OT: Recommendations for new Camcorder?
skbrothers
Yeah right... ;-)
I'm considering replacing my old MiniDV camcorder with something
newer.
What do you AV (Pinheads) recommend on a budget around $400 +/-
I'm inclined to think that I should go with a "Flash Memory" Camcorder
vs a DVD based one.
I was considering a Sony HDR-CX100B ($449 at Best Buy) as it has
decent low light performance and anti shake.
Not really sure of what pitfalls await me with a "Flash Memory"
camcorder. Other than that I'm now gonna have to buy external hard
drives with SERIOUS memory capacity and/or go broke buying tons of
Flash memory cards.
My primary goal is to capture family moments in as high a resolution
as possible within my budget.
Our miniDV quality is meh....these days.
Anyone get a new camcorder that they absolutely LOVE...without paying
$700+ for it?
Steve
kirb
Try the flip cam or flip cam HD
http://www.theflip.com/en-us/
or the cam I want to get for the bike-
http://www.goprocamera.com/
Features are slim, but the prices are low.
pingeek
A couple things....whatever you buy, stay away from a dvd camcorder
for sure. A few years ago, I think it was a Sony mini dvd camcorder I
bought. Didn't work out at all and I returned it pretty quick. I had
used this camcorder at Hershey Gameroom Expo 2005 during setup time,
including some great footage of a Hercules pin, a snowstorm just
starting to come into town, etc. Fortunately I used my dv tape JVC
camcorder to tape the show itself, because when I got home, I found
that although the footage was on the disc, it wouldn't recognize it on
the PC with the camcorder software, and even my dvd authoring
software. I found out later you needed the newest PC out there for
this stuff for some reason.
I've looked up mini dvd camcorders in the past on Ebay, and they
always seem to be broken. Maybe they have improved, but I would never
use one again.
Regarding an external drive, I've had pretty good luck with a Western
Digital. Remember though, always back up your files on dvd, as drives
can fail.
Pingeek
http://www.pingeek.com
c...@provide.net
the TOP video team has invested in a used
Canon HV20 camera. It's uses tape, because
we need to archive to that medium. But it's
3chip color and switchable between HD and
regular, which again was something we needed.
Cost of the used camera was a bit more than
$450.
WestCoastSS
Craig Tiano
I was in the same position before Christmas, while looking for a
decent HD (had to be HD) camcorder for my wife. After finding out that
a decent HD camcorder was one that included a hard disk and cost
$800+, that the dvd burning cameras were problem prone, the sd-card
based ones had terrible/choppy/pixellated quality because they use a
small ccd sensor, and not wanting another tape-based unit, I ended up
buying her a digital camera instead. The Canon Elph I got is 12
megapixels, shoots HD video (limited to 10 minutes of straight record
time at once), has a 5x optical zoom, and a 4x digital zoom, touch
screen on the back, blink detection, anti-shake, face detection, touch
focus (point to the spot on the touch screen you want to be the main
focus!), and uses SDHC cards. A 16Gb card holds 90 minutes of HD
video. The camera is tiny, close to the size of my Motorola Razr cell
phone, and just as pocketable. She used it extensively over the
holidays, and it's one amazing piece of technology.
Craig
Max Badazz
Zi8. It was $150 on Amazon and came with a free extra battery. Takes
the regular memory cards (sold seperately) so I grabbed a 32GB (also
from Amazon). The picture quality is really good, you can get 1080p,
720p, 720p 60 frames/sec, and it takes stills (no flash, but good for
a quick still if needed). Like the other HD memory camcorders, not
many features, but I didn't want much. I chose Kodak over Sony and
Flip because:
- I have owned Sony camera since the original Mavica FD7 floppy, but
their HD camcorder had HORRIFIC indoor lower light quality (just like
its been for years). I wanted to like this camera so bad, but after
testing it, it was terrible
- The Flip has great quality (for the camera type), but had only
internal memory. Use up the internal, and thats it, you need to dump
it. So for vacation, you need to bring a laptop in case you use it
all up.
- the JVC and Samsung were not the best quality. Samsung was only at
1080 so it was a memory hog
- Kodak wasn't the very best quality (Sony was the best outside, Flip
was inside), but it was 2nd best for these. It had the expanded
memory (though 32GB is more than enough for a long vacation). It has
the longest digital zoom, but that is a bit choppy. None had optical
zoom, but having it was nice. There is an image stabilizer on it.
Works but not like the expensive cameras. It is nice to have, but
uses the battery up faster with it on. The 1080 makes the pictures
beautiful, but having the 720 at 60 frames/sec is great for fast
moving objects or while you are moving. I keep it at regular 720p 30
f/s for most filming.
Chris (in NH)
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/maxbadazz
JohnBuzzz
a bundle deal that came with a tripod that retails for $30, a camera
bag and also a mini 1 GB SD card.
The camera has a 60 GB hard drive that can hold 5 hrs of HD video or
25 hrs of standard def. You can also use the mini SD card slot.
I hadn't planned on getting a new camera but these were $800 new less
than a year ago. The retail price was $539 but it was marked down
because of the open box return.
It does record in CHD format so you may want to check if your computer
software is compatable with that.
So, I would say to head to your local electronics store and see if
they have any open box deals...