I searched for digital camcorders and read through most of the returned threads, but didn't find one that meets my needs. First, I am looking to buy a digital video camera. My girlfriend wants to get one so that we can tape our sons birthdays and other memorable events. It doesn't have to be anything special, but I want something decent. Looking to spend between 300.00 and probablly 700-800. I am not sure if i should go mini DV or the other 8mm digital type. Which is better? What are good things to look for in a camcorder? If you need any more info to help me with my decision please feel free to ask, thanks
I have some questions about digital camcorders
- Thread starter coolred
- Start date
Get a minidv camera. They tend to be smaller than the dig8 cams and are a lot easier to handle/hold up for long periods of time.
Be sure it's digital- minidv would be better
Conventional wisdom has said that 3ccd cameras are best (but you're not going to find one for under $1500)
Be sure it has a iLink or firewire port that allows transfer from and to the camera (some might have usb2 as well)
Be sure you have battery options. Some cameras have the battery inside the camera so you really can't ever get a higher capacity one.
Optical zoom matters. Digital zoom is worthless (it just interpolates, pixelates).
Some are easier to use than others, try them out.
You will eventually need a good video light, be sure you get one with a hotfoot so you could add it or one that has a light built into the camera.
Some do "night vision" (hokey but cool if it's dark).
Some do megapixel or higher still shots-- if so, be sure it has a flash or it's basically a useless feature unless lighting conditions are perfect.
Smaller is not always better-- if it's too tiny it's hard to hold steady. If it's too big it gets tiring.
A nice swivel screen is nice, kids go nuts looking at themselves being videotaped.
Test the steady shot feature and auto focusing- I noticed that JVCs had poor image stabilization and canons (low end ones) had slow as death focusing resulting in a lot of fuzziness while it figured it all out.
Be aware where the microphone is on the camera, if it's too close to your face you will hear yourself instead of the subject.
I got a sony trv11 (discontinued now) minidv a few years ago and it has been spectacular. I believe they still make the same form factor in a higher trv17 or 18 these days (traditional with 3.5 color flip out screen). They make even smaller ones that have a new micro tape format but I'm guessing those are pretty expensive yet.
Hope this helps.
Be sure it's digital- minidv would be better
Conventional wisdom has said that 3ccd cameras are best (but you're not going to find one for under $1500)
Be sure it has a iLink or firewire port that allows transfer from and to the camera (some might have usb2 as well)
Be sure you have battery options. Some cameras have the battery inside the camera so you really can't ever get a higher capacity one.
Optical zoom matters. Digital zoom is worthless (it just interpolates, pixelates).
Some are easier to use than others, try them out.
You will eventually need a good video light, be sure you get one with a hotfoot so you could add it or one that has a light built into the camera.
Some do "night vision" (hokey but cool if it's dark).
Some do megapixel or higher still shots-- if so, be sure it has a flash or it's basically a useless feature unless lighting conditions are perfect.
Smaller is not always better-- if it's too tiny it's hard to hold steady. If it's too big it gets tiring.
A nice swivel screen is nice, kids go nuts looking at themselves being videotaped.
Test the steady shot feature and auto focusing- I noticed that JVCs had poor image stabilization and canons (low end ones) had slow as death focusing resulting in a lot of fuzziness while it figured it all out.
Be aware where the microphone is on the camera, if it's too close to your face you will hear yourself instead of the subject.
I got a sony trv11 (discontinued now) minidv a few years ago and it has been spectacular. I believe they still make the same form factor in a higher trv17 or 18 these days (traditional with 3.5 color flip out screen). They make even smaller ones that have a new micro tape format but I'm guessing those are pretty expensive yet.
Hope this helps.
There are just so many out there to choose from, I have no idea where to start. Are there any manufacters I should avoid, or any I should look more cloesly at?
What about the cannon ZR20, I have seen a few reviews on it and it seems like everyone likes it for it's cheap price and small size. About the only complaint I have heard is it doesn't do too well in low light, not as good as sony on image stabilization, and button placement.
Still looking, can anyone tell me of the sub 600.00 cameras, which one is the best. I don't need stills at all, but if it has it, then thats okay, but I don't need that to figure into it. I am looking for decent all around video quality, and ease of use.
I really haven't heard anyone comment on a good low light camcorder.
I picked up the canon ZR45 from Costco for $650 and used Amex Gold so I can PM in 60 days (some online vendors have it around $430), but haven't had a chance to play with it yet. I would highly suggest purchasing from Costco (if you have membership access) so you can test drive it - they have the best return policy.
RossMAN
Grand Nagus
- Feb 24, 2000
- 78,851
- 354
- 136
I'm not sure how close/far these are from you but there are CostCo's in Springdale and Deerfield Township.
I always hated Sharp camcorders. They look real nice, but the buttons are not in logical positions. Espcially with the new Viewcams, your finger either want to cover up the mic or the lens.
I personally like Sony and Canon digital camcorders. I just bought the Sony TRV140 for my brother, best bang for the buck IMO.
