camera package advice?

Q. So im looking at packages such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/T3i-75-300mm-Telephoto-Accessory-Kit/dp/B005KUGXJW/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1368422743&sr=8-11&keywords=canon+rebel+t3i+packages
does this look like a good deal? do you know of any packages that come with canon brand accessories? Im looking for stuff under 750$ and want more lenses, filters, a memory card, and possibly a remote. thanks

A. http://www.amazon.com/T3i-75-300mm-Telephoto-Accessory-Kit/dp/B005KUGXJW/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1368422743&sr=8-11&keywords=canon+rebel+t3i+packages

This package isn't worth the money. A couple of flimsy tripods I wouldn't trust using with a point & shoot compact digital camera much less a DSLR. Canon's worst lens ever, the 75-300mm. A couple of cheap image degrading screw in attachments. Forget about this so-called deal.

Look at B&H for better deals. B&H has the T3i w/18-55mm zoom lens for $599.00 after a $50.00 'Instant Savings' that ends June 1, 2013. B&H also has a two lens kit - T3i w/18-55mm zoom and 55-250mm zoom - for $599.00 after a $200.00 'Instant Savings' that ends June 8, 2013.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com Just do a search for canon t3i and then make your decision as to which deal is best for you.

Original Question

i want to find a digital camera 4 outdoor night concert starts at 7:00p june 22, 2014 personal dig cam allowed?

Q. Xfinity Center Mansfield,MA Camera Policy: Personal cameras are allowed in the venue. Flash photography, video and removable lens cameras are not permitted without venue approval.

i'm going to a outdoor concert the moument tour fall out boy and paramore and new politics june 22 2014 sunday.

i want one that has good zoom and can take good hd pictures and video. i have seat behind the pit and plus a meet and greet with paramore.

i have money but not too much money is there a way u could do like for example a cam from 200 to 300 to 400 to 500 to 600 to 700 to 800 to 9 1000

can you give me a several suggestions link me to online stores that sell digital cameras to the pages to the camera that good at taking photo n videos at concerts outdoors or indoors

good at alot of light or low light

link me some good digital cams good fer concerts at the xfinity center mansfield ma. i need one that fit into my pocket or jacket cause.

i dont use back packs im not completely sure what your saying im not a electronic expert. i need options

i had a kodak easy share v570 dual lens worlds first dual lens digital i really want to upgrade to a better newer camera i need help help me point me in the right digital cameras
if you were going to a outdoor concert that starts at 7:00pm and the day is going into night what digital camera would you use at night unless theres alot of lights

A. Now that you are moving your budget out of fantasy land, maybe you can find something.
If it is really important to get your camera allowed for the concert, you can rule out DSLR's or mirrorless system cameras.
Cameras with 1/2.3" sensors will give extra-crappy results in the low light if you can't use a tripod or flash, and you can't.
You are left with the premium compacts that have a little bit better sensors. That means choosing from among these, just to be maybe not bad. Being great isn't an option. That requires the kind of equipment you can't get a pass for and knowing how to use it. You can buy their video for a fraction of the cost of the camera you can buy to try in vain to match it.
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/6489685206/enthusiast-compact-camera-2013-roundup
That's it. If you want something else, then own up to the stated use goal being unrealistic.
Among them, longer focal length can get you a closer view, but it will be a blur unless you have a pretty low f number at the longer focal length, and it can still be a blur if you don't know how to hold it good and steady.
If the goal is to capture yourself and your friends at the event (at last an actual sensible goal!) then you have some very good options among the cameras with shorter zoom ranges.

Original Question

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Trip to Europe in 2013?

Q. On a School trip June of 2013 since I'll be going to College August 2013. It's by EFtours. Have you ever been? What is it like? What did you do. I'll b without parents, and while it sounds exciting, but I'm kinda of scared to be in a foregin country, I mean this is a once in a lifetime oppertunity.

We're going to France and Italy, and taking a train from Paris to Rome or Rome to Paris. We'll be gone from 7 to 10 days. Anything I should know. Just to be prepared, what should I pack? We're premitted a carry on and suitcase per student. They tell us what to bring, but how much.

NEED TO KNOW:
What should I pack into my carry on bag?


Here is their list:
Clothing

Keep in mind that some religious sites require that shirts cover the shoulders and arms, and some do not allow shorts, short skirts or flip-flops.

�Comfortable walking shoes
�Shirts (short- and long-sleeved)
�Socks and underwear
�Shorts/pants/jeans
�Pajamas
�Bathing suit (if applicable)
�Dressier outfit and shoes (reserved for a special night out)
�Raincoat and/or umbrella

Toiletries
�Toothbrush
�Toothpaste
�Shampoo/conditioner
�Soap
�Deodorant
�Hairbrush/comb
�Sunscreen
�Spare set of contact lenses/glasses (if applicable)


Money
�ATM card (call your bank prior to departure to alert them of the trip; foreign purchases sometimes result in a hold on bank accounts)
�EF Visa Travel Card or personal credit card
�At least $50 converted to foreign currency of the first country that you�re visiting
�Pouch for storing money and passport under clothing (available at travel stores)


Electronics

�Alarm clock (many hotel rooms won't have one)
�Memory cards
�Adaptor/converter (available at electronic stores)
�Camera with ample batteries (batteries can be expensive abroad)

Documents
�Passport (required on all EF Educational Tours). Remember to bring a photocopy of it (in case it is lost) and leave one copy at home.
�Visas (if applicable)
�A copy of the tour itinerary
�A list of important phone numbers and addresses to send postcards home
�Copy of any prescriptions (Customs officials may want to verify that a container's contents match its label, so all medication should be carried in their original containers.)

Carry-on bag
Your EF backpack is a perfect carry-on bag! Here�s a short list of things you might need on the first day of the trip. Pack them in your carry-on in case your checked luggage is delayed.
�Passport
�Money
�Airline ticket
�Toothbrush and toothpaste (remember, toothpaste needs to go in a one-quart Ziploc bag, and can't be bigger than 3 oz)
�Hairbrush
�Contact lens case/glasses (to sleep comfortably on the plane)
�A change of clothes
�Medication
�Any valuables

Thanks in Advance

A. Here is their list:
Clothing - good for 7 days
Umbrella
things for personal hygienes (toothbrush, shampoo, and other personal stuffs)
Money

For electronic devices
Cellphones ,also use as alarm so dont bring alarm clock
Digital camera

also include basic medicine kits such as pain killer, motion sickness medicine

Original Question

Warped Tour 2013 Help?

Q. * Yes, I know it's early to be worrying about this, but it been two years since my first Warped Tour experience, and last time, it didn't go so well... The music was great, but it was very tiring and hot... so any tips on how to survive it would be great!

Okay, so do you guys think I'll get too hot and sweaty wearing this outfit during Warped? I'm planning to bring an extra outfit with me just in case.

