Camcorder reviews

[rivan]

Is there a site that's as reputable and thorough on camcorders as Steve's is on still cameras?

I'm looking at buying a new camcorder after reading the "new HD camcorder" thread on the front page, and I'm one of those freaks that likes to overanalyze purchases like this.

Update Bought a Canon Vixia 100. Tiny, light, good focus, a little weak on the zoom reach (my old camera was 22x, this one's 12x), nice quality video (so far). Overall, I'm already happy - just need to steady my hands a bit

What do you guys suggest to edit/convert the AVCHD video? I don't have anything currently - free/inexpensive to purchase would be good but I might be able to grab a copy of Vegas or Premiere from work if there's no good budget solutions.

 

[Kaido]

CamcorderInfo.com is about as close as it gets:

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

CNET has some good reviews and quick access to information:

http://reviews.cnet.com/camcorders/

 

[Kaido]

What are you looking for in a camcorder? My default recommend is either the Canon HV20/HV30 or the HF100. The HF100 is great if you want "simple", by that I mean digital recordings (records to an SD card, which makes things really easy - no waiting for MiniDV tapes to transfer onto your computer). The HV20/HV30 is great if you want top quality (HDV to MiniDV tape). I have an HV20; the HV30 mainly adds 30p recording. Both the HF100 and HVx0 camcorders are expandable, so if you really want to get into digital video you can add 35mm adapters, microphones, tripods, etc. Here's some clips of an HV20 with a 35mm adapter (the Brevis from Cinevate):

http://vimeo.com/789820

So, if you want simple and easy, get the HF100 (digital recording). If you want top picture quality, get the HV20 or HV30. There are a lot of other cameras out there, but I love the picture quality of the Canons the best. I've done very intensive research and played with and owned a number of camcorders before settling down on the HV20 as part of my permanent collection. The last HD camcorder I had was the Sony HC7; it offers an excellent slow-motion feature as well as night vision, but the picture quality just didn't stack up to me against the HV20. Plus the HV20 has 24p recording, film-style, which I really, really like.

Feel free to ask any questions

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: Kaido
What are you looking for in a camcorder?
<snip>
Feel free to ask any questions

I'm after something near or below about $500 (though I'm eyeing the ~$630+accessories Canon HF100), and I want/need simplicity. I've got a ZR90 now but rarely use it because of the hassle in getting video from the tapes. I'm not impressed with the quality but I'm well aware I didn't buy a GL1.

The camera's going to be strictly for home/kids movies; - portability is high on the list of reqs. HD isn't required, but it wouldn't hurt (though I know that's tough at the price point). I'm not at all concerned with still performance.

Edit:

Also - any thoughts on a reasonable price for a ZR90 with perhaps 10 hours of recording on it, via CL or FS/FT here? A bag, extended battery, charger and tapes included.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: rivan

Originally posted by: Kaido
What are you looking for in a camcorder?
<snip>
Feel free to ask any questions

I'm after something near or below about $500 (though I'm eyeing the ~$630+accessories Canon HF100), and I want/need simplicity. I've got a ZR90 now but rarely use it because of the hassle in getting video from the tapes. I'm not impressed with the quality but I'm well aware I didn't buy a GL1.

The camera's going to be strictly for home/kids movies; - portability is high on the list of reqs. HD isn't required, but it wouldn't hurt (though I know that's tough at the price point). I'm not at all concerned with still performance.

I would definitely recommend the Canon HF100 in that case. It's extremely tiny and captures to an SD card, so copying clips to your computer is as easy as a digital camera. Very, very, very high quality captures. Just look at some sample clips on Vimeo, it looks like TV:

http://vimeo.com/1096141

http://vimeo.com/1092954

http://vimeo.com/1025258

http://vimeo.com/1137889

Just think - your kids...in a High Definition

Are you a Windows guy or a Mac guy?

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: Kaido
I would definitely recommend the Canon HF100 in that case. It's extremely tiny and captures to an SD card, so copying clips to your computer is as easy as a digital camera. Very, very, very high quality captures. Just look at some sample clips on Vimeo, it looks like TV:

http://vimeo.com/1096141

http://vimeo.com/1092954

http://vimeo.com/1025258

http://vimeo.com/1137889

Just think - your kids...in a High Definition

Are you a Windows guy or a Mac guy?

Those clips are nice - couple comments/questions:

?The zoom looks abrupt in some of those clips - is there any softening/adjusting that?
?The color saturation/contrast seems heavy on some of those too - I assume the "film" mode will soften that too?
?The slow-mo on clip 3 = awesome.
?I'm both Windows & Mac - PC at home and Mac at work.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: rivan

Originally posted by: Kaido
I would definitely recommend the Canon HF100 in that case. It's extremely tiny and captures to an SD card, so copying clips to your computer is as easy as a digital camera. Very, very, very high quality captures. Just look at some sample clips on Vimeo, it looks like TV:

http://vimeo.com/1096141

http://vimeo.com/1092954

http://vimeo.com/1025258

http://vimeo.com/1137889

Just think - your kids...in a High Definition

Are you a Windows guy or a Mac guy?

Those clips are nice - couple comments/questions:

?The zoom looks abrupt in some of those clips - is there any softening/adjusting that?
?The color saturation/contrast seems heavy on some of those too - I assume the "film" mode will soften that too?
?The slow-mo on clip 3 = awesome.
?I'm both Windows & Mac - PC at home and Mac at work.

If you read some of the notes and comments, many of those clips are color-corrected. The slow-mo is actually done in post. You can play with the white balance, get the image you want, and then color-correct however you want (iMovie 08 has a nice, basic color correction system that is really easy to use and fast). The zoom is just a function of your finger - it just takes practice. I've been using my HV20 for about 6 months or so and I'm pretty good at controlling the zoom now.

 

[rivan]

Just pulled the trigger at B&H on the HF100, two 8G cards and a bag.

If it ships today, it should be here on Thursday. Wee.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: rivan
Just pulled the trigger at B&H on the HF100, two 8G cards and a bag.

If it ships today, it should be here on Thursday. Wee.

Two 8GB? Did you get Class 6 ones?

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: rivan
Just pulled the trigger at B&H on the HF100, two 8G cards and a bag.

If it ships today, it should be here on Thursday. Wee.

Two 8GB? Did you get Class 6 ones?

Aye, the B&H bundled Kingston ones (two 8GB for ~$60).

I don't expect to shoot a full hour in a single clip and would need an extended battery to fill a 16GB. On the same note, I prefer two cards to one - can unload one while filling the other.

 

[rivan]

Full update in OP. Got a Canon HF100.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: rivan
Edit?

For the cheap, Sony Vegas Movie or Pinnacle Studio Plus. I think Ulead's editor does AVCHD too.

This may help sway you... if you have a nVidia GPU, lean towards Vegas. If you have an ATI/AMD GPU, lean towards Studio. Pinnacle's GPU acceleration works better with ATI/AMD and DirectX (and there are issues in some of the Liquid engine with how nVidia does not handle DirectX). Vegas goes to OpenGL.