Can anyone tell me how close the cannon ZR 20 is to the ZR 40 and 45? I am considering the ZR20, but none of the places like best buy and circuit city around here have the ZR20. Before I buy it I would like to see how it performs in lower light settings. I noticed some of the stores do caryy the ZR40 and 45, so do they all have the same image quality? If not is the 40 or 45 worth the extra 100.00 or whatever it is?
I bought a Panasonic DV851 a few months ago, and have really liked it. Takes megapixel stills onto an SD card and tapes onto dv tapes. The quality is great, and I can usually keep it pretty stable. I've freehanded quite a few concerts and they have come out pretty well in my opinion. Paid ~$700 shipped for it back in the day, but I don't remember where from. If you're interested drop me a pm and I can look for it. I've been really happy with it so far.
Okay the big day is coming up. I need to get this camera by Thursday or friday, so it will be available for my sons first birthday party that weekend. I am not sure about where to buy online, I don't know what companies or good, or if they offer extended warranties, so we were just planning on going store shopping at circuit city and best buy and what not, but I will likely pay a bit more at those stores. So if anyone can reccommend a good place to buy online I will look into it. We would kinda like to have an extended warranty with such a big purchase. I think my maximum price for the camera would be 500-600 dollars, but the cheaper the better, as long as the camera records good video and is easy to use, thats about all we need.
Okay I am still searching for a camera, I found one i thought I would like in the JVC DVL120U. It seems to me to have decent specs, and since its not a sony its priced lower then other camcorders with identical specs. I found it online at www.buydig.com for a little over 350.00
Unfortunately I needed it a few days ago for my sons first birthday, so we decided to go buy it from best buy and try it out. We were not imformed of the restocking fee best buy has, and I havd never encountered it before even after several returns, but anyways. I am not a videographer, but myself as well as my family felt the results were pretty good. The camera is light and easy to use, so it may be the one I am getting unless someone can give me a reason not to.
Also can anyone help me with a place to buy it? As I said buydig.com is the cheapest place i have found at a little over 350.00 for just the camera. But I read reviews for buydig.com on epinions the reccommending out weighed the not reccomending by a good margin, but there were still a lot of not reccomendings. Can anyone back up this companies reliability? Since even after the 70 dollar restocking fee from best buy plus shipping, it will still be almost 50.00 dollars cheaper with buydig, then it would have been to keep the one from best buy.
Unfortunately I needed it a few days ago for my sons first birthday, so we decided to go buy it from best buy and try it out. We were not imformed of the restocking fee best buy has, and I havd never encountered it before even after several returns, but anyways. I am not a videographer, but myself as well as my family felt the results were pretty good. The camera is light and easy to use, so it may be the one I am getting unless someone can give me a reason not to.
Also can anyone help me with a place to buy it? As I said buydig.com is the cheapest place i have found at a little over 350.00 for just the camera. But I read reviews for buydig.com on epinions the reccommending out weighed the not reccomending by a good margin, but there were still a lot of not reccomendings. Can anyone back up this companies reliability? Since even after the 70 dollar restocking fee from best buy plus shipping, it will still be almost 50.00 dollars cheaper with buydig, then it would have been to keep the one from best buy.
I can vouch for Buydig.com, at least from my experience. I purchased a Canon ZR-40 from them a few weeks ago for less than $460.00 shipped - great service, fast, no complaints. They didn't even call me trying to sell me additional stuff, like many online camera/video places do! I'm always nervous choosing a new online vendor when ordering such a big purchases, but like you I read many reviews on this company and found the majority were positive - there are a lot of fly-by-night vendors out there selling the exact same stuff! They are dirt cheap too, real deal in my book.
You've probably read a lot of reviews on sub $1,000 miniDV camcorders now, you probably have a good picture by now I would think of the features, comparision thing? The ZR-40 has an 18X optical zoom, little more than the JVC model. I like it so far, lots of features, learning curve doesn't seem that bad - it's small even for a miniDV camcorder, light.
You will find however if you do your homework that there is a lot of feedback issues concerning the motor drive noise problem w/the ZR40/45 and 50 series. Here's my opinion. I do notice that the camera picks up and records the motor drive (slight humming noise), this is very evident in low-noise/quiet environments. This seems to drive some reviewers crazy, others it is a minor (and fixable via external mic.) problem, and even others don't even care.
I myself plan on eventually editing most of my footage and adding background music/audio. Most of my video is also outdoors with plenty of external audio anyway. I do not predict that this motor noise prob. will be a prob. for me. If however, you plan on filming sleeping babies and that sort of stuff, it might be distracting. Adding and external mic. to the camera seems to fix this issue though.
Either way, good luck with your decision.
-VTrider
You've probably read a lot of reviews on sub $1,000 miniDV camcorders now, you probably have a good picture by now I would think of the features, comparision thing? The ZR-40 has an 18X optical zoom, little more than the JVC model. I like it so far, lots of features, learning curve doesn't seem that bad - it's small even for a miniDV camcorder, light.