- Shorts
- Band T-shirt
- Flannel (I get easily burned, so I was planning to bring this along just in case. Yes, I'm going to wear sunblock... a whole lot of it.)
- Sneakers
- A backpack
Oh, one more thing. I wear glasses, would the chances on having them broken be high?

* QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD BRING ALONG.

How big should the backpack be?
Camera or no camera?
Should I just use my phone to record?
Items that I should bring along?

* How much money should I bring, and how much do t-shirts/hoodies/cd's/etc cost?

Any other tips would be great! Thanks so much lovelies~ c:

A. --That outfit sounds fine. You can definitely bring the flannel if you think you might need it, but i would not suggest wearing it very often, if you can don't wear it at all. I know you're afraid of burns, but you also want to think about overheating, or heat stroke. That's also a very real danger, not to freak you out or anything lol but just something you might want to think about. Also be sure the shoes are something you can wear all day and that your feet won't hurt walking around all day. They don't really have seats at warped, so just remember that and choose your shoes wisely. Remember, NO flip flops!
---You should also make sure the backpack is light enough so its not annoyingly large or uncomfortable, but you should still be able to fit most if not all of your stuff in it. A regular draw string back usually works best.
---A camera is always a good idea. It doesn't have to be a big fancy one, but i suggest you bring a small digital with you.
---You can use your phone. Just make sure its got enough space for all the videos and that its charged completely before you go. You can also use your camera if you wish. I kinda used both last year.
---Bring a water bottle, small snack, pen/notebook (for autographs), a jacket with a hood in case of rain
---I'd say at least $60. It sounds like a lot, but merch can cost anywhere from about $2 to $25, or more, plus if you want food that's expensive too.

I'm sorry you didn't have fun last time, i hope this helps and i hope you have lots of fun this time! :)

Original Question

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Trip to Europe in 2013?

Q. On a School trip June of 2013 since I'll be going to College August 2013. It's by EFtours. Have you ever been? What is it like? What did you do. I'll b without parents, and while it sounds exciting, but I'm kinda of scared to be in a foregin country, I mean this is a once in a lifetime oppertunity.

We're going to France and Italy, and taking a train from Paris to Rome or Rome to Paris. We'll be gone from 7 to 10 days. Anything I should know. Just to be prepared, what should I pack? We're premitted a carry on and suitcase per student. They tell us what to bring, but how much.

NEED TO KNOW:
What should I pack into my carry on bag?


Here is their list:
Clothing

Keep in mind that some religious sites require that shirts cover the shoulders and arms, and some do not allow shorts, short skirts or flip-flops.

�Comfortable walking shoes
�Shirts (short- and long-sleeved)
�Socks and underwear
�Shorts/pants/jeans
�Pajamas
�Bathing suit (if applicable)
�Dressier outfit and shoes (reserved for a special night out)
�Raincoat and/or umbrella

Toiletries
�Toothbrush
�Toothpaste
�Shampoo/conditioner
�Soap
�Deodorant
�Hairbrush/comb
�Sunscreen
�Spare set of contact lenses/glasses (if applicable)


Money
�ATM card (call your bank prior to departure to alert them of the trip; foreign purchases sometimes result in a hold on bank accounts)
�EF Visa Travel Card or personal credit card
�At least $50 converted to foreign currency of the first country that you�re visiting
�Pouch for storing money and passport under clothing (available at travel stores)


Electronics

�Alarm clock (many hotel rooms won't have one)
�Memory cards
�Adaptor/converter (available at electronic stores)
�Camera with ample batteries (batteries can be expensive abroad)

Documents
�Passport (required on all EF Educational Tours). Remember to bring a photocopy of it (in case it is lost) and leave one copy at home.
�Visas (if applicable)
�A copy of the tour itinerary
�A list of important phone numbers and addresses to send postcards home
�Copy of any prescriptions (Customs officials may want to verify that a container's contents match its label, so all medication should be carried in their original containers.)

Carry-on bag
Your EF backpack is a perfect carry-on bag! Here�s a short list of things you might need on the first day of the trip. Pack them in your carry-on in case your checked luggage is delayed.
�Passport
�Money
�Airline ticket
�Toothbrush and toothpaste (remember, toothpaste needs to go in a one-quart Ziploc bag, and can't be bigger than 3 oz)
�Hairbrush
�Contact lens case/glasses (to sleep comfortably on the plane)
�A change of clothes
�Medication
�Any valuables

Thanks in Advance

A. Here is their list:
Clothing - good for 7 days
Umbrella
things for personal hygienes (toothbrush, shampoo, and other personal stuffs)
Money

For electronic devices
Cellphones ,also use as alarm so dont bring alarm clock
Digital camera

also include basic medicine kits such as pain killer, motion sickness medicine

Original Question

Warped Tour 2013 Help?

Q. * Yes, I know it's early to be worrying about this, but it been two years since my first Warped Tour experience, and last time, it didn't go so well... The music was great, but it was very tiring and hot... so any tips on how to survive it would be great!

Okay, so do you guys think I'll get too hot and sweaty wearing this outfit during Warped? I'm planning to bring an extra outfit with me just in case.

- Shorts
- Band T-shirt
- Flannel (I get easily burned, so I was planning to bring this along just in case. Yes, I'm going to wear sunblock... a whole lot of it.)
- Sneakers
- A backpack
Oh, one more thing. I wear glasses, would the chances on having them broken be high?

* QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD BRING ALONG.

How big should the backpack be?
Camera or no camera?
Should I just use my phone to record?
Items that I should bring along?

* How much money should I bring, and how much do t-shirts/hoodies/cd's/etc cost?

Any other tips would be great! Thanks so much lovelies~ c:

A. --That outfit sounds fine. You can definitely bring the flannel if you think you might need it, but i would not suggest wearing it very often, if you can don't wear it at all. I know you're afraid of burns, but you also want to think about overheating, or heat stroke. That's also a very real danger, not to freak you out or anything lol but just something you might want to think about. Also be sure the shoes are something you can wear all day and that your feet won't hurt walking around all day. They don't really have seats at warped, so just remember that and choose your shoes wisely. Remember, NO flip flops!
---You should also make sure the backpack is light enough so its not annoyingly large or uncomfortable, but you should still be able to fit most if not all of your stuff in it. A regular draw string back usually works best.
---A camera is always a good idea. It doesn't have to be a big fancy one, but i suggest you bring a small digital with you.
---You can use your phone. Just make sure its got enough space for all the videos and that its charged completely before you go. You can also use your camera if you wish. I kinda used both last year.
---Bring a water bottle, small snack, pen/notebook (for autographs), a jacket with a hood in case of rain
---I'd say at least $60. It sounds like a lot, but merch can cost anywhere from about $2 to $25, or more, plus if you want food that's expensive too.

I'm sorry you didn't have fun last time, i hope this helps and i hope you have lots of fun this time! :)

Original Question

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How long before this camera is considered obsolete?

