what are the best digital video cameras out there (small and midpriced w/ professional quality features)?

Question

I am looking to get into film making and I want to be able to capture high quality video and audio under a variety of conditions. I want to be able to hold and carry the camera easily, and store lots of footage on it . I want to have good zoom capabilities. I basically want a really good quality camera that is easy to use, good for amateur use, but will not make crappy videos.

Answer 1

i think your into the same position i was in a few months ago. first of all dont listen to messiah, because although the xl series is good, it is way to expensive for something you might want to get now (cheap first, upgrade later). but i mean cheap as in relatively. i think the best cams for filmmaking are panasonic's 3ccd pv-gs series, especially the gs300 and 500. (get nothing but minidv for filmmaking, in case you didnt know) there was a gs400, and it was really good, but many stores (local and online) dont sell it now. the only place you might have a chance is ebay. it goes for around $1000 or better (on ebay). the 500 is really a downgrade of the 400, although picture quality was barely better than the 400.

theres another cam, one which im planning to get which goes for around $1500 used, $2000-2799 new, the canon gl2. its a really good cam, and if bought used, is a great starter cam. it has a 20x zoom, which is larger than the gs's but the gs's are still cheaper and smaller.

as you can see, you cant really go too low and still expect to get a good quality filmmaking cam with lots of manual functions. if you dont have the money for the cams i mentioned, its probably better if you get a really cheap one for the time being, or wait a little longer and save up for a prosumer cam, because if you get a so-so one now, the small amount of quality and features upgrade wont be worth that much to spend $200 or 300 extra, and when you upgrade to a prosumer cam, youre gonna have less money. so basically, shoot for a better cam now, or save it or buy a cheap one, but dont go in between.

and finally, remember that what youre putting in the film is important as well. although you can fix bad video, your cinematography, editing, directing, etc. can make up for it. hope this helps and get out there and make an awesome film!

BTW, there are two sites you can check out. www.camcorderinfo.com has all the info about all the cams i mentioned. www.creativecow.com has some useful forums about software used in filmmaking, and other stuff. im a filmmaker too so anytime you want to talk about it just contact me.

Answer 2

I would suggest the canon XL miniDV series cameras it is very versitile and provides very good quality images it also provides a wide range of feature that can be left on full automatic or have individual functions on manual so that you can work on and practice smooth zooms or white balance ect without having to worry about everything else. It is very usable for complete manual control though they can be a bit more expensive however they are easy to use as an amature and allow your skills to improve without having to upgrade.

Answer 3

i would have to go for mid priced kodaks, around 200 to 400$. they are the most user friendly and have some nice models with 10x and 12x zoom

Answer 4

Here's a good buying guide to get you started.
http://www.easycamcorders.com/content/Beginners-Guide.htm

and a list of current camcorders with their ratings and lowest price.
http://www.easycamcorders.com/ratings.php

Answer 5

try searching at ebay, they have varieties of digital video cameras in auction