You will find however if you do your homework that there is a lot of feedback issues concerning the motor drive noise problem w/the ZR40/45 and 50 series. Here's my opinion. I do notice that the camera picks up and records the motor drive (slight humming noise), this is very evident in low-noise/quiet environments. This seems to drive some reviewers crazy, others it is a minor (and fixable via external mic.) problem, and even others don't even care.
I myself plan on eventually editing most of my footage and adding background music/audio. Most of my video is also outdoors with plenty of external audio anyway. I do not predict that this motor noise prob. will be a prob. for me. If however, you plan on filming sleeping babies and that sort of stuff, it might be distracting. Adding and external mic. to the camera seems to fix this issue though.
Either way, good luck with your decision.
-VTrider
Yeah i originally was looking at the cannon ZR line, but considering the JVC is 100.00 dollars less and only has 2x loss in zoom quality to the ZR40 I think it is worth it. Are there any other differances between the 2 that mean a whole lot. I mean I will mainly be using it for home movies within close range of the target, so 16X optical should be fine for me.
Mustanggt
Diamond Member
- Dec 11, 1999
- 3,278
- 0
- 71
I am looking for dig camcorder also, that JVC you are interested in has very little features pretty much bottom of the line. I am leaning toward a Sony trv 530 for $499 that has all the features you could ever want. for another $100 or so you can get a much better camera. I read that the canon have the worst repair rate if that helps you.
HeroOfPellinor
Lifer
- Dec 27, 2001
- 11,272
- 1
- 0
A HUGE factor is a mic in. You might not think so at first, but a mic in will prove to be one of the most useful features your camcorder will have. The JVC, unfortunatly, does not have one. I looked closely at it also, but that was a deal breaker for me. It also has a very tiny CCD. I think it says interlaced 1/4 which probably means it's 1/6 or smaller, but I'm not sure, I just know no other company refers to their CCD with the term interlaced and that may be why it's so much cheaper.
Sony and Panasonic are both overpriced for the features. If you can find a good used Sony TRV87 (the top of the line hi8 from 2000) you'll be getting the most feature packed camcorder at the best value. It has stereo sound gigantic optical zoom and a mic in and built in light and analog inputs I believe. Subsequent Sony hi8s had the stereo and extra features ripped from them and dropped into the digital8s. If you're going new, avoid the Canons because of a fairly grainy and dark picture and noisy motor.
I bought a Samsung SCD77 at Sams for $500. Has everything except analog ins. It's a 2001 model, so they're hard to find. The SCD87 of 2002 was robbed of some key features.
The Canon isn't bad for the price if you don't want to get a Samsung, but has the worst picture in my opinion. Sony and Panasonic will make you pay at least $700 for a camcorder with a mic in and decent optical zoom, but both produce nice picture.
Sony and Panasonic are both overpriced for the features. If you can find a good used Sony TRV87 (the top of the line hi8 from 2000) you'll be getting the most feature packed camcorder at the best value. It has stereo sound gigantic optical zoom and a mic in and built in light and analog inputs I believe. Subsequent Sony hi8s had the stereo and extra features ripped from them and dropped into the digital8s. If you're going new, avoid the Canons because of a fairly grainy and dark picture and noisy motor.
I bought a Samsung SCD77 at Sams for $500. Has everything except analog ins. It's a 2001 model, so they're hard to find. The SCD87 of 2002 was robbed of some key features.
The Canon isn't bad for the price if you don't want to get a Samsung, but has the worst picture in my opinion. Sony and Panasonic will make you pay at least $700 for a camcorder with a mic in and decent optical zoom, but both produce nice picture.
Really it has no Mic in? I thought it did, but I am likely wrong. But once again I must point out that i am not in the need of perfection, it is going to be used to caputure precious memories of my childs younger years, which are worth a lot to me. But I don't exactly think its worth the extra hundred or 2 just so i can avoid a little motor whine(which i didn't even notice in this camera. The picture looked good enough for what i needed the sound seemed fine and its dirt cheap. I mean don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the input, I am just trying to tell you what i need and what i dont think i need. And while I know its not ecatly packed with features, i wouldn't call it bottom of the line either, as more then several other cameras I have looked at within 200.00 in price had even less features. I don't need a still camera, but it does give me this feature, the zoom is nice, but so far I have not seen much of a use for it, maybe later when i am taping sporting events or whatnot, but by then I should be better off and can get a better one if i feel the need. Like I said I didn't even notice the motor noise, so i must be deaf, but no one else complained about it either, so as of now i don't see the need for an external mic. Thanks keep the opinions coming
HeroOfPellinor
Lifer
- Dec 27, 2001
- 11,272
- 1
- 0
You really can't go wrong with a miniDV camcorder. For the price, the Canon is feature rich and the difference in picture quality is nominal when compared to other similarly priced camcorders. Every Canon, as far as I know, comes with the mic in and I'd bet those suckers probably have analog ins too. I didn't like that the pixel count was so low, but I guess you have to sacrifice something to get something else when you're looking at the budget level.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 23K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 18K
-
-
-
Facebook
Twitter