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Someone was asking about equipment.
It was in reply to someone asking about shooting DVD medium quality
If you're looking to shoot DVD medium quality and don't have a very firm commitment on sales here's an option to try first before spend 1,000s on equipment.
Hire it. Look in Yellow Pages or in the SEs for companies that hire out professional video equipment, in YP it's under Video Services as I remember. Explain what you need the equipment for and they will give you first hand advice and the cost of hiring is a fraction of the buying price and you don't risk buying the wrong equipment.
Here's a list of what you need to be looking for in terms of equipment.
Pro cameras will include things like inter changeable lenses which is essential depending on the location and content. 2 x 3 pin sound sockets with adjustable levels, a proper white balance button, Zebra Stripes for lighting and time coding which is useful when editing. You need to decide if the content warrants two cameras or one.
Lighting again this depends on the content, quality and locations. The 2 options are a "Kino Flo" type system, which is daylight balances fluorescent lights set into a frame or the traditional tungsten based system. Kino Flo is a nightmare to control and direct for a truly quality product however easy to use. It's already diffused and the use of 2 or 3 will eliminate any shadows. Also they have the benefit of not getting hot which is a problem in the summer or small locations. Their great for small rooms. Useless in large unless you have a lot.
Tungsten are going to give you more control, easier with color gels and a better quality light. Their draw backs are the elimination of shadows, you need to diffuse the light and know what you're doing. They get hot so don't burn yourself. In small rooms shooting, during summer hard core it needs pro models, especially guys who can work under the heat.
For a truly good product an assistant to hold a light on the end of a boom to work as a "pussy light" is a benefit.
To get a good product good lighting is essential. You need to make sure the images are lit as you require to get a sharp image, eliminate shadows unless required and ensure against "Flair" which is reflected light bouncing back into the lens and giving a soft out of focus appearance. Depending on the location back lighting is again essential to separate the models from the wall behind. Set your light and experiment until you have it right.
Sound is important. 1 or 2 pro rifle mikes on stands or booms is what's needed. I have always had problems with the radio mikes and would recommend cable mikes attached to one camera. One mike goes over the action and the other, if you go for two, on the end of a boom to catch things like the sound of a vibrator or the sex. Have the main camera man use head phones so he can monitor the sound.
Stills. Are very important for a set of good box cover shots. Box covers sell DVDs. Or for tours.
Camera. I've always likes Canon or Nikon and not totally sure of the latest model and prices, being house bound for a year, a Canon D20 always did us proud.
Strobe lights are required for indoor stills and the location, style and quality will dictate how many you need. 3-4 lights on stands with either soft boxes or umbrellas is about right. Use a light meter to balance the lights to the required levels as a histogram is not going to give you enough information and not give you a reading for reflected light from different spots on the set.
Setting lights again varies according to the location and it's essential you get some back light, side light and high lights to get good box cover shots. Sadly the magazine market market is screwed which was always a good place to sell a set shot before the video. As far as makes are concerned I've always used Muliblitz. But they were was used for magazine shoots and in the days before digital we were often shooting 360 to 540 frames per set which would blow many lights or just take too long for the lights to recharge.
Can't think of anything else to add and the budget to buy this will be substantial. So as I said unless you have the market set up for sales hire it first.
To sell in the DVD market the distributors are looking for a theme that has not been done to death and models who are not on loads of other DVDs. Plus a level of quality of shooting and action they know will sell. Having the first 3 titles and able to show you will produce more is also essential. It's an extremely tough market to break into as established producers are already there before you.
To shoot content for a porn site, set your budget to what you can afford, get down to your nearest good amateur photography store and try the equipment out. When editing compression and sizes can determine the quality of the finished product as much as the equipment used. Most people I've met shooting for the net now are using good pro/am equipment. Also knowing how to light will help.
All the right equipment and knowledge of how to use it will not ensure a good product. I've seen BBC trained technicians go GAGA the moment the models show their boobs and the action suffered. The action is what will ultimately sell a product.
Sorry for the long winded reply but shooting medium quality DVD content is not as easy as giving you a shopping list of kit. And might end up in you buying the wrong equipment for you, so hire it in the beginning.
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