Thanks for the response. I guess I just have to buy the camera and start using it to figure out what I need. Where did you purchase your camera. I'm almost positive that I'm going to buy it online so I can avoid the 10% sales tax, which comes out to about $85-$90.

I noticed that there are many packages on Ebay for "direct import" t2i's that are the same except you don't get the canon USA warrenty, though you can buy one seperatly. The packages include a carrying case, two tripods, and different lenses depending on which package you buy. What do you think about these listings?

Also I know that a drawback of the t2i is that it uses those 4gb cards that only allow for 12mins of HD video, but dont they have larger cards available?

Sorry for all these questions, but I really want to do it right when I buy my first serious camera.

Tryin' to live the dream, any advice?

The 4GB limit is not due to the card size. It is because cards use very old file system (FAT32), which has an inherent limit as to how large a single file can be. Even if you did have 32GB cards, you still wouldn't be able to record more than 12 minutes of continuous video (4GB). Most camcorders overcome this limitation by automatically creating a new file (once the first one reaches the 4GB size limit) and continuing to record into the new one until that one reaches 4GB (or until space runs out). Still cameras (DSLR and others) don't need this (they are primarily built for pictures, which are NEVER larger than 4GB), so they usually don't have this feature, and therefore present the 12-minute limitation.

You want to open a can of worms using a a DSLR, THINK ABOUT SOUND. Yeah they have a unbalanced 3.5 mini for sound, but it's not great sound. The on camera mic is a piece of garbage. You will need a mixer for sure to get decent sound at all, or record the sound seperatlety and sync it up in post. All that for DOF.

The HF200 uses a 3.5 mini unbalanced microphone, but it works a lot better than the DSLR jack, I think it's because the way the audio jacks are designed into the camera.

Rjames,

If one is considering shooting HD video with a DSLR, separate audio is pretty much a given. That probably means one (or two) good microphones, a USB audio interface and a laptop (plus a fishpole, set of good headphones, perhaps a shock-mount, a blimp or a similar windscreen for the mikes, etc).

.....why wouldn't you want completely manual cinematographic control? You can make true art that way!

Everyone seems to be complaining about the lack of auto-focus and auto-lighting...c'mon- that's what EVERYONE had to deal with only like 30 years ago. you CAN make a documentary with these types of DSLR , you CAN make a full feature film with this....with interchangeable lenses (at low prices.....and you probably can get a away with SIGMA & other non-canon lenses when shooting video since you probably wont be able to tell the difference b/c of the 24/?29 fps as opposed to a still where you can notice every detail..) you can do just about ANYTHING...wait, actually.. you can do EVERYTHING...

imagine: tilt & shift video footage appearing in feature films, fish-eye lens shots, panoramic shots, super long or face-to-face close depth of field at your fill control. Yeah, its hard to adjust during the shoot....but is it really THAT hard? I mean, ive used canon dslrs for a few years and im pretty sure i can rack focus easier on one of these than a G1 or anything like that...I mean, the camera is SOOOO tiny you can hold it in one hand, rack focus with another without barely trying...and with a tripod and other equipment..are you seriously complaining!?!

People---stop being lazy! you can make extraordinary art with a camera like this. I am only 22 years old. Ive been studying film at Michigan...this beats the prosumer canon camcorders in my opinion. It's just so easy to use, but only if you know your photography!

and the main point is, if you know your photography, this should be the most exciting thing ever (oh, given that you DONT have loads of money...if youre anything like me and are b-roke, this should make you say, $900!?! SHIT I can actually afford this......in like 2 or 3 months)

quote:

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Originally posted by CSmitty

Sort of in my journey to buy a camera that has everything suitable for filming feature length films, for $1000 or under, the main choices seem to be Canon's Vixia S200, which can do native 24P without hassle, seems to have everything you generally need, and also looks like a very professional camcorder for a added bonus.

But it also seems that the top camera in Canon's Rebel Ti2 can record in 24p (and 30P for an added bonus), in what seems to be native, and this camera also has the luxery of being able to change the lenses, and possibly more controls.

In short, I trust the HF200 because I've been doing so much research on it for many months, and in all honesty, I've always been more of a camcorder person. But if the Ti2 is truly better at being a camcorder than a camcorder is, I'd much rather buy it. Not talking about memory or anything, out of these two, which would be better for filming a feature length film, just based on which one has more advantages, and I just want to make sure the Ti2 records in native.

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michael hey hey hey

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Lol that post above got me even more jacked for my t2i which should be arriving anyday now.

Tryin' to live the dream, any advice?