I know this has been a heavily discussed topic in one of my threads as well as a few others. I'm trying to decide on what I want/need to do. I will be filming 90-95% in the timber but the extra zoom on the G30 would be nice. Also, would the G20 be more than adequate in low light scenarios or is the G30 THAT much better? Either way, I think I'm going to buy a refurb from Canons website. Has anyone purchased a refurb from them? Was everything in good shape? Battery life? The G30 would be pushing my budget pretty hard but I would hate to get the G20 and be unsatisfied or it be an "inferior" camera. My logic is if I went with the 20, it would allow me to get my other accessories sooner. Thanks for the help guys! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My wife purchased a refurbished DSLR and has had zero defects with it at all. everything operates and functions just as a brand new camera would.
When it comes to low light capabilities of cameras I feel like it's a feature that's often dwelled upon more than is really necessary. If you look back through dozens of kills that we've filmed over the years the vast, vast majority of them happen with plenty of light for even the cheapest of cameras. Just think about the majority of deer you've killed in your life - was it really in the first or last few minutes of light of the day? Or was it an hour after the sun came up or an hour before it set? We as hunters always tell ourselves those first and last minutes are the "prime time" but in my experience I kill most of my deer well outside of those small windows. Not saying that low light situations can't happen because they certainly can, and do. However if you're filming for yourself and your own memories versus fulfilling a commitment to film for a show is there really any harm in shooting a deer that you can't get on film due to camera light failing? In order to make your decision I would ask yourself one question. Are you prepared to let a deer walk because you can't get it on film? If the answer is no, go with the G20. If the answer is yes, get the G30. It may only extend your light by a few minutes either way but it may be just enough to get the job done.
I think I have all but decided on the 20. It's going to shoot an amazing quality video. I think the 10x will be fine for most of my scenarios and the extra $240 between the refurbished models will almost buy me a Muddy Outfitter arm and a fluid head Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I own a G20 and it's great. About half of my guys that send me video use a G20. The other half use a G30. Footage from the G30 is better. The images are more crisp. The 20x zoom of the G30 is big. I know you're just bowhunting and your shots will be inside 40 yards, but there will be opportunities to video deer at 100 yards through the woods. It's nice to be able to zoom in tight to get a close look at a buck. The other thing is the G30 records at 60fps where the G20 is 30fps. That's nice if you want to do some slo-mo. The G30 has two mounting jacks on it (one mini shoe and one regular size). With two mounts, you can put your shotgun mic on and a wireless mic, or a light. I would go with the G30. It's worth the extra $240. FYI- I ordered a refurbished G30 from Canon last week. I should get it tomorrow. I can let you know the condition when I get it if you want to know.
I have a refurbished 30 coming as well. I agree with Justin about not shooting deer at last light, every buck I have shot has been at about 1:00 pm Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This is the kind of information I've been looking for. Thank for you for your time and definitely let me know how the refurbished camera looks.
I am really happy with my G30, it is the first decent camera I have bought to film with and have no complaints, go with the 30!
I'm just having a hard time justifying the 30 for MY needs. I'm not filming for a show right now and the extra difference between the two buying refurbished would buy a lot of gear. We will see what I can save and come up with as far as funds go. If I can get the funds together to get the 30 I will. The ONLY reason I'm interested in upgrading is for the extra optical zoom. The extra low light is a non factor. We will see what I can manage to get! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You are right MnMoose, I am going with the G30. I went to my honey hole spot the other day and it is so thick and shaded that even in the middle of the day the light is very low. One of my target bucks visit this area a lot right at last light. When the chance presents itself for me to take him, I want it on video and I don't want a low light situation to cause me to have to pass. I also have a buck I call PitchFork (Potential State Record) that only shows up very early or very late maybe 2 days a year. When he shows up, I definitely want that on cam. This is the first buck I mentioned. This is PitchFork!
