What is the best camcorder for making short films?

Is the Sony HVRA1U a good camcorder to be film making with? (short films ect)?

• I am upgrading from an HD SLR to a more professional HVR camera. My budget is no more than 2500. I have looking at the sony HVRHD1000U, Panasonic AG-HMC40PJ and the sony HVRA1U and other camcorder similar. I was wondering what the differences were in them and how each one will help give me a more tactical approach in filmmaking. HELP! Justin.

• Answer:

  The Sonys you list are very similar - but look very different. The *biggest* visual differences are generally caused by the lens and imaging chip used by the camcorder. In the case of the HVR-A1 and HVR-HD1000U, they have the same sized lens filter diameter and imaging chip. The difference is that the HD1000U is a shoulder-mount while the A1 is a handheld. There will be audio differences - the A1 comes with an XLR adapter - but you can add an XLR adapter to the HD1000U with something from juicedLink (CX231) or BeachTek. The two biggest differences I see are that the A1 has a built-in infrared emitter for monochrome, zero visible light, night vision capabilities that the HD1000 does not have and the A1 can deal with a couple of different types of video file formats that the HD1000 cannot deal with (specifically, Sony's DVCAM standard def format). Both can deal with standard defintion DV and high defintion HDV format video recorded to mini DV tape. I have the Sony HDR-HC1 which is the consumer grade sibling to the A1. In either case, your computer *must* have a firewire port to import the video on the miniDV tape. You must also have a video editor that can deal with HDV format video. The Panny AG-HMC40 is a fine camcorder - for an AVCHD compressing system. Using SD type memory cards rather than the P2 cards used by the AG-HVX200 was a great idea. But the HVX200 records to low compression DVCPro HD... The HM40 has a larger lens filter diameter than the two Sonys (above) and larger 3CMOS imaging chip array than the two Sonys above - I would expect it to be a lot better under low-light. The HM40 will also need an XLR adapter (like the mentioned units from juicedLink or BeachTek). Because the best quality on the HM40 has a data-rate of 21 mbps, this *could* be noticeable when compared with the video quality of 25 mbps that is standard for DV/HDV. In this case, the digital tape technology wins - and it will be obvious if there is any fast motion. I *think* the short list becomes the HVR-A1 or the Panasonic AG-HMC40... The Sony HVR-A1 has a LANC port - and the Panny HM40 has a proprietary wired remote port that provides similar functions. Both have a headphone port. I like the 24p native capability of the Panny - but I like the option of being able to record in zero visible light with the A1. I much prefer the low-cost archive capability of the A1... with the flash memory based HM40, what are your plans for archiving and saving all the video? Have a few terabyte drives sitting around? Frankly, I would not use eiher as a primary camcordr. I like the Sony HDR-FX1000 or Canon XHA1 for that - but as a secondary comcorder, I guess I would take the HVR-A1.