Suggestions for digital pocket cam???

[Patrick J. & Edie A. Roach]

Interested in getting a family digital cam in the +/- 1K range.

Have been involved with video for some time but must admit the selection
now available is overwhelming.

Have 3 chip mini-dv cams for production and have used a sony hi8 701 for
family for years so there is a good amount of legacy material. I could
sell the 701 and go dig8 or go m-dv and keep the 701, can't imagine the
resale value being a big determinate.

want the unit for family time, hiking, etc... the elura, jvc u's, sony
pc?? are the types I'm intriqued by. The dig8 format seems to offer a
nice path but are much larger.

please post impressions, concerns, regrets.... directly to me also if
possible, but sure others are interested.

any sites with comparisons ???

pjr

[Spittle]

I'm interested in the same, but can get no response from the group. I
can't find a FAQ either.
I'm sort of leaning towards the Sony DCR-TRV510 (I like the 4 inch
LCD), but I really like the extra small size of the JVC GR-DVM50. I'm
tired of hiking around with a full size video camera! I hear the battery
only lasts 30 minutes tho.

[Armando Toledo]

I'm having a lot of fun with my JVC GR-DVM70. You can literally put it in your
pocket when you are not using. Very easy to carry.

[Neuman - Ruether]

Maybe not with the particular camcorders you are interested
in, but on my web site under "I babble" (nearly the last
entry...) is a comparison of several Mini-DV camcorders I
have used. (BTW, I haven't decided yet, but I may have a
3-chip Panasonic EZ30U to sell - somewhat above your budget,
but it may be worth it, and it is very small and light.)
If you are looking for a tiny Mini-DV camcorder, the Sony
PC-1 is that, with good image and sound quality (beware
of the many Mini-DV camcorders that pick up whine in the
audio from the mechanics - it can be all too audible!).
David Ruether
rp...@cornell.edu
http://www.ferrario.com/ruether

[Jeff]

Armand,
How much recording time do you get with the standard battery?

[Armando Toledo]

Jeff, no clue. I use my camera mainly for "family" recording. I have the
original battery plus an extra one (I think that the original one is for
one hour and the extra for two hours). The only bad think regarding the
extra battery (from JVC) is that it is not thin (probably one inch
more...). For my use, those two batteries provide more than enough
recording time.

[Charlie Diaz]

I helped a friend research this and came up with the
Sony TRV-8 over the Elura because of the need for the
docking station to use an external mic.
The Sony has Nightshot as well.

[bill parducci]

> Maybe not with the particular camcorders you are interested
> in, but on my web site under "I babble" (nearly the last
> entry...) is a comparison of several Mini-DV camcorders I
> have used. (BTW, I haven't decided yet, but I may have a
> 3-chip Panasonic EZ30U to sell - somewhat above your budget,
> but it may be worth it, and it is very small and light.)
> If you are looking for a tiny Mini-DV camcorder, the Sony
> PC-1 is that, with good image and sound quality (beware
> of the many Mini-DV camcorders that pick up whine in the
> audio from the mechanics - it can be all too audible!).
> David Ruether
> rp...@cornell.edu
> http://www.ferrario.com/ruether

any intersting read, thanks. i too am struggling with the trade off between size
and quality. from what i have read there is no doubt that 3 chip units provide
higher video quality, but the size of cameras like the pc-1 are so inviting!

i started out looking at the trv900, but now am leaning towards the pc-1 because
i will be more likely to carry it. picture quality/balance/etc are great IF you
take the shot! i have noticed that my -- now dead thanks to my 2 year old son --
tr-600 has had a lot more closet time than i had hoped it would when i bought
it.

b
bi...@parducci.net

[Neuman - Ruether]

The color balance of both the TRV-900 and PC-1 is slightly
too blue-magenta, but pleasant. In good light, you may not
see a lot of difference in the images much of the time
(the PC-1 image is about as sharp-looking, except with
fine texture, but it shows more aliasing effects with
near-parallel lines in the subject). In bright interior
light, the gain noise of the PC-1 begins to show, and it
becomes pronounced in low light (the TRV-900 will look
better here, but if you turn off the stabilizer of the PC-1,
the shutter speed drops to 1/60th second, giving a smoother
picture more like that of the TRV-900). The image quality
of the PC-1 is noticeably better than most Hi-8 in medium
to high light levels, and not all that different from that
of the 3-chip TRV-900 under ideal conditions. Not bad for a
one-chip camcorder not much larger than the mini-cassette
it records on! ;-) (Still, the TRV-900 is "only" 25% more
expensive, and the picture is better under difficult
conditions...;-)