Need inexpensive camera recommendation for filming dogs in action

[Redford1900]

My old Canon HV20 broke and the repair shop wants $300 to fix it. I'm looking into getting an inexpensive camera. I read another recent thread on inexpensive cameras and the Canon T5i seems pretty good, but I thought I would ask you.

I mostly film outside, but I do inside as well. I move the camera a lot as I'm keeping it on dogs in motion and I have to zoom in and out a lot. It needs to be durable as dogs knock into it frequently. I need HD and I'm hoping to get one in which I can get sufficient fps to do some slow motion videos. I'm hoping to expand into doing some interviews with people so I would like a decent mic.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[BecomeAPrime]

Dogs in action you want a Canon 70D/80D that will autofocus track them, not cheap but its what you should be using for that kind of project. If you feel like manual/back button focusing the t5i will do what you need.

 

[Munchito696]

My old Canon HV20 broke and the repair shop wants $300 to fix it. I'm looking into getting an inexpensive camera. I read another recent thread on inexpensive cameras and the Canon T5i seems pretty good, but I thought I would ask you.

I mostly film outside, but I do inside as well. I move the camera a lot as I'm keeping it on dogs in motion and I have to zoom in and out a lot. It needs to be durable as dogs knock into it frequently. I need HD and I'm hoping to get one in which I can get sufficient fps to do some slow motion videos. I'm hoping to expand into doing some interviews with people so I would like a decent mic.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

As always I recommend GoPro, but if you need zoom then that is not the camera for you. The mic is not the greatest on GoPros either.

 

[Redford1900]

Dogs in action you want a Canon 70D/80D that will autofocus track them, not cheap but its what you should be using for that kind of project. If you feel like manual/back button focusing the t5i will do what you need.

As always I recommend GoPro, but if you need zoom then that is not the camera for you. The mic is not the greatest on GoPros either.

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it.

The Canon 70D sounds good but I can't afford it and I doubt the shelter would pay that much for a camera if I ask. I was trying to figure out what back button focusing meant. I thought it sounded automatic, but maybe not? With my Canon HV20 it was really easy. I just tried to keep the dog in the frame and it was always in focus. Do you think the t5i would work that way?

Thanks for the GoPro recommendation. I really need to be able to zoom in and out. It's pretty tricky keeping the crazy dogs in frame sometimes so I'm constantly zooming in and out. Even the shy, calm dogs, I have to zoom in because they don't want me to get too close.

My hesitation on just fixing the HV20 is that it uses tape and the mechanics involved in turning the tape broke. I'm afraid it will just happen again as I put a lot of wear and tear into the camera each week. Not having to play the whole tape each time to upload would be nice as well. Other than that, I liked the feel of the HV20 and I liked the way the film looks.

 

[Freshly Finished]

Gopro is great, not very cheep tho (considering your stick with just the gopro lease) also are you looking to want to film in slow motion? or just normal speed?

 

[BecomeAPrime]

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it.

The Canon 70D sounds good but I can't afford it and I doubt the shelter would pay that much for a camera if I ask. I was trying to figure out what back button focusing meant. I thought it sounded automatic, but maybe not? With my Canon HV20 it was really easy. I just tried to keep the dog in the frame and it was always in focus. Do you think the t5i would work that way?

Thanks for the GoPro recommendation. I really need to be able to zoom in and out. It's pretty tricky keeping the crazy dogs in frame sometimes so I'm constantly zooming in and out. Even the shy, calm dogs, I have to zoom in because they don't want me to get too close.

My hesitation on just fixing the HV20 is that it uses tape and the mechanics involved in turning the tape broke. I'm afraid it will just happen again as I put a lot of wear and tear into the camera each week. Not having to play the whole tape each time to upload would be nice as well. Other than that, I liked the feel of the HV20 and I liked the way the film looks.

Canon DSLRs do not feature video autofocus beside the 70D/80D. You want a point and shoot for that if you can't afford either of those two. Back button focusing is where any time your target moves you need to hit the AF button on the back of the camera to refocus, the camera will not continuously do it on its own.