Q. My son is a high school senior. Next year he wants to go to community college and live at home (at least that is reasonably affordable) instead of going away to school. He wants to take an expensive major however. Video production. We have been able to save about $5,000 towards his education. We are not wealthy people. The rest will have to come from loans and maybe a grant or scholarship.
We are looking at some "entry level" pro cameras in the $1500-1800 range. That's about 1/3 of our savings for his education.
Models include these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518555-REG/Sony_HVRHD1000U_HVR_HD1000U_Digital_High_Definition.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/745707-REG/Sony_HXR_MC2000U_HXR_MC2000U_Shoulder_Mount_AVCHD.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/878341-REG/Panasonic_hmc40kit_AG_HMC40_AVCCAM_HD_Camcorder.html
and
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749467-REG/Canon_4922B002_XA10_HD_Professional_Camcorder.html

My concern is he starts September 2013 so these products may not even be available by then or others will be available. We hope he graduates May 2015. He tells us when he graduates he will maybe find a freelance job or shoot local cable news, build up some experience, maybe after 2 years go for a B.A. at least part time.
Is anything we buy him in 2013 (summer) going to be any use to him as a working professional in 2015 (summer)? So let's say you are a class of 2012 graduate with an AAS in video production. The camera you purchased in the summer of 2010 when you first started, do you still use it professionally? Can you make anything doing freelance news videos, PR videos or local account commercials with this equipment?
We're going to do everything we can to help him. No doubt he will still be living at home in the summer of 2015. By then he's going to have a student loan to pay off. We have a 2005 Hyundai Accent that we are going to give him for college. I hope that thing still runs when it is 10 years old and he isn't making car payments on top of that. The thing has 120,000 miles on it but runs really well. I just fear when he graduates he's going to be in deep debt and have limited employment. I may be wrong. What do you think? Thanks.

A. Hi "Upwardly Mobile":

Fellow Contributor "L" covered most of the bases quite well, but the only point he didn't underscore is that MOST good video & film production programs at community colleges HAVE the cameras, lights, mikes, tripods, and other gear that the students will learn on & use.

When I went to a local (but nationally prominent) university with a Broadcast/Film Dept., portable video was still fairly new, but all the film cameras, tripods, & light kits were supplied by the Department for students to "check out" as-needed for class projects.

And most video production students start out with Studio Production techniques (where it's easier for groups to learn 3-point lighting, camera setup & tripod/dolly operation, shot composition, audio techniques & mixing, etc.). No need for portable field gear there.

For field production & Electronic News Gathering, a good college will have a fair number of camcorders for students to use & check out (if needed for outside-of-class projects).

The same is true for Editing Software & computer workstations. Some college programs might be economizing and making students supply their own laptops for this, but all the major software companies offer Academic Editions of their normally-expensive edit suites at discounted prices. And of course, nowadays, apps like iMovie (Mac) and Movie Maker (PC) come "free" as part of the operating system and can accomplish what older (and expensive) software used to do, as far as basic editing.

As "L" mentioned, do a bit of "homework" yourself by contacting the community college's department head & instructors for your son's chosen major. Tour the facilities (studio and edit suites) and ask about the "equipment room" for student project gear. See what textbooks (a major expense) are required, and whether computer/laptop & software expense will be part of what's expected of your son. Only if there's little-or-no camcorder gear (or no hands-on studio cameras) would I recommend buying anything like the models from B+H that you listed.

Almost every cable TV & freelance video job I've had over the past 30 years has "supplied" (rented or company-owned) the cameras & grip gear I needed. I bring my own gear only when it's a "favor" or when what I have is better-suited to the task, or they want a "director with gear". My point being, your son doesn't need to own =any= camera gear to make a living freelancing. A good camera operator can stay busy in almost any part of the country, with just his/her skills. (Same for sound mixers & boom/wireless mike operators.)

hope this helps, and hope it saves you some money,
--Dennis C.
 

Original Question

Is this a good camera?

Q. Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens

is $3,500 a good price for this slr?
can you recommend a good srl?

better description
http://blog.danieljsd.com/2013/02/canon-eos-5d-mark-iii-223-mp-full-frame.html

A. That price is OK for that camera and lens.

If I were you I would be worried about spending that amount of money on something I knew nothing about. The fact that you have to ask this question makes me think you would be better in the $1000-1500 bracket. But hey! It's your cash!

Original Question

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Is this a good camera?

Q. Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens

is $3,500 a good price for this slr?
can you recommend a good srl?

better description
http://blog.danieljsd.com/2013/02/canon-eos-5d-mark-iii-223-mp-full-frame.html

A. That price is OK for that camera and lens.

If I were you I would be worried about spending that amount of money on something I knew nothing about. The fact that you have to ask this question makes me think you would be better in the $1000-1500 bracket. But hey! It's your cash!

Original Question

Trip to Europe in 2013?

Q. On a School trip June of 2013 since I'll be going to College August 2013. It's by EFtours. Have you ever been? What is it like? What did you do. I'll b without parents, and while it sounds exciting, but I'm kinda of scared to be in a foregin country, I mean this is a once in a lifetime oppertunity.

We're going to France and Italy, and taking a train from Paris to Rome or Rome to Paris. We'll be gone from 7 to 10 days. Anything I should know. Just to be prepared, what should I pack? We're premitted a carry on and suitcase per student. They tell us what to bring, but how much.

NEED TO KNOW:
What should I pack into my carry on bag?


Here is their list:
Clothing

Keep in mind that some religious sites require that shirts cover the shoulders and arms, and some do not allow shorts, short skirts or flip-flops.

�Comfortable walking shoes
�Shirts (short- and long-sleeved)
�Socks and underwear
�Shorts/pants/jeans
�Pajamas
�Bathing suit (if applicable)
�Dressier outfit and shoes (reserved for a special night out)
�Raincoat and/or umbrella

Toiletries
�Toothbrush
�Toothpaste
�Shampoo/conditioner
�Soap
�Deodorant
�Hairbrush/comb
�Sunscreen
�Spare set of contact lenses/glasses (if applicable)


Money
�ATM card (call your bank prior to departure to alert them of the trip; foreign purchases sometimes result in a hold on bank accounts)
�EF Visa Travel Card or personal credit card
�At least $50 converted to foreign currency of the first country that you�re visiting
�Pouch for storing money and passport under clothing (available at travel stores)


Electronics

�Alarm clock (many hotel rooms won't have one)
�Memory cards
�Adaptor/converter (available at electronic stores)
�Camera with ample batteries (batteries can be expensive abroad)

Documents
�Passport (required on all EF Educational Tours). Remember to bring a photocopy of it (in case it is lost) and leave one copy at home.
�Visas (if applicable)
�A copy of the tour itinerary
�A list of important phone numbers and addresses to send postcards home
�Copy of any prescriptions (Customs officials may want to verify that a container's contents match its label, so all medication should be carried in their original containers.)

