What video camera should I buy?

Question

Camcorders range from $300 to $3000. I need a to film clips for email and the web. It needs to be somewhat professional but I'm not filming wedding videos or anything. Most importantly it must be user friendly, durable and travel well. Please tell me some of the major differences between the expensive and less expensive camcorders.

Answer 1

Stephen M makes some very good points. He recommends Sony and I would agree, while adding Canon and Panasonic to the list of trusty brands. He recommends MiniDV format over DVD or hard disk, and again I would concur with his recommendation.

As far as the comments about image sensing, I mostly agree. Unless you (1) Are doing a side-by-side comparison of a 3 sensor to a 1 sensor model, or (2) You are a video professional, or (3) You are looking at measurements made with test instruments, then you are unlikely to notice the more accurate colors made by the 3 sensor system. And in your case, once the image is compressed to the point to where it can be sent across the net these differences are sure not to be noticed, probably not even by professionals. However, it would be a different case if you were going to distribute your productions in a tape or DVD format.

I would add that you should look for a MiniDV camcorder with external headphone and microphone jacks and an IEEE1394 (DV / Firewire / i.LINK) port instead of just a USB port. The camcorder should have manual adjustments for focus, white balance, and exposure as a minimum. And a wired remote port (LANC) is a definite plus.

You should also budget some money for storage, mounting, lighting, audio, and lens accessories.

Purchase a good hard case and rain / water protection gear if applicable. Even a small amount of water can destroy a camcorder.

Buy a fluid head tripod with a LANC remote on the handle if your camcorder supports this. It makes a world of difference in the stability of your shots and the appearance of professionalism in your work. A monopod is also very useful in cramped shooting situations.

Videos made even on expensive equipment will look crappy with poor lighting. Rechargeable and/or AC lights for shooting indoors and a reflector for outdoors are invaluable basics.

Audio is the weakest feature in a consumer camcorder. The recording levels are all automatic and the built in mic(s) tends to pickup (and record) the operational noises of the camcorder. You should get yourself an external shotgun mic and perhaps a wireless handheld and/or lavalier to improve your chances of capturing decent audio. You should also get yourself a comfortable set of closed back headphones with a built-in volume control. Wear them at all times while recording. It is very disappointing to record an important interview with someone to only discover in editing that part of the voice was obscured by a passing jet or car and it is impossible to remove the noise. Audio can be half of your production so don't neglect it.

An assortment of lens filters can be useful for certain productions. Neutral density, polarizing, wide-angle, telephoto, and other special effects filters are all useful in the right place. Keeping a UV filter on the camcorder at all times is a useful way to protect the objective lens from scratches and smudges.

WK

Answer 2

For my money, Sony makes the best camcorders - full stop. The choice then becomes - MiniDV (tape), DVD, or Hard disk for a recording media. I prefer MiniDV - its the most reliable, it's reusable and it's linear. DVD media are the most unreliable and I would recommend you do not but one of those. As for the hard disk cameras - again reliability is an issue.

The next major differentiator is the image sensing - 1 sensor or 3. The arguments that are made for 3CCD cameras that msot people put forward have no validitity in science, mathematics or engineering - "The color is better: - doh? I say prove it. If having 2 sensors gave better color don't you think maybe the digital still camera folks would be doing it too? There is only 1 DSLR camera on the market with 3 sensor technology and it is only suitable for protrait photography because it is too slow for anything else. Also, all digital video is recorded, stored, edited and compiled at the sames resolution - 500 lines per inch. So why spend large for a 3 CCD camera - bragging rights mostly.

So in short, buy a Sony MiniDV camera that is comfortable to use and easy on your pocketbook. I have one and have used it for 100's of hours indoors and outdoors in some very dusty and hot/cold places and it delivers great results!

Answer 3

I got a HP video camera for Christmas. It didn't last anytime. It went out in August. I called HP and was told that I only had a 90 day warranty so they couldn't do anything about it. I went to a place called Best Buy and they were very helpful when I picked out a new one. I went with a Fuji one. It was very reasonably priced and if I can use it anyone can.

Answer 4

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