New to cameras - help!

[fm107]

Hi Guys!

I'm new to cameras but wish to purchase one to get decent videos of badminton matches at my local club. Badminton is a quick moving racket sport where the shuttle can travel at speeds of 332km/hr (206mph). I plan to mount the camera on a tripod stand and let it record away.

I'm looking at 2 different cameras but want one that can film without blurring - good image quality basically.

The 2 cameras are:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Here is what a comparison website syas: http://snapsort.com/compare/Panasoni...Panasonic-TZ30

Please give reasons for your answers and try to dumb them down a bit for a novice to understand. Thanks so much for your help, I look forward to hearing from anyone willing to spare me some time.

Thanks!

 

[Boss_BlueAngels]

If you're goal is to record video, get a video camera. DSLRs can only try to do what a dedicated video camera does naturally, such as better image stabilization, which would be needed if you're panning, as well as as well as automatic focusing. Canon, Sony, and Panasonic all make great consumer level camcorders that are affordable.

 

[fm107]

Thanks for the reply.

I only looking to spend a couple of hundred and I need one with a 24mm wide angle lens. I think only a camera fits my price bracket. Does that sound right to you?


Thanks again.

 

[contango]

Hi Guys!

I'm new to cameras but wish to purchase one to get decent videos of badminton matches at my local club. Badminton is a quick moving racket sport where the shuttle can travel at speeds of 332km/hr (206mph). I plan to mount the camera on a tripod stand and let it record away.

I'm looking at 2 different cameras but want one that can film without blurring - good image quality basically.

The 2 cameras are:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Here is what a comparison website syas: http://snapsort.com/compare/Panasoni...Panasonic-TZ30

Please give reasons for your answers and try to dumb them down a bit for a novice to understand. Thanks so much for your help, I look forward to hearing from anyone willing to spare me some time.

Thanks!

One issue you're going to have to contend with is the speed of the shuttlecock.

206mph = approx 300 ft/sec

If a shuttlecock is going 300 ft/sec then at 1/2000 shutter speed it will go 300/2000 = 1.8". At 1/8000s it will go about half an inch. With such fast shutter speeds you'll need a decent light source, namely a flash powerful enough to light the scene from whatever range you are shooting that also won't interfere with the players' vision. For good measure you'll need a fairly small aperture if you want the full depth of the court to be in focus so the power from the flashgun you'll need is going to be pretty heavy. Setting the camera to manual focus and setting the focus how you need it will avoid any issues with it struggling to autofocus on a fast moving object.

You're probably better off going with an HD video recorder and taking stills from that.

ETA: Just realised you want videos and have a low budget. Whatever you do at that kind of price point is likely to struggle with small things moving very fast. I was going to say a Canon EOS-5D Mk III might give you the still and HD video capability you're wanting but if you've only got £200 you're not even close to 5D3 money.