Carry-on bag
Your EF backpack is a perfect carry-on bag! Here�s a short list of things you might need on the first day of the trip. Pack them in your carry-on in case your checked luggage is delayed.
�Passport
�Money
�Airline ticket
�Toothbrush and toothpaste (remember, toothpaste needs to go in a one-quart Ziploc bag, and can't be bigger than 3 oz)
�Hairbrush
�Contact lens case/glasses (to sleep comfortably on the plane)
�A change of clothes
�Medication
�Any valuables

Thanks in Advance

A. Here is their list:
Clothing - good for 7 days
Umbrella
things for personal hygienes (toothbrush, shampoo, and other personal stuffs)
Money

For electronic devices
Cellphones ,also use as alarm so dont bring alarm clock
Digital camera

also include basic medicine kits such as pain killer, motion sickness medicine

Original Question

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Digital Camera for wildlife photography help?

Q. I am planing a couple trips in the next year. First trip is to go up to Alaska or Canada and I want to try and get some nice Polar Bear and Musk Oxen shots. Then I am going to be going out to Yellowstone to try and photograph wolves and finally I will be taking a trip to Australia and New Zealand and am hoping to get some great landscape and animal shots. But now I have to figure out what is going to be the best camera for me to get. I have a budget of around $3500.

Right now I am looking at the Nikon D 7100, Nikon D 7000, Cannon EOS 7 D, and Sony Alpha SLT-A77.

I am also then figureing on getting either a 300mm or 400mm lens then buying a 2X teleconverter. I'm trying to do all this for $3500 or less I know its going to be tough. Obviously I can not afford the real nice lenses in the 300mm zoom so how much is this going to affect my quality if I get a little bit cheaper lens? My goal is I want to have nice enough pictures to where I could blow them up and hang them up around my house with out the image getting grainy or fuzzy. I'm looking at blowing them up to 24 x 36 and maybe bigger for landscape shots.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your time.

A. You might get to see these animals, but don't get your hopes up too high. The Nikon D7100 with 18-105mm could be a good choice of camera for most of your shots. A super duper great telephoto to get the kind of shots you are dreaming of will blow your budget. For less ambitious but pretty good shots you could get the Nikon 70-300mm AF-S VR (the good 70-300, not the cheapo). Forget about a 2X teleconverter. The 70-300mm lacks a tripod collar, and it will be front heavy. You will want to bring a tripod. You need to think about what day pack you will carry it in, as the tripod must fit. There are some decent travel tripods. However, the light duty ballhead on some of these may be barely adequate with the 70-300mm. You need to assemble something with a good medium duty 3 way pan head, like maybe the Manfrotto 804RC2 or the Induro PHT2. BTW, if you want to point a panhead higher than about 30 degrees, the trick is to put the quick release plate on backwards.
Which brings us to, when do you expect to do this?
Winter, aurora watching?
You will need serious clothes.
http://www.martingrumet.com/yellowknife01-30-2013-02-2000.jpg
Carry your camera in a padded case with several handwarmer packs. Have an extra charged battery in your pocket. Two layers of glove liners with handwarmer packs inside can probably give you adequate dexterity without freezing your fingers.
Also have a clean, dry cotton handkerchief in the bag to wipe off condensation.
Getting focused in the dark could be a problem. You might be able to lock on autofocus on a distant street light, and switch to manual. Or you could spend more money on an older style AF-D prime lens like a 20mm or 24mm, and be able to dial to infinity in the dark.
For aurora shots set white balance to daylight. Practice with your equipment at home before you go on your trip. Maybe ISO is 800. More gets noisy. Exposure time maybe 20 seconds. More shows star trails. Also the aurora is dynamic, and more exposure makes it look blob like.
http://www.martingrumet.com/yellowknife02-05-2013-01-2000.jpg
http://www.martingrumet.com/yellowknife02-05-2013-02-2000.jpg
About midnight to 2am is often best activity, although not always.

Original Question

How would I go about filming a documentary on my senior year?

Q. I'm about to enter my senior year of High School and I'd like to film the senior year of my friends and I from the last weeks of summer of 2013 till the day before we all leave for our respective universities. I've had this idea for quite some time but im not quite sure how to go about it like should i film in school? or could i even film in school? What aspects should i capture? If one of us mistakenly or purposely does something illegal could we get in trouble if it is on film?
I plan to show the film probably for our five year class reunion
Also, which would be the ideal camera for filming and what editing programs should I use. Any and all input is greatly appreciated!

A. If you really want to know how its done then just go out their and do it. That is really the best way to learn.

1:
It might cost you some money but if you go to Radio Shak (or shop around on the net) you could see about getting some sort of little camera that you can conceal like in your hat or something. I would suggest using two cameras at all times film your documentary, one that is concealed and one is a small handheld.

2:
When filming just be casual and relaxed don't act nervious or suspicous because this will draw unwanted attention to yourself. Just act normal, you are not really doing anything wrong anyway.

3:
The first thing you should think about is that you don't need to make a spectacle of the fact that you are making a documentary, the less people who know the less oppisition you will have from anyone.

4:
You don't even have to tell people right away (around or after graduation) because it will be more of a surprise to everyone when you show it for reunion.

5:
Your filming should focus on all of the fun things including your friends and teachers who are close to you. Don't forget to included yourself if you also want to be in your documentary, maybe have someone else take turns filming for you.

6:
Try and make people feel special and capture the special moments even for the social outcasts, just generailly try and make people feel good about themselves.

7:
Stay away from contraversial issues. don't film anything that would hurt anyone because this will just turn something good into something bad.

8:
You should film all the major events like dances, homecoming etc etc.

9:
When filming try and be within a reasonable range so that you get really good sound and picture quality.

10:
Be really mindful of the fact if you are moving around a lot, up and down etc. etc. then the video is going to be very shaky and no one likes watching shaky, bouncy, bad quality video.

Try and use a tripod whenever possible probably at like events.

11:
whatever footage you get you should upload it to your computer daily that way in case someone does attempt to keep you from filming a documentary you will still have some footage. YOU SHOULD SAVE AND UPLOAD THE FOOTAGE YOU GET ON A DAILY BASIS.



INDIEGOGO .COM is a very popular crowdfunding website among independent /short film producers, this might prove to be an invaluable resource to you as well.


It would probably help for you to read this list of books

1: The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers: A Legal Toolkit for Independent Producers
by Thomas A. Crowell (Paperback)


2: All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger
by Lloyd Kaufman (Paperback)

Any of the books by Lloyd Kaufman, he is somewhat of an authority on independent filmmaking.


3: Motion Picture and Video Lighting
by Blain Brown (Paperback)


4: The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition
by Gustavo Mercado (Paperback)


5: The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age
by Edward Pincus (Paperback)

Original Question

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How long before this camera is considered obsolete?

