Cheap Camera to simulate CCTV and webcam

[Gabor D.]

Hey,
For my feature film I intend to use lots of footage from webcams, surveillance cameras etc... So I need a really cheap solution to record these footages. First I thought of buying a GoPro camera, but I realized that for this purpose maybe a cheap consumer FullHD Sony CX220 is good enough (http://store.sony.com/p/Sony-Handycam-Full-HD-Camcorder/en/p/HDRCX220/L).

What you think? I would use this camera to record (storywise) several kind of camera images, like webcams, CCTV, etc.. Later I could manipulate its image slightly in post to differentiate between the different cameras it represents.

I have an old Sony MiniDV camera also, but I think its better to go for a FullHD picture these days...

Thanks

 

[Christopher Mills]

how about some super cheap wide angle and telephoto adapters in front of your existing lenses.. this would spare you cross conversion issues

the ones originally built to thread into vhs camcorders may fit your lenses..
and for other lenses, I bet ebay would have some of them..

 

[Gabor D.]

Yes, I thought of something like that, but I want it to have a bigger difference between the two qualities and styles....

 

[Jason Comparetto]

I would still go with a bunch of GoPro if it were me. You can always push-in post to make it look like different cameras with different lenses. Maybe you can put a filter over the go pro on different cameras and that will give many different looks. it would be cool if you could get an infrared-look on different cameras. the filters in modern programs can easily make footage look like crappy CCTV

It might save you time in post because you won't have to import so many different types of footage from different cameras. headaches galore

After the shoots done, you can turn around and sell the GoPro and not lose too much $. on some of those other cameras, i'm not sure how easily it is to sell them and if you buy them used, there may be other issues.

 

[Ethan Knight]

also if you check out the movie 'look' they used 1080 cameras and with a relative simple post work in AE were able to achieve the CCTV look.

 

[Gabor D.]

also if you check out the movie 'look' they used 1080 cameras and with a relative simple post work in AE were able to achieve the CCTV look.

? What film do you refer to?

 

[Gabor D.]

I would still go with a bunch of GoPro if it were me. You can always push-in post to make it look like different cameras with different lenses. Maybe you can put a filter over the go pro on different cameras and that will give many different looks. it would be cool if you could get an infrared-look on different cameras. the filters in modern programs can easily make footage look like crappy CCTV

It might save you time in post because you won't have to import so many different types of footage from different cameras. headaches galore

After the shoots done, you can turn around and sell the GoPro and not lose too much $. on some of those other cameras, i'm not sure how easily it is to sell them and if you buy them used, there may be other issues.

Well, I would, but cost is a factor...

Why would be easier to work with GoPro files than, lets say files from a Sony FullHD camcorder?

 

[Björn Benckert]

Gopro Hiro3 with the log firmware plugin. Then you got the wide angle and superb picture that you later can downgrade in post. Better than getting the real deal and then realize in edit that the picture holds to poor quality or such. The gopro's does not cost much so you could by a few and have multiple camera angles and such. Nice to have the shots of the surveillance screen with splitscreen with a few camera angles in perfect sync and such.

 

[Patrick Grossien]

I'd get at least the GoPro Hero3 Silver edition.

With it you have 3 different FOV choices @ 1920 which can be used for creating the look of totally different cameras with one single camera body.
Also it's easier to mount in the typical high up corner spots which for me is reason enough to choose gopro over a standard handheld HD cam. Think about the time you save setting these up.
The new editions have wifi built in so you can easily monitor and trigger these from a smartphone, tablet or probably an iPod touch, which really makes for ease of use.

For me it's a now brainer.

EDIT: and +1 on Björn's log information. GoPro calls it "protune"