camcorders

[Art]

I'm thinking of buying a new camcorder. Any personal recommendations you may have?

[ramirami]

check out the canon optura series...I have the opture 200 MC love it...they have a newer model since then

[robottik]

I liked the Sony DCR-HC series because of their small size and good steady cam. Fits in the palm of my hand. Uses Mini-DV tapes.

Comes in three flavors: DCR-HC20, DCR-HC30 and DCR-HC40. Each model has a few more features than the previous (and of course each costs a bit more too!)

Here is a link to some camcorder reviews at ConsumerSearch

Review of the Sony DCR-HC40 at DV Spot

[jay]

Originally posted by robottik
I liked the Sony DCR-HC series because of their small size and good steady cam. Fits in the palm of my hand. Uses Mini-DV tapes.

Comes in three flavors: DCR-HC20, DCR-HC30 and DCR-HC40

Each one has a few more features than the previous (and of course each costs a bit more too!)

Here is a link to some camcorder reviews

As an Apple iMac and iMovie user, I have a Sony camera, but specifically avoided the micro-DV format because of its limited support in movie editing software at the time of my purchase over two years ago. At that time, believe only the Sony Vaio and Sony software supported the micro-DV format.

[GlenH]

Originally posted by jay
As an Apple iMac and iMovie user, I have a Sony camera, but specifically avoided the mini-DV format because of its limited support in movie editing software. I believe only the Sony Vaio and Sony software support the mini-DV format.

Jay, mini-DV is a standard format which is fully supported by iMovie, Final Cut Express/Pro and practically all other video editing programs on both the Mac and PC. Furthermore, ALL camcorder manufacturers fully support the DV format. It is a great, lossless format with higher resolution than DVDs.

[robottik]

Here are repair histories of various camcorders from Consumer Reports

http://www.consumerreports.org/conte...camcorders.gif

[robottik]

Amazon has rebates on several camcorders

"Only through November 14, 2004, get $25, $50, or $100 cash back via mail-in rebate when you buy any of these top-rated digital camcorders from Canon, Sony, JVC, and Samsung."

Rebates Link

[jay]

Originally posted by GlenH


Jay, mini-DV is a standard format which is fully supported by iMovie, Final Cut Express/Pro and practically all other video editing programs on both the Mac and PC. Furthermore, ALL camcorder manufacturers fully support the DV format. It is a great, lossless format with higher resolution than DVDs.

You are right. I meant to say micro-DV format, and edited my original post to reflect micro-DV, which two plus years ago had limited support. Sorry for the confusion.

[PNW-Pilot]

Can somebody give me a recommendation for a mini-dv camcorder. Looking to be able to edit movies on imovie/idvd. Don't care if the camcorder has editing functions as imovie will be doing that for me. But would not mind some high end functions, don't need/wnat a digital camera in it.

Thanks

[Jet-Pilot-64]

The Sony models have bottom loading for the DV cassettes; while the Panasonic has top loading for cassettes. This is important for those planning to use a tripod as you have to take the foot off the camera to change tapes. If you have to do a quick tape change, you don't want a bottom loading model if using a tripod... I work at a college and we recently purchased the Sony DCR-HC65. Good camera, feels kinda cheap. I just put an order in for the Panasonic PVGS400 due to the top loading feature of the camera. 3ccd as well!!!

[PNW-Pilot]

Originally posted by Jet-Pilot-64
The Sony models have bottom loading for the DV cassettes; while the Panasonic has top loading for cassettes. This is important for those planning to use a tripod as you have to take the foot off the camera to change tapes. If you have to do a quick tape change, you don't want a bottom loading model if using a tripod... I work at a college and we recently purchased the Sony DCR-HC65. Good camera, feels kinda cheap. I just put an order in for the Panasonic PVGS400 due to the top loading feature of the camera. 3ccd as well!!!

Care to elaborate as to why "3ccd" is good vs what the sony has?

[Jet-Pilot-64]

Originally posted by PNW-Pilot


Care to elaborate as to why "3ccd" is good vs what the sony has?

The Sony has a single CCD (charge coupled device) that takes all color through it creating nice picture re-production. The Panasonic 3CCD takes one color (red/green/or blue) through one CCD creating great picture re-production. Here is a link for a better explaination: 3CCD Sony also makes 3CCD cameras.

[robottik]

Originally posted by Jet-Pilot-64
The Sony models have bottom loading for the DV cassettes; while the Panasonic has top loading for cassettes. This is important for those planning to use a tripod as you have to take the foot off the camera to change tapes. If you have to do a quick tape change, you don't want a bottom loading model if using a tripod... I work at a college and we recently purchased the Sony DCR-HC65. Good camera, feels kinda cheap. I just put an order in for the Panasonic PVGS400 due to the top loading feature of the camera. 3ccd as well!!!

I would add that 3ccd cameras in general cost significantly more than a single ccd models, so really it depends on your budget.

[PNW-Pilot]

Thanks. It was what I suspected it was. Thanks for education and cautions.

[desertpilot]

I got a Panasonic VDR-M70 DVD-RAM or DVD-R disks and also SD memory card for still pictures.

The DVD-RAM is erasable but cannot fit in regular DVD players but the other disk that it could use is a DVD-R could only be recorded once and it will play in most DVD players. The disk is loaded on the right hand side and on top of the camcorder, vertically.

I bought it before last Christmas last year and I'm satisfied with it except for the short battery life of about 20 to 30 minutes. I have to have a second battery so that I don't run out of power.


Panasonic website link