Whats The red camcorder all about>>?

It is totally modular and costs a lot less than other cameras with the same features. If you don't know the lingo, you may want to take a few classes in film making before you spend a dime on a camera. You seem to want to produce short films and documentaries without any formal education. GOOD LUCK! Here, take a look at the modular Red One and a similar Panasonic. http://www.red.com/ http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=116556&catGroupId=34401&surfModel=AJ-HPX3000 Portability is perhaps the most important part of a camera used in documentary films. Back in the day, I used a 16 mm Eclair ACL with Angenieux 15-150/2.8 10x zoom and fisheye (I shot a lot under the end of a ski jump). Most of the production companies lease or rent all the camera gear they use, since in this digital age, cameras fall behind in technology quickly and unless the camera is burning film (tape or hard drive space now), it is an liability, not an asset. My old Eclair had all its technology in the film so I could use it for decades. Now a digital HD video camera is nearly obsolete in just a few years. What sets the Red One apart is all you have to do is change the sensor and you are back to being state of the art.

As discussed the sensor and adaptability is what sets the red apart. If you want to make documentarys then the best thing is to hire in a camera as required rather than buying one, if you have a commission then that should be part of your budget. Another way to get very good results with control over depth of field would be to use a Canon EOS 7D, but record synched audio seperately. This will give a look similar to the red but for less cost.