Camcorder advice

[Napoleon]

I was thinking of buying my brother a camcorder in the $300-500 range and was wondering if there was anything I should look out for or recommendations people might have.

[Spicoli]

Canon Elura 100.


I axed the same Q earlier this year. :thumbup:

[chop456]

Make sure it has analog in/digital out capability so he can convert and edit his old tapes if he wants to.

[Napoleon]

Make sure it has analog in/digital out capability so he can convert and edit his old tapes if he wants to.

Could you expand upon this a little?

Stupid question, do you use tapes with them at all any more. My dad had a camcorder (which I now have somewhere) that used VHS tapes but in looking at the new ones (just briefly) it looks like they must have internal memory with perhaps something like a memory card or the like. So how do you use it to edit old tapes? (also I assume the Canon has that feature).

[chop456]

It will have inputs (RCA jacks) that you can use to connect to your VCR or old camcorder. You use the new camcorder to record the old tapes, converting them to digital format which can then be loaded onto your PC and edited as if you'd just taken them.

Most new cameras are MiniDV format and yes, they do take tapes. Some will record directly to a DVD and some to a hard drive. Personally, I prefer the MiniDV format. I also like the external mic option.

[Insomniac]

You might be wondering how tapes are digital. If so, the data is stored on the tape digitally (like tape backup units on a PC).

[Napoleon]

You might be wondering how tapes are digital. If so, the data is stored on the tape digitally (like tape backup units on a PC).

That did not even occur to me but your comment does bring to mind another question. Is the format used on camcorders easily transferable to a DVD so you can give it to grandma and she can pop it in her cheap standard 4 year old DVD player and play it on her TV?

[RusH]

The key is all in the outputs of the camcorder to transfer the recordings.
A few years ago I bought a prosumer line Panasonic AG-EZ1U...awesome quality with 3CCDs....but the output was S-Video/RCA. In the payback directly to the TV the picture was professional looking...but the copies lost a generation in quality. Most people can`t tell the difference though...I `ve put converted Mini-DV`s to DVD with my computer and they look very nice.
I still have the beast.
http://www.dvuser.co.kr/image/panasonic/nv-dj1_4.jpg

[SteveH]

HD cameras are just now coming out.

I'm just sayin' :D

[theunions]

Most new cameras are MiniDV format and yes, they do take tapes. Some will record directly to a DVD and some to a hard drive. Personally, I prefer the MiniDV format. I also like the external mic option.

It seems like many new models in the desired price range don't have external mikes, so be sure to specifically look for it. The DVD and hard drive models are becoming increasingly popular as well, but MiniDV remains tops in final output quality (i.e., I understand the others are more susceptible to image problems under vibration conditions).

[Insomniac]

That did not even occur to me but your comment does bring to mind another question. Is the format used on camcorders easily transferable to a DVD so you can give it to grandma and she can pop it in her cheap standard 4 year old DVD player and play it on her TV?

Basically, you hook the camera up to your PC and at a minimum, the software that came with it should be able to get it off the camera and do some basic editing. Then the software that came with your DVD burner should be able to create a DVD to play in a DVD player.

The ones that record to DVD, as you might expect, are much simpler to playback in a DVD Player, but are a lot harder to edit on a PC.

Also, burned DVDs may or may not play back on the older players not specifically designed for DVD+/-R media. Sometimes even if it doesn't say it can, it will, or will play certain brands/types or not at all.

A couple good sites are:

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/ (Camcorder Reviews/Ratings)
http://www.videohelp.com/ (Tips and guides on creating DVDs and also they have a database of DVD Players where people comment on what media they've had success with, http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers)

[KLang]

The ones that record to DVD, as you might expect, are much simpler to playback in a DVD Player, but are a lot harder to edit on a PC.

Not really, just copy it to your hard drive on the pc and edit away. IIRC I can just plug the camera into the pc and the pc application will copy it to the pc and optionally delete the video from the DVD in the camera.

[datachicane]

Not really, just copy it to your hard drive on the pc and edit away. IIRC I can just plug the camera into the pc and the pc application will copy it to the pc and optionally delete the video from the DVD in the camera.

It's not quite as simple as copying it to the drive- you'll need an application capable of sucking the .mpg back out of the .vob, as the .vob really can't be edited directly. There's several that will do the job, including Isobuster and the (IMHO, excellent) TMPGenc DVD Author.

Frankly, though, at this point I'm not certain I'd advise a non-geek to make a camcorder decision based on the ease of getting the video onto a PC. I just bought my father a decent stand-alone DVD recorder for under a hundred bucks, does +/-R, works like a charm, no geekly skills (or time) required- he can plug any old ancient camcorder into the front RCA jacks and output compliant DVDs with about three clicks of his remote.

Sure, I still do mine on the PC, but I'm used to spending hours in front of the thing.

[cameraman]

Canon hv10. Very cool HD camcorder. If you don't want to go HD then listen to Spicoli :eek: and get a Canon Elura 100.

[KLang]

It's not quite as simple as copying it to the drive- you'll need an application capable of sucking the .mpg back out of the .vob, as the .vob really can't be edited directly. There's several that will do the job, including Isobuster and the (IMHO, excellent) TMPGenc DVD Author.

Oops, you are probably correct about the simple copy. Sony included the software to get the video to the pc and edit it.

[Insomniac]

Oops, you are probably correct about the simple copy. Sony included the software to get the video to the pc and edit it.

See. ;)

[indyfan31]

Panasonic GS300. 3 CCD camera that's very highly rated, excellent picture quality. Unfortunately there's no analog to digital passthrough.

[Mr. Toad]

Recommendations people might have.


Ask Paris:laugh:

[SteveH]

FWIW Wired has a review of digital camcorders on its site

http://www.wired.com/testguide/fall2006/reviews/videocams/index.html