Q. My son is a high school senior. Next year he wants to go to community college and live at home (at least that is reasonably affordable) instead of going away to school. He wants to take an expensive major however. Video production. We have been able to save about $5,000 towards his education. We are not wealthy people. The rest will have to come from loans and maybe a grant or scholarship.
We are looking at some "entry level" pro cameras in the $1500-1800 range. That's about 1/3 of our savings for his education.
Models include these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518555-REG/Sony_HVRHD1000U_HVR_HD1000U_Digital_High_Definition.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/745707-REG/Sony_HXR_MC2000U_HXR_MC2000U_Shoulder_Mount_AVCHD.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/878341-REG/Panasonic_hmc40kit_AG_HMC40_AVCCAM_HD_Camcorder.html
and
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749467-REG/Canon_4922B002_XA10_HD_Professional_Camcorder.html

My concern is he starts September 2013 so these products may not even be available by then or others will be available. We hope he graduates May 2015. He tells us when he graduates he will maybe find a freelance job or shoot local cable news, build up some experience, maybe after 2 years go for a B.A. at least part time.
Is anything we buy him in 2013 (summer) going to be any use to him as a working professional in 2015 (summer)? So let's say you are a class of 2012 graduate with an AAS in video production. The camera you purchased in the summer of 2010 when you first started, do you still use it professionally? Can you make anything doing freelance news videos, PR videos or local account commercials with this equipment?
We're going to do everything we can to help him. No doubt he will still be living at home in the summer of 2015. By then he's going to have a student loan to pay off. We have a 2005 Hyundai Accent that we are going to give him for college. I hope that thing still runs when it is 10 years old and he isn't making car payments on top of that. The thing has 120,000 miles on it but runs really well. I just fear when he graduates he's going to be in deep debt and have limited employment. I may be wrong. What do you think? Thanks.

A. Hi "Upwardly Mobile":

Fellow Contributor "L" covered most of the bases quite well, but the only point he didn't underscore is that MOST good video & film production programs at community colleges HAVE the cameras, lights, mikes, tripods, and other gear that the students will learn on & use.

When I went to a local (but nationally prominent) university with a Broadcast/Film Dept., portable video was still fairly new, but all the film cameras, tripods, & light kits were supplied by the Department for students to "check out" as-needed for class projects.

And most video production students start out with Studio Production techniques (where it's easier for groups to learn 3-point lighting, camera setup & tripod/dolly operation, shot composition, audio techniques & mixing, etc.). No need for portable field gear there.

For field production & Electronic News Gathering, a good college will have a fair number of camcorders for students to use & check out (if needed for outside-of-class projects).

The same is true for Editing Software & computer workstations. Some college programs might be economizing and making students supply their own laptops for this, but all the major software companies offer Academic Editions of their normally-expensive edit suites at discounted prices. And of course, nowadays, apps like iMovie (Mac) and Movie Maker (PC) come "free" as part of the operating system and can accomplish what older (and expensive) software used to do, as far as basic editing.

As "L" mentioned, do a bit of "homework" yourself by contacting the community college's department head & instructors for your son's chosen major. Tour the facilities (studio and edit suites) and ask about the "equipment room" for student project gear. See what textbooks (a major expense) are required, and whether computer/laptop & software expense will be part of what's expected of your son. Only if there's little-or-no camcorder gear (or no hands-on studio cameras) would I recommend buying anything like the models from B+H that you listed.

Almost every cable TV & freelance video job I've had over the past 30 years has "supplied" (rented or company-owned) the cameras & grip gear I needed. I bring my own gear only when it's a "favor" or when what I have is better-suited to the task, or they want a "director with gear". My point being, your son doesn't need to own =any= camera gear to make a living freelancing. A good camera operator can stay busy in almost any part of the country, with just his/her skills. (Same for sound mixers & boom/wireless mike operators.)

hope this helps, and hope it saves you some money,
--Dennis C.
 

Original Question

Where can you get cheap polaroid cameras in australia?

Q. Does anyone know?

A. Why do you want 1950's technology?. Polaroids stink, I sold this cameras when they were first introduced and it went like this: Sell 3 cameras and two are returned. The third is/was up in the attic just waiting for gullible people to come along and think Polaroid instant print is the cat's meow. Well I guess 2013 is the year of gullible people. PLEASE don't waste your money! Two dollars a print equals 16 dollars expensive. BUT what if all 8 prints do not come out? The entire 8 prints never came out when I sold the cameras. I can't figure where all the Polaroid cameras are coming from. Polaroid must have stock piled them and then sold them this year. Stick to regular 4x6 prints priced at (here in the USA) from 13 cents to 20 cents a piece. Plus your can get reprints from the digtal file. Never mind that Polaroid prints fade in a few years while digital prints last a least one lifetime, more if stored in an album. Please don't buy.

Original Question

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Digital Camera for wildlife photography help?

Q. I am planing a couple trips in the next year. First trip is to go up to Alaska or Canada and I want to try and get some nice Polar Bear and Musk Oxen shots. Then I am going to be going out to Yellowstone to try and photograph wolves and finally I will be taking a trip to Australia and New Zealand and am hoping to get some great landscape and animal shots. But now I have to figure out what is going to be the best camera for me to get. I have a budget of around $3500.

Right now I am looking at the Nikon D 7100, Nikon D 7000, Cannon EOS 7 D, and Sony Alpha SLT-A77.

I am also then figureing on getting either a 300mm or 400mm lens then buying a 2X teleconverter. I'm trying to do all this for $3500 or less I know its going to be tough. Obviously I can not afford the real nice lenses in the 300mm zoom so how much is this going to affect my quality if I get a little bit cheaper lens? My goal is I want to have nice enough pictures to where I could blow them up and hang them up around my house with out the image getting grainy or fuzzy. I'm looking at blowing them up to 24 x 36 and maybe bigger for landscape shots.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your time.

A. You might get to see these animals, but don't get your hopes up too high. The Nikon D7100 with 18-105mm could be a good choice of camera for most of your shots. A super duper great telephoto to get the kind of shots you are dreaming of will blow your budget. For less ambitious but pretty good shots you could get the Nikon 70-300mm AF-S VR (the good 70-300, not the cheapo). Forget about a 2X teleconverter. The 70-300mm lacks a tripod collar, and it will be front heavy. You will want to bring a tripod. You need to think about what day pack you will carry it in, as the tripod must fit. There are some decent travel tripods. However, the light duty ballhead on some of these may be barely adequate with the 70-300mm. You need to assemble something with a good medium duty 3 way pan head, like maybe the Manfrotto 804RC2 or the Induro PHT2. BTW, if you want to point a panhead higher than about 30 degrees, the trick is to put the quick release plate on backwards.
Which brings us to, when do you expect to do this?
Winter, aurora watching?
You will need serious clothes.
http://www.martingrumet.com/yellowknife01-30-2013-02-2000.jpg
Carry your camera in a padded case with several handwarmer packs. Have an extra charged battery in your pocket. Two layers of glove liners with handwarmer packs inside can probably give you adequate dexterity without freezing your fingers.
Also have a clean, dry cotton handkerchief in the bag to wipe off condensation.
Getting focused in the dark could be a problem. You might be able to lock on autofocus on a distant street light, and switch to manual. Or you could spend more money on an older style AF-D prime lens like a 20mm or 24mm, and be able to dial to infinity in the dark.
For aurora shots set white balance to daylight. Practice with your equipment at home before you go on your trip. Maybe ISO is 800. More gets noisy. Exposure time maybe 20 seconds. More shows star trails. Also the aurora is dynamic, and more exposure makes it look blob like.
http://www.martingrumet.com/yellowknife02-05-2013-01-2000.jpg
http://www.martingrumet.com/yellowknife02-05-2013-02-2000.jpg
About midnight to 2am is often best activity, although not always.

