What type of camcorder?

Question

Can anyone help me with what type of camcorder i should buy, i have about £350 - £400 to spend so iknow i wont get the worlds best, but some record straight to cd rom some to hard drive,memory sticks or mini disc etc which is better. i would like to able to edit what i film so i guess i need to able to upload it to my pc. What other features are worth looking for and which are just gimmicks. Oh yeah and it needs to be idiot proof of course

Answer 1

If you want to edit your films then you need a MiniDV model with a firewire connection so you can upload to your pc. For your money you could get very good models from Sony, Canon, Panasonic etc. with image stabilisation and an external microphone input so you can control what audio you record! Most of these camcorders come with video editing software (eg Ulead, Pinnacle, CyberLink etc).
I haved used a Sony Handycam that records directly onto 8cm DVD discs: the picture quality was very impressive and once finalized, the discs play directly in your dvd player - no fuss. Two problems: 1) discs can be expensive so shop around on the internet. With DVD-Rw you have limited on-the-fly editing capability but with DVD+Rw you have greater scope. If you go down this route make sure you have a multi-format device.
2) video is outputed to .VOB files so to edit them you will need to convert them to .AVI files which is tricky, time-consuming and may result in a loss of quality. I actually had to decrypt the .VOB files first!
You can record about 30 mins on each disc at good quality which is more than enough home video for anyone to sit through at one sitting - and these models, especially the Sony Handycam with its 20X optical zoom Carl Zeiss lens and touchscreen menus, are very easy to use.

Answer 2

Look at Panasonic NV-GS 37 EB.

It is light, easy to work, logical, does all the things you need and more. You'll have loads of change even when you've bought an extra battery, spare tapes a carry-all and a tripod. It is very good at inside work and has an automatic colour renderer.

Really watch the prices on and off the Internet. I got the internet price just by asking for it at my local shop! But the prices ranged from £165 to £350 for the same item

I just bought its little sister NV-GS 27 EB. No regrets at £165 from Comet. But when I had it all ripped up, put together, read the manual, figured it out got it working etc. realised I would have got a better buy for £100 more if I bought the dearer one.

Answer 3

If you can, wait a while. The new breed of camcorders are coming down in price. Hard drive cams are the future, no tapes to buy and very few moving parts.
The lowest price ive seen them in about £500, having said that, i bought a sony digital camcorder, 20x optical zoom and still pic option ( via memory stick ) six months ago for £300 and i love it.
You cant beat sony, but hard -drive cams are the future.

Answer 4

Yeah I've been looking for a camcorder too.....and have come to the conclusion that all formats can be easily uploaded to your computer. I'd go for the best deal. Also optical zoom is much more important than the other kind (forgot). Anti shake is also good. Not much help but it's all I've got........ciao

Answer 5

If I were you, I'd probably get a Mini DV. Since you want to edit on your pc, you need a firewire card and cable. I have a Canon ZR200, which I would consider "idiot proof," and I'm really happy with it. I also do editing on my pc. One good feature is zoom (optical is SOOOOO much better than regular zoom!). But it all depends on what you want to do with it and what you need.

Answer 6

look at Panasonic NV-GS 37 EB. that's mild, worry-free to artwork, logical, does each and all of the failings you desire and greater. you would be wanting a huge form of exchange even once you have bought one greater battery, spare tapes a carry-all and a tripod. that's amazingly reliable at interior artwork and has an computerized shade renderer. extremely watch the fees on and rancid the internet. I have been given the internet fee basically via inquiring for it at my interior of sight save! however the fees ranged from £a hundred sixty five to £350 for a similar merchandise I basically bought its little sister NV-GS 27 EB. No regrets at £a hundred sixty five from Comet. yet when I had all of it ripped up, prepare, examine the instruction manual, figured it out have been given it working and so on. realised i could have have been given a greater proper purchase for £one hundred greater if i bought the greater costly one.

Answer 7

i think it will b better if u buy a camcorder which tapes on MiniDV as that results in best quality...