I’m a slight bit over tired as I write this.. I’m feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the prospect of the computer’s arrival. There is so much to try and get in order. Getting ready means doing lots and lots of research on gear.. lots and lots of gear.

Let me give you an example: Say one day you decided  you wanted to go do “video production.” Ok.. groovy, so you need a video camera, right? Ok, what do you get? We could vaguely say that there are 3 strata’s of video cameras: Consumer, Prosumer, and Pro. What are the pros and cons of the various stratas, particularly in relationship to “what your needs might be.” More complicated is the matter of.. well, how do you figure out exactly what your needs are? If this were not enough, there is the matter of.. well for video production you might also need microphones, video editing / production software, depending on the camera, you might also be looking into lenses.. you may also be looking into light rigs. 

Well I suppose I don’t quite have to figure all this out overnight. But I must be starting work as soon as the computer arrives..  

I actually have half a mind to buy two cameras, though I don’t know that I can actually afford this. I’m looking seriously at the Panasonic AG-HSC1. This camera has the advantage of not looking like a pro camera, is really small, and is capable of very pro results. (perfect for “social media” aplications) The AG-HSC1 came out about a year ago, cost a little over $2k, and now I’m finding it for under $1000! You don’t normally find pro in video cameras for under $1K! Still, its not exactly without it’s compromises.. not that you can get an uncompromising camera on a limited wallet.. But there are other cameras, for a few grand more, that might fit the basic bill.. 

So you see.. do you go on to research all this stuff before you make a move? I mean if you spend $1K on a camera, but the one you really need is $3K, then now you’re in for $4K..  Thus the feeling of there being so much to take in.. But if you go “hmm, I can see how this camera over here has it’s place, and that one over there has its,” well maybe its all ok. So what I’m thinking is..  the cost of cameras are falling dramatically these days.. so that what $1K buys today is probably very different from what it buys a year or two from now. So maybe the best tact is to take a long view?

As I write I’m watching “Lust for Life” on Ovation, one of the new channels we get as a result of Fios. Lust for life is one of the definitive films of the life of Vincent Van Gogh. This portrayal of Vincent reminds me, in eerie ways, of my own life.  

Much latter:

I’m exhausted.. time for bed.. but I want to publish this even as my thoughts are incomplete.. I’ve been thinking of doing more short ones.. blog entries that is…

What I did want to say is that the feeling over being overwhelmed is not really from the issues of video cameras, so much as by everything..  Hard drives, RAM, Daws, electronic drum machines, electric base, Liquid Mix, and on and on and on… so many different areas to focus on.. eventually your  focus grows dim, as its so dispersed over so much territory.

Ok, enough of my complaining… good night…  

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 16th, 2008 at 6:53 am and is filed under Media Arts, film making. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.