Original Question

How would I go about filming a documentary on my senior year?

Q. I'm about to enter my senior year of High School and I'd like to film the senior year of my friends and I from the last weeks of summer of 2013 till the day before we all leave for our respective universities. I've had this idea for quite some time but im not quite sure how to go about it like should i film in school? or could i even film in school? What aspects should i capture? If one of us mistakenly or purposely does something illegal could we get in trouble if it is on film?
I plan to show the film probably for our five year class reunion
Also, which would be the ideal camera for filming and what editing programs should I use. Any and all input is greatly appreciated!

A. If you really want to know how its done then just go out their and do it. That is really the best way to learn.

1:
It might cost you some money but if you go to Radio Shak (or shop around on the net) you could see about getting some sort of little camera that you can conceal like in your hat or something. I would suggest using two cameras at all times film your documentary, one that is concealed and one is a small handheld.

2:
When filming just be casual and relaxed don't act nervious or suspicous because this will draw unwanted attention to yourself. Just act normal, you are not really doing anything wrong anyway.

3:
The first thing you should think about is that you don't need to make a spectacle of the fact that you are making a documentary, the less people who know the less oppisition you will have from anyone.

4:
You don't even have to tell people right away (around or after graduation) because it will be more of a surprise to everyone when you show it for reunion.

5:
Your filming should focus on all of the fun things including your friends and teachers who are close to you. Don't forget to included yourself if you also want to be in your documentary, maybe have someone else take turns filming for you.

6:
Try and make people feel special and capture the special moments even for the social outcasts, just generailly try and make people feel good about themselves.

7:
Stay away from contraversial issues. don't film anything that would hurt anyone because this will just turn something good into something bad.

8:
You should film all the major events like dances, homecoming etc etc.

9:
When filming try and be within a reasonable range so that you get really good sound and picture quality.

10:
Be really mindful of the fact if you are moving around a lot, up and down etc. etc. then the video is going to be very shaky and no one likes watching shaky, bouncy, bad quality video.

Try and use a tripod whenever possible probably at like events.

11:
whatever footage you get you should upload it to your computer daily that way in case someone does attempt to keep you from filming a documentary you will still have some footage. YOU SHOULD SAVE AND UPLOAD THE FOOTAGE YOU GET ON A DAILY BASIS.



INDIEGOGO .COM is a very popular crowdfunding website among independent /short film producers, this might prove to be an invaluable resource to you as well.


It would probably help for you to read this list of books

1: The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers: A Legal Toolkit for Independent Producers
by Thomas A. Crowell (Paperback)


2: All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger
by Lloyd Kaufman (Paperback)

Any of the books by Lloyd Kaufman, he is somewhat of an authority on independent filmmaking.


3: Motion Picture and Video Lighting
by Blain Brown (Paperback)


4: The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition
by Gustavo Mercado (Paperback)


5: The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age
by Edward Pincus (Paperback)

Original Question

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question about prize won through deals2buy.com - submit a deal contest?

Q. I recently submitted a deal to deals2buy.com and later received an email that my entry won a prize. the email was from an id that is retailmenot, inc from austin texas. theres a document attached with the email that is asking for my address, date of birth etc. is it safe to give my DOB and address information to this company? Attached the text from the document for reference.

DECLARATION OF ELIGIBILITY AND RELEASE
The undersigned, [insert name of selected entrant], potential winner of one of the following prizes (“Prize”) in the Deals2Buy Submit-a-Deal Contest (“Sweepstakes”), sponsored by RetailMeNot, Inc. (“Sponsor”), hereby declares under penalty of perjury as follows:
Prize: Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the Official Rules for the Sweepstakes, one (1) Canon PowerShot HS Digital Camera

1.I am submitting this declaration with the understanding that it will be relied upon to determine my eligibility in the Sweepstakes.
2.My date of birth is: ___________________.
3.I properly entered the Sweepstakes and have met all other requirements related to the Prize. I have complied with all rules of the Sweepstakes. I have read and agree to be bound to the Official Rules for the Sweepstakes, which are hereby incorporated by reference, and I declare that I have complied with all such rules. I have committed no fraud or deception in entering the Sweepstakes or in claiming any Prize.
4.I understand that I am responsible for all fees and taxes associated with this Prize.
5.I give permission irrevocably and in perpetuity to Sponsor to, without additional compensation to me, use, adapt, reproduce, distribute, display and publicly perform my likeness and name (first initial, last name), city and state, either in promotional and marketing materials or on any of their respective websites.
6.I hereby unconditionally and forever release, discharge and agree to hold harmless Sponsor and the entities hosting or administering the Sweepstakes, and their affiliates and subsidiaries, along with each of their owners, officers, directors, managers, employees, agents, contractors and representatives (collectively, “Released Parties”), from any and all claims arising from or relating to the Sweepstakes or the Prize. I specifically understand and agree that this release will prevent me and my successors from bringing a lawsuit, claim or other action against Sponsor or any other Released Party and from recovering any money damages or other legal relief from the Released Parties in connection with any claims released above.
The undersigned declares under penalty of perjury of law that the foregoing is true and correct and that this declaration was executed on , 2013.


Signature


Print Name


Address:



Email Address:

Telephone:




Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

A. Hello,It is perfectly safe. Wish you all the luck

Original Question

Is this a good camera?

Q. Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens

is $3,500 a good price for this slr?
can you recommend a good srl?

better description
http://blog.danieljsd.com/2013/02/canon-eos-5d-mark-iii-223-mp-full-frame.html

A. That price is OK for that camera and lens.

If I were you I would be worried about spending that amount of money on something I knew nothing about. The fact that you have to ask this question makes me think you would be better in the $1000-1500 bracket. But hey! It's your cash!

Original Question

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How long before this camera is considered obsolete?

