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  • Video Camera -  Suggestions please

    Im in the market for a video camera and thought I would post a query on a coffee forum.
    :-?
    Strange I know, but hey, I trust you guys (well most of you)


    Criteria?  Not sure yet.  

    Im replacing a JVC mini DVD camera (model: GR DVL820EA) which has served us well for many years and would like to get something smaller (so it gets taken with us more often)

    An hour in Dick Smith Powerhouse "did my head-in" with so many options and features.  Tape, DVD, HDD, SD card are all options for output as is 4:3 or 16:9(crop) or "true 16:9" etc etc.  Ticket prices ranged from $500-$2500 on the shop floor and Im sure the sky is the limit (if your pocket can handle it).

    The 40GB HDD JVC Everio 3CCD looked cute but at $1800 is sort of on the high side of what I could/should spend.  

    Sony had a 1CCD one with a 60GB HDD for circa $1500

    Could get any variety of record to mini DVD cameras for $1000

    And if it writes to miniDV tape you can get a mile of choices for around $700

    The picture below is a Sanyo gizmo (from the web) that writes to SD cards (which are cheap now) and is very small and I assume has great battery life due to the lack of moving parts.  A 1GB SD is around the price of a mini-DV tape and a whole lot smaler in your pocket so to carry a pile of cards would be no drama.

    So anyway... the real question is are there any CSrs who have a current model video camera and can offer-up some tips on what is good or bad?




  • #2
    Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

    I use the JVC a bit filming a friend on tracks days and races and its very nice to use and looks to give a good picture

    those SD card things arent worth the plastic they are punched out of, how much video and what quality does 1gig give you? could be as low as 15mins to get good quality so cost of cards gets pretty dear if you want to match the capacity of a HDD model

    I would go with anything that can transfer the video to your pc easily, gives enough minutes to film what you will need to film and feels good in your hand

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

      Youd get better quality pictures, Andy with that 3CCD camera over the 1CCD, I should think. In regards to that, I guess you need to decide what you will be filming and how important you place quality of picture over price.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

        A few reviews here...

        http://www.pcauthority.com.au/review.aspx?CIaRCID=36

        But youre right Andy, so much information and Jargon.. even for an IT guy like me... :

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

          3CCD explained

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3CCD

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

            Having used a video camera with a DV tape for the last few years I have concluded that my next one will have a hard drive (or maybe flash if the memory is big enough). Transferring DV tape across to the laptop to create a DVD of home movies is a pain and slow. It would be nice to be able to work directly off the cameras HD to burn the videos as it will save heaps of time. Copying from a HD to the laptops HD would also be much quicker. At the moment it takes an hour to copy 1 hour of DV tape across.

            Remember that 1 hour of DV tape will take up about 4 gb of hard drive to convert across at max resolution. Therefore I would assume that if you want to record at the best resolution then you would have to have at least 4gb of memory in the camera for every 1 hr of recording.

            I also have my eye on the JVCs. Also watching in a 16:9 format is nice, you seem to be able to capture so much more of what is happening.

            My 1c worth

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

              Andy,

              Welcome to CameraSnobs - the CoffeeSnobs for camera users ;D.... and just like the choices for newbies with coffee equipment the world of electronics is no less confusing..... so in Coffee terms!

              3CCD vs 1 CCD is like trying to blend coffee (of the same bean variety) at three different roast levels.... preroast is 1CCD and post roast is 3CCD..... the post roast will give far better results!

              Those cameras with memory cards are like the Euro coffee machines on Evilbay (do I need to say more) and the rest vary between a Silvia and a Synesso..... and just like those coffee machines you need to match your requirements to the "features" of each camera. What is overkill for some ( a two group commercial machine for home use? ;D ;D ;D) is essential for others.

              Id go to a direct to DVD recorder... with whatever features are needed.... any reputable brand... and if high quality images are the go.... 3CCD. And 16:9 is the standard for digital TV.... which shortly will be the only sets available.... so yep, that as well.

              Hope that helps...

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

                Tape reliability over HHD ??? This alone is worth discussion within the context of this thread...

                While I agree a HHD would be "faster"... reliability of HHD this size (physically) would be my concern... After your 12months warrantee passes, I wonder what a HHD replacement cost is... it would be an eye opener.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

                  JavaB is right... and perhaps DVD-RAM capable so you can rewrite on the same disk 100,000 times!

                  Where as the DVD RW+- can only