the comb lines, this is interlaced video. This light is moving really fast , this is actually two frames of video. That dark line you see between them actually indicates how far it moved in 1/60 of a second. You'll note how sharp and crisp the edges are, with tape that timing can go off kilter and they won't be where they are supposed to be and you won't have that well defined razor sharp edge as it should be. That's what a TBC will correct.

A lot of independent feature films and even some network series nowadays are shot on such equipment. For example, the sitcom Always Sunny in Philadelphia was shot originally with an AG-DVX100, a $2,600 camera...imagine a network series being shot with $2600 cameras 20 years ago.

The image above is from my GL2, even though it's SD cam you can see why it still cost $1600. I know that model was used to film a lot of the Jackass TV shows.

[Poncho_NM]

Canon A1 Hi8? From the early 90's

Nikon Super 8 Film Camera? From the 60's?

Bolex 16mm Film turret camera with three lenses from the 50's which I bought in the 60's

Things have come a long way... It is a hobby I can really enjoy.

[AVTechMan]

I own several pieces of broadcast gear that I am currently trying to build a small editing studio for AV work. That would include:

JVC BR-822U SVHS editing deck
JVC BR-525U play deck

Editing controllers

Panasonic AG-1980
Panasonic AG-DS840 and 850
Panasonic AG-DV2000

Broadcast TBC

And other pieces of gear. Currently trying to put together a small studio to not only do VHS conversions, but for other editing projects as well. VHS may be a dead format by today's standards but you'd be surprised on how many still have these tapes around.

[tpk-nyc]

I make professional documentaries with a Canon DSLR and Final Cut Pro. My clients are more than happy with the quality (and the speed and lower costs).