Q. My son is a high school senior. Next year he wants to go to community college and live at home (at least that is reasonably affordable) instead of going away to school. He wants to take an expensive major however. Video production. We have been able to save about $5,000 towards his education. We are not wealthy people. The rest will have to come from loans and maybe a grant or scholarship.
We are looking at some "entry level" pro cameras in the $1500-1800 range. That's about 1/3 of our savings for his education.
Models include these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518555-REG/Sony_HVRHD1000U_HVR_HD1000U_Digital_High_Definition.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/745707-REG/Sony_HXR_MC2000U_HXR_MC2000U_Shoulder_Mount_AVCHD.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/878341-REG/Panasonic_hmc40kit_AG_HMC40_AVCCAM_HD_Camcorder.html
and
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749467-REG/Canon_4922B002_XA10_HD_Professional_Camcorder.html

My concern is he starts September 2013 so these products may not even be available by then or others will be available. We hope he graduates May 2015. He tells us when he graduates he will maybe find a freelance job or shoot local cable news, build up some experience, maybe after 2 years go for a B.A. at least part time.
Is anything we buy him in 2013 (summer) going to be any use to him as a working professional in 2015 (summer)? So let's say you are a class of 2012 graduate with an AAS in video production. The camera you purchased in the summer of 2010 when you first started, do you still use it professionally? Can you make anything doing freelance news videos, PR videos or local account commercials with this equipment?
We're going to do everything we can to help him. No doubt he will still be living at home in the summer of 2015. By then he's going to have a student loan to pay off. We have a 2005 Hyundai Accent that we are going to give him for college. I hope that thing still runs when it is 10 years old and he isn't making car payments on top of that. The thing has 120,000 miles on it but runs really well. I just fear when he graduates he's going to be in deep debt and have limited employment. I may be wrong. What do you think? Thanks.

A. Hi "Upwardly Mobile":

Fellow Contributor "L" covered most of the bases quite well, but the only point he didn't underscore is that MOST good video & film production programs at community colleges HAVE the cameras, lights, mikes, tripods, and other gear that the students will learn on & use.

When I went to a local (but nationally prominent) university with a Broadcast/Film Dept., portable video was still fairly new, but all the film cameras, tripods, & light kits were supplied by the Department for students to "check out" as-needed for class projects.

And most video production students start out with Studio Production techniques (where it's easier for groups to learn 3-point lighting, camera setup & tripod/dolly operation, shot composition, audio techniques & mixing, etc.). No need for portable field gear there.

For field production & Electronic News Gathering, a good college will have a fair number of camcorders for students to use & check out (if needed for outside-of-class projects).

The same is true for Editing Software & computer workstations. Some college programs might be economizing and making students supply their own laptops for this, but all the major software companies offer Academic Editions of their normally-expensive edit suites at discounted prices. And of course, nowadays, apps like iMovie (Mac) and Movie Maker (PC) come "free" as part of the operating system and can accomplish what older (and expensive) software used to do, as far as basic editing.

As "L" mentioned, do a bit of "homework" yourself by contacting the community college's department head & instructors for your son's chosen major. Tour the facilities (studio and edit suites) and ask about the "equipment room" for student project gear. See what textbooks (a major expense) are required, and whether computer/laptop & software expense will be part of what's expected of your son. Only if there's little-or-no camcorder gear (or no hands-on studio cameras) would I recommend buying anything like the models from B+H that you listed.

Almost every cable TV & freelance video job I've had over the past 30 years has "supplied" (rented or company-owned) the cameras & grip gear I needed. I bring my own gear only when it's a "favor" or when what I have is better-suited to the task, or they want a "director with gear". My point being, your son doesn't need to own =any= camera gear to make a living freelancing. A good camera operator can stay busy in almost any part of the country, with just his/her skills. (Same for sound mixers & boom/wireless mike operators.)

hope this helps, and hope it saves you some money,
--Dennis C.
 

Original Question

Where can you get cheap polaroid cameras in australia?

Q. Does anyone know?

A. Why do you want 1950's technology?. Polaroids stink, I sold this cameras when they were first introduced and it went like this: Sell 3 cameras and two are returned. The third is/was up in the attic just waiting for gullible people to come along and think Polaroid instant print is the cat's meow. Well I guess 2013 is the year of gullible people. PLEASE don't waste your money! Two dollars a print equals 16 dollars expensive. BUT what if all 8 prints do not come out? The entire 8 prints never came out when I sold the cameras. I can't figure where all the Polaroid cameras are coming from. Polaroid must have stock piled them and then sold them this year. Stick to regular 4x6 prints priced at (here in the USA) from 13 cents to 20 cents a piece. Plus your can get reprints from the digtal file. Never mind that Polaroid prints fade in a few years while digital prints last a least one lifetime, more if stored in an album. Please don't buy.

Original Question

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Kodak Easyshare camera will not charge?

Q. My Kodak Easyshare will not charge brand new battery and using my ac charger, the light blinks a few seconds and then goes off it will not charge enough to bring the lens back into place. Does a ac charger go bad ive had this camera for appr 5 yrs? Ive tried plugging it into different outlets and it still will not make the green light stay on. I love this camera and really would like to know if its worth saving.
Duracell still sells the batteries for the Kodak Easyshare which i recently bought directly through their online store. So it doesn't appear to be the battery it was working fine up until a couple days ago.

A. Chargers can and do go bad over the years, but the more likely suspect would be the camera's battery. You'll have a tough time getting support for your 5-year old Kodak Easyshare, as Kodak got out of the digital camera business and went through bankruptcy.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/06/20/kodak-bankruptcy-nears-end/2442147/


In my humble opinion, it's time for a new camera, and from a more reliable brand such as Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony, Fujifilm, Samsung, etc. Avoid Kodak, Vivitar, and any camera you'd find in a blister pack hanging on a peg at Walmart.

Original Question

Am going to disneyland in 2 weeks . Am going the 21 of april of 2013 Will it rain ? What should i pack?

Q. I might get my period the 21 too -.-t. Its my first time goinq am so EXCITEEEEEDDDD!!!!!!

A. Well it is impossible to say whether it will rain at that time, the last time I was there around the end of April there were a few days with a bit of light rain, the best day was the one they actually predicted rain, there were beautiful sunny skies that day.

Late April is generally warm enough to dress reasonably light however there is always the possibility of light rain or slightly cooler than average temperatures. I always suggest bringing clothing that can be layered rather than of a specific weight at this time of year. For example light shirts or T Shirts with a sweater and light water proof shell is what my family takes when we go at this time of the year in addition to a light spring type jacket. If you are staying around Disneyland there is not a lot of requirement to dress up. I try to bring a dressy shirt and casual dress slacks just in case along with some decent looking but comfortable shoes. The important thing is to always bring comfortable walking shoes and wear clothes that you are comfortable in. You will do a lot of walking and standing while you are there so being comfortable is very important.

A couple of other suggestions. For pants I sometimes bring the ones with the zip off legs. That way if it warms up during the day it is easy to convert them to shorts. Make sure the pants you wear have deep pockets preferably ones with closures (zipper, snaps, buttons, velcro) on them (there are various cargo/travel pants available for both sexes). That way you can carry a wallet, etc in them safely with the pocket securely closed. Although Disneyland is safe enough there is always the possibility of pickpockets in the crowd. I would not suggest carrying a purse as having two free hands makes the park more enjoyable and you never have to worry about putting it down somewhere and "losing" or forgetting it. I have seen people with fanny packs but when we go we just prefer to carry what we need in our pockets. We even have a pocket sized digital camera.

