What video camera should I get?

Humble recomendation...

Why do you want to use tape when technology is moving in another direction ?
go tapeless if you can

best wishes
jx

A camera like Panasonic HVX200 with option to record P2 cards or the FS100 Firestore or straight to a Harddrive
no tape inolved just clean digital files. (With this camera you can also record onto tapes in DV25)

http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/hvx200microsite/index.asp

but... of course a bit more expensive than your planned budget.

If you are going into business then I will recomend the investement... otherwise I agree with my fellows in this thread and go with the DVX100B

just explore the full range of possibilities

Best wishes...

Jx

The DVX200 is a really good camera, but you are blowing your budget.
The DVX100b is a really good camera, but it's standard def.
For a little extra cash you could jump into HD with the Canon XHA1, and still have money
for a light kit and a tripod and head.
Why would you buy a standard def camera when everything is going HD?
Besides... you could do SD on the XHA1 if you needed to, and you could tether a firestore to it when you're comfortable.
The XHA1 gives you versitility and quality at a good price. If you have a client that wants HD you could sell it, if you've got a client that wants SD you could sell it. One camera making two clients happy...nice.
I've got both cameras... the DVX100b and the XHA1.
Research your options, really do your homework... you're the one who has to live with it.

And forgive my naivety, but what is a head?

It's a tripod panhead. In the loftier realms of video/film production, tripods and heads are sold seperately as there are sticks made for different purposes and panheads built for different weights and functions. Lately, manufacturers have been pairing legs and heads in kits so those who've dealt with nothing but "prosumer" (how i hate that word) products have no idea how esoteric and deep the selection of camera support can go.

Look what you've done. How many respondants and how many opinions? Figure out your budget, your workflow, rent some cameras and make the decision for yourself.

Good luck.

lol. 11th? is that a good or bad thing?

Hmm. what is a good price to get the xhA1 at?

As many on this thread have suggested, the PANASONIC HVX-200 would be the way to go.

I just purchased one 2 weeks ago wth a P2 16GB card.

It depends what your need (what you wanna do) really.

I wanted the ability to use native 720P and 1080P with a 4:2:2 colour space DVCPRO50 and DVCPROHD (100Mbs) .... something that HDV doesn't give me.

I am selling my 16month old SONY HVR-Z1P for this very reason. A good camera btw, but I bought it against the advice of many who told me in the first place to get the Panny HVX-200.

If you shop around you can get the HVX-200 sub $USD5000 but the P2 cards will cost you some more. Again you can shop around for those easily as people upgrade to the 32GB P2 cards now..

The HVX-200 is not a "run and gun" camera. It has many settings that require matering and there us plenty of great resources to do this.

If you go the MORE compressed route and there are some good reasons for this, don't expect too much in the way of post production.. even the newer HDV based 1080P.

You need to look for your own needs.

fwiw

w

Actually the Sony HDW-F900R HD CineAlta is the way to go, but like the HVX-200 it's out of your price range.
But this conversation is only going to get more and more rediculous.
Do your own research, your the one who knows what you need.