by Craig Medlin

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 06, 2009

Making a movie is no easy feat. A proper film production requires many hours of planning, casting, and, of course, filming to be completed. In case you didn't know, making a movie does not require hundreds of thousands of dollars thrown into camera equipment. There are plenty of high quality pro-sumer level cameras out there for fewer than five thousand dollars. Here's a look at a few of them.

CANON XH-A1 HDV CAMCORDER

Flash Memory: SD Memory Card

Media Type: Mini DV (HDV)

Supported Resolution: 1080i

Optical Zoom: 20x

Retail: $2,999

If you've got about three grand to spend on equipment, this is definitely the camera you want to get. With the biggest bang for your buck, the Canon XH-A1 will provide you with everything you need to create your independent film. It shoots in almost full HD (1080i) on miniDV tapes (HDV tapes for HD shooting). It has two XLR (microphone) inputs to record the best audio for your shoot. With plenty of accessories available, this camera can be customized to a full studio style camera, or you can shoot with it right out of the box and still have a great looking final product. Usually the best is set for last, but if you have the money this is the camera you need to get.

PANASONIC AG-HVX200

Media Type: DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO HD, P2

Supported Resolutions: 24p, 480i, 720p, 1080i, 1080p

Optical Zoom: 13x

Retail: $4,999

The price may shock some but the first time I laid eyes on the HVX200 I immediately fell in love. Although some consider it a bit heavy for handheld shooting, it provides so many options for flexibility when on a shoot. Unlike the XH-A1, this camera shoots in full HD, standard sd, and everything in between. With various customizable shooting modes, Panasonic allows you to create the picture that you want with this camera. Although it costs quite a bit more, if you've got the cash lying around, I'd definitely shoot for this camera. Many people will argue whether or not it's better than the XH-A1, but it really depends on what you plan on shooting. The HVX200 utilizes P2 technology which allows for seamless shooting and saves time when on location and in the editing room.

PANASONIC AG-DVX100B

Media Type: Mini DV

Optical Zoom: 10x

Retail: $2,299

If you can't seem to fork up the extra cash to purchase a higher end camera, the DVX100 may be for you. The predecessor to the HVX200, the DVX100 provides a large amount of flexibility and produces outstanding picture quality for whatever you plan on filming.

Remember, picking a camera can be a daunting task, especially with their prices being so high. Be sure to research every camera you are interested in purchasing and buy from an authorized reseller. Never purchase from sketchy sites that offer the cameras for half of their retail value. These are typically gray market cameras that will carry no warranty and are made to a lower standard than the authorized ones.

Links:

http://reviews.cnet.com

http://bhphotovideo.com

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