I know that in hit movies that camera are provided by Panavision, which are huge cameras full of technology. Now I know that the average Mini-DV camera isn't the best think to make a TV show with but I was curious into what sort of cameras are used in TV Shows like The IT Crowd, It's Me Or The Dog, Bottom or Supernanny. You know, that sort of thing.
Does anyone know what sort of cameras are used for those kind of programmes? Thanks
TV nowadays use Digital Video cameras mainly. Like Mini-DV you mentioned. That is a digital format. Most TV programmes these days use a format called DigiBeta, which is a follow on from the format Betacam which a lot of TV programmes used in the old days.
Film (which is an analogue format) is still sometimes used on more expensive TV programmes. It provides a much better quality picture generally.
The programmes you mentioned most likely were shot on the DigiBeta format. Bottom probably on Betacam.
There are other digital video formats which are used on television. Mini-DV is used by small tv companies, like perhaps local TV. Other slightly better formats like DVCAM and DVCPro are also used on higher budget local TV stations and shows that don't have as high a budget as mainstream BBC/ITV who use DigiBeta.
Of course the format alone doesn't make the picture quality brilliant. Apart from lighting and all that, camera wise the lens and processor on the camera makes a hell of a difference. Mainstream films have been filmed on Mini-DV, the same format that £200 consumer cameras use. The Canon XL1 for example, a camera which uses the same mini-DV format that £200 cameras use was used to film "28 Days Later" It was the lens used and the processing power of the camera which made the picture look good. So it's not just the format.
I hope that makes some sense. Wikipedia should have some more info on such things, just type the format names into it. Loads of info.