Blackmagic Forum

As I record our church services, I would like to have an additional fixed camera view audience from above and behind the pulpit. My needs: Small, SDI, 720P, adjustable focus(set once and leave it). And, I don't need low-light viewing.
Any thoughts?
Tony

That kind of shot lends itself to a wide shot. Forget adjustable focus, and just go with a nice wide angle from a GoPro.

I researched this just last month. I also needed 2 additional cameras for my church. Finding a new inexpensive consumer camcorder in 720p is nearly impossible. They are all 1080 now and only a handful are 1080i.

I bought 2 Samsung cams from B & H because the specs said it recorded in 720p as well as 1080i. I quickly discovered they could only send 1080i and 480p to the HDMI out. Fortunately my 2 primary cameras (JVC GY-HM150U) can shoot in 720p and 1080i. I ended up changing my native resolution to 1080i rather than send the Samsungs back and continue looking for 720p cameras.

If you must stay 720p and can get by with a fixed focal lens I would suggest the Replay XD1080 instead of the Go Pro that has a fish eye look. http://replayxd.com/cameras/replay-xd1080-camera/ It shoots in 720P as well but you will need to convert the HDMI out to SDI.

Good Luck
D

I've recently discovered the Panasonic AG-AC8. You can select 720p50 as recording format at least. Has anybody tried this quite cheap camera?

Thanks DeWayne,
That does look somewhat promising. But, I guess I did not state my needs well enough.

These cameras (I need 2) need a focal length of about 30-40 feet. They will be mounted out of reach so I need to be able to turn them on either remotely, or by applying power. I also need them small. It would be nice if they had sound, but that is not a requirement. Something like a cheap security camera without all the I-R stuff.

Thanks,
Tony

Well, if you are dead set against the GoPro the you might want to look at the Panasonic AW-HE2. I have one of these, set up into a switcher from our lighting grid at 720p. Has a remote control. Not super wide angle like the gopro (although remember that a gopro has a some internal focal distance change-ability, or even replacement lenses and does not have to be fisheye). But the HE-2 actually looks pretty damned good. Discrete size and ready to mount.

One more note on the Panasonic HE-2, is that the camera will rotate inside the housing to account for different mounting situations. So whether it is mounted with the mounting plate below it (floor mount) beside it (wall mount) or above it (ceiling mount) you can rotate the camera to accommodate it.

What do you guys think about ebay item 160856371680?
Its a KPC-HDB450

TonyThigpen wrote:What do you guys think about ebay item 160856371680?
Its a KPC-HDB450

I'm not so sure about the versatility of the mount. It looks like it can only mount on a wall easily (with stock mount). If you stick with 720p, it should work OK. But, I also have never used this, so I can't speculate on the quality of the image. I've also never even heard of the company KT&C, so I could not recommend for or against it, except to say that I would prefer a more well known company and product - if it were me.

Because we have not yet found something that we felt was aesthetic with a good price and with a good focal length, we spent some time yesterday reviewing the location where we want to mount the cameras. It came to our attention that if we move the cameras slightly, it would put it them on a wall where the opposite side is a storage area. It was suggested that we might be able to mount a box camera with just the lens extending through the wall. In other words, cut a big hole on the back side of the wall and just a small circle on the front side of the wall, cover it with an electrical cover plate with a hole just right for the lens to poke though.
I really need to keep each unit (camera and lens) in the sub $300 range. And they have to be units that I set once and never have to mess with. And have simple 'on-off' methods where they come on ready to shoot when I feed them power. They will be feeding into a ME/1 as we record our church service but may only contribute 3-4 minutes of video per service. (One is for a view of the audience, the other as a 45 degree view of the preacher.) We already have a real good main camera.
Somebody has to have crossed this road before.

TonyThigpen wrote:What do you guys think about ebay item 160856371680?
Its a KPC-HDB450

Low light or color matching? just forget it, you'll never match it to other cameras... Don't expect anything better then HD CCTV cam.