Hi--

I had a chance to review your website on Mini DV's. It was very helpful, THANK YOU.

If possible, can I ask you a question

I would like to rent the very best of the Mini DV cameras, however, my expertise is limited in their operation.

The reason, I would like to rent the best camera, is that I want to do a video for my business and promotional purposes. I don't have the money to hire a camera man, however the subjects I want to photograph for most part are outdoors / nature / animals /a fields etc..

Therefore a camera that is suited to this type of filming

I am looking for a camera that is easy to operate from a novice point of view and yet will produce a picture that will be of the highest standard. I will have the video edited professionally.

What would you recommend?

Your assistance would be greatly apprecaited.

Warmest regards,

Julie

This is my response to a question on the NGs about

the best under-$4000 camera

"You may find these sites useful

http//www4.big.or.jp/~a_haru/index.html

http//www4.big.or.jp/~a_haru/exknow2002au

www.bealecorner.com

www.adamwilt.com

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/vid_pict_characts.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/sony_dcr-vx2000.htm

Bottom line I would look at the Sony VX2000/PD150,

Panasonic AG-DVX100, JVC DV-GY300, and Canon GL2.

All are below $4k and good cameras, with slightly

varying features and controls. Unlike with the last

generation of top-end consumer cameras, these are

more alike in image/sound quality than different,

and any of these four should serve well..."

Differences that may be important to you the GL2

has the longest lens; the DVX100 has the widest

lens; the DVX has the most neutral color (but the

color of the others may be more attractive); the

VX2000 has excellent automatic controls, which can

be biased to taste (I would not go too far from

"centers" without experience, but sharpening one

"notch", underexposing one "notch", and shifting the

hue up one "notch" towards red for outdoors work

gives excellent results - see

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/sony_dcr-vx2000.htm); the VX2000 has

an excellent omni stereo mic for ambience, and it

can be fitted with the Radio Shack windscreen for

use in moderate winds without noise (see

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/VX2000_odds.htm); the prices for

these new varies from about $2200 to about $3300,

so the rentals may vary too... Ask if one tape

brand is recommended over another for the particular

camera you are renting - tape brands should not be

mixed in a particular camera (avoid the high-end

Panasonic white-case/blue-cover tape particularly...).

And, I would consider editing yourself (new computers

come almost "ready to roll" for video editing these

days), and you may save enough to buy the camera.

We used to design and build computers, but I just

bought one "ready-made" for $700 at an Aldi grocery

store that is excellent (just needs another hard drive

added), and it comes with FireWire connection and a

basic video editor...