Of course you need to bring personal items to meet your needs while you are there. Pack for this eventuality and leave most of them in your hotel room along with your other items. Just carry what you need with you. Another option is to rent a locker and use it as needed during the day. Just remember each time you open and close the locker it costs you money so try to limit this. We generally rent a locker, put anything required for later in the day in it then leave. If we do any souvenier shopping we drop our purchases off at the locker once we finish shopping. That way we can enjoy the various rides and attractions without worrying about packages. I generally try to set aside a certain time for shopping. This is especially handy if you more or less know what you want. I purchase, or try to, most of the items in one shopping trip. That way you can also drop all your purchases off at your hotel room then return to the park. Of course I still end up picking up small items however they either go in a locker or in my pockets (if they fit).

Original Question

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

How long before this camera is considered obsolete?

Q. My son is a high school senior. Next year he wants to go to community college and live at home (at least that is reasonably affordable) instead of going away to school. He wants to take an expensive major however. Video production. We have been able to save about $5,000 towards his education. We are not wealthy people. The rest will have to come from loans and maybe a grant or scholarship.
We are looking at some "entry level" pro cameras in the $1500-1800 range. That's about 1/3 of our savings for his education.
Models include these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518555-REG/Sony_HVRHD1000U_HVR_HD1000U_Digital_High_Definition.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/745707-REG/Sony_HXR_MC2000U_HXR_MC2000U_Shoulder_Mount_AVCHD.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/878341-REG/Panasonic_hmc40kit_AG_HMC40_AVCCAM_HD_Camcorder.html
and
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749467-REG/Canon_4922B002_XA10_HD_Professional_Camcorder.html

My concern is he starts September 2013 so these products may not even be available by then or others will be available. We hope he graduates May 2015. He tells us when he graduates he will maybe find a freelance job or shoot local cable news, build up some experience, maybe after 2 years go for a B.A. at least part time.
Is anything we buy him in 2013 (summer) going to be any use to him as a working professional in 2015 (summer)? So let's say you are a class of 2012 graduate with an AAS in video production. The camera you purchased in the summer of 2010 when you first started, do you still use it professionally? Can you make anything doing freelance news videos, PR videos or local account commercials with this equipment?
We're going to do everything we can to help him. No doubt he will still be living at home in the summer of 2015. By then he's going to have a student loan to pay off. We have a 2005 Hyundai Accent that we are going to give him for college. I hope that thing still runs when it is 10 years old and he isn't making car payments on top of that. The thing has 120,000 miles on it but runs really well. I just fear when he graduates he's going to be in deep debt and have limited employment. I may be wrong. What do you think? Thanks.

A. Hi "Upwardly Mobile":

Fellow Contributor "L" covered most of the bases quite well, but the only point he didn't underscore is that MOST good video & film production programs at community colleges HAVE the cameras, lights, mikes, tripods, and other gear that the students will learn on & use.

When I went to a local (but nationally prominent) university with a Broadcast/Film Dept., portable video was still fairly new, but all the film cameras, tripods, & light kits were supplied by the Department for students to "check out" as-needed for class projects.

And most video production students start out with Studio Production techniques (where it's easier for groups to learn 3-point lighting, camera setup & tripod/dolly operation, shot composition, audio techniques & mixing, etc.). No need for portable field gear there.

For field production & Electronic News Gathering, a good college will have a fair number of camcorders for students to use & check out (if needed for outside-of-class projects).

The same is true for Editing Software & computer workstations. Some college programs might be economizing and making students supply their own laptops for this, but all the major software companies offer Academic Editions of their normally-expensive edit suites at discounted prices. And of course, nowadays, apps like iMovie (Mac) and Movie Maker (PC) come "free" as part of the operating system and can accomplish what older (and expensive) software used to do, as far as basic editing.

As "L" mentioned, do a bit of "homework" yourself by contacting the community college's department head & instructors for your son's chosen major. Tour the facilities (studio and edit suites) and ask about the "equipment room" for student project gear. See what textbooks (a major expense) are required, and whether computer/laptop & software expense will be part of what's expected of your son. Only if there's little-or-no camcorder gear (or no hands-on studio cameras) would I recommend buying anything like the models from B+H that you listed.

Almost every cable TV & freelance video job I've had over the past 30 years has "supplied" (rented or company-owned) the cameras & grip gear I needed. I bring my own gear only when it's a "favor" or when what I have is better-suited to the task, or they want a "director with gear". My point being, your son doesn't need to own =any= camera gear to make a living freelancing. A good camera operator can stay busy in almost any part of the country, with just his/her skills. (Same for sound mixers & boom/wireless mike operators.)

hope this helps, and hope it saves you some money,
--Dennis C.
 

Original Question

Am going to disneyland in 2 weeks . Am going the 21 of april of 2013 Will it rain ? What should i pack?

Q. I might get my period the 21 too -.-t. Its my first time goinq am so EXCITEEEEEDDDD!!!!!!

A. Well it is impossible to say whether it will rain at that time, the last time I was there around the end of April there were a few days with a bit of light rain, the best day was the one they actually predicted rain, there were beautiful sunny skies that day.

Late April is generally warm enough to dress reasonably light however there is always the possibility of light rain or slightly cooler than average temperatures. I always suggest bringing clothing that can be layered rather than of a specific weight at this time of year. For example light shirts or T Shirts with a sweater and light water proof shell is what my family takes when we go at this time of the year in addition to a light spring type jacket. If you are staying around Disneyland there is not a lot of requirement to dress up. I try to bring a dressy shirt and casual dress slacks just in case along with some decent looking but comfortable shoes. The important thing is to always bring comfortable walking shoes and wear clothes that you are comfortable in. You will do a lot of walking and standing while you are there so being comfortable is very important.

A couple of other suggestions. For pants I sometimes bring the ones with the zip off legs. That way if it warms up during the day it is easy to convert them to shorts. Make sure the pants you wear have deep pockets preferably ones with closures (zipper, snaps, buttons, velcro) on them (there are various cargo/travel pants available for both sexes). That way you can carry a wallet, etc in them safely with the pocket securely closed. Although Disneyland is safe enough there is always the possibility of pickpockets in the crowd. I would not suggest carrying a purse as having two free hands makes the park more enjoyable and you never have to worry about putting it down somewhere and "losing" or forgetting it. I have seen people with fanny packs but when we go we just prefer to carry what we need in our pockets. We even have a pocket sized digital camera.

Of course you need to bring personal items to meet your needs while you are there. Pack for this eventuality and leave most of them in your hotel room along with your other items. Just carry what you need with you. Another option is to rent a locker and use it as needed during the day. Just remember each time you open and close the locker it costs you money so try to limit this. We generally rent a locker, put anything required for later in the day in it then leave. If we do any souvenier shopping we drop our purchases off at the locker once we finish shopping. That way we can enjoy the various rides and attractions without worrying about packages. I generally try to set aside a certain time for shopping. This is especially handy if you more or less know what you want. I purchase, or try to, most of the items in one shopping trip. That way you can also drop all your purchases off at your hotel room then return to the park. Of course I still end up picking up small items however they either go in a locker or in my pockets (if they fit).

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