Good compact Camcorder for baby video

[Turin39789]

Our baby is turning a month old tomorrow and my wife has been dropping hints about gettnig a video camera to try and grab some short videos when she gets to the walking, crawling, or just laying there stage.

I'm thinking something ala flip might be the best choice, but I could see spending up to around $250 if a more robust camera makes sense. I don't have much experience converting video for the web, but imagine I can figure it out for email/facebook or even starting a small family site.

Where do I get started?

Thanks

 

[Kaido]

$125 Kodak Playsport: Waterproof/drop-proof/dust-proof (also available in purple or blue I think)
http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-PlaySpor...dp/B0030MITDK/

$35 X-Grip: Top handle for low shots of baby crawling
http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Profess...dp/B003PBB4ME/

$28 16GB Memory Card with USB reader: Stores lots of videos/photos (don't buy off this link...do a search o Amazon for "16gb Transcend" and it will pop up at $28)
http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Clas...dp/B002MY8ENW/

$20 Flexible Video Tripod: Wrap this around the grip, stick it to the fridge (magnetic feet), use it as a baby-eye-level tripod, pan/tilt smoothly
http://www.amazon.com/Gorillapod-Vid...dp/B0042FZA1S/

$20 Spare Charging Kit: eBay - two spare batteries for $10, wall/car charger for $10

About $210 total for a camera, tripod, handgrip, large memory card, and extra batteries and charger. I have one of these and it's super awesome. Turns on quick, 1-button recording, 1080p video, 5 megapixel stills. There's a newer version coming out for $179, but as far as I can tell it mainly adds a little bit better low-light (existing version already does low-light better than the other handheld cameras I've seen).

It's waterproof and sealed, so the baby can chew on it, poke it, and smash it around without damage. That's a major plus when you're around kids, especially if they are throwing food or sippy cup drinks at it. The major downside is that it doesn't have an optical zoom, but if you're mostly using it for a baby, that's probably not a real big deal since you'll be close by.

The tripod is flexible and has magnetic feet, really versatile. I love mine. The handgrip is nice because it helps to steady your hand and gives you an easy grip for following the baby around as they crawl and walk. The handle is on the top so you can get low to the ground, and you also don't have to twist your arm around if you were holding the camera itself by hand.

As far as video editing & conversion software - are you a Mac guy or a PC guy?

 

[Turin39789]

Thanks,

PC guy.

 

[Kaido]

Thanks,

PC guy.

The editing software depends on how much you want to get into it. Microsoft includes Movie Maker free with Windows since Windows XP came out, and it's pretty nice for a basic editor. Extensoft makes a nice one too called "Free Video Converter", which not only converts videos but also lets you do basic edits. Plus it's free! Here's a link:

http://download.cnet.com/Free-Video-Converter-by-Extensoft/3000-2194_4-10905366.html

If you want to take a step up, I'd highly recommend Sony Vegas. It's $600 for the complete package, which is pretty hefty, but includes everything from editing to sound to DVD/Bluray burning:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro

But if you just want basic editing, Windows Movie Maker is pretty nice because it has basic titles, transitions, etc. Real easy to use.

 

[Turin39789]

two questions-

would it make more sense to pick up a class 10 card for $30? Will the camera use the speed? Is it limited to a 16gb card max(not that I think a larger one would be justified).

Significantly better video than from a nice smartphone?

 

[Kaido]

two questions-

would it make more sense to pick up a class 10 card for $30? Will the camera use the speed? Is it limited to a 16gb card max(not that I think a larger one would be justified).

Significantly better video than from a nice smartphone?

Maybe - I've heard of some devices having issues with Class 10 cards, but not the Playsport in particular. You can use a maximum of 32GB card since the camera supports SDHC. The 32 gig cards look like they go for about $60, so if you just want a single, large card and don't ever want to swap cards and want to keep a lot of footage on the camera at once, that's a pretty good route to go. I'd just go with the Class 6 - no problems, plus the camera wouldn't really take advantage the faster speed anyway.

The video is better than a Smartphone, I don't know if I'd say significantly though. The quality will be better, you get full 1080p, basic image stabilization, and pretty good low-light quality. No optical zoom, although there is a basic digital one. Here's some quick footage samples from Vimeo:

Outdoor shot - http://www.vimeo.com/14113255

Indoor/outdoor/water shot - http://www.vimeo.com/11952184

Water shot - http://www.vimeo.com/13661412

Night shot - http://www.vimeo.com/11897146

I like it a lot - it's small, HD, can live in any environment, and cheap. It's kind of my go-to camera anytime I just need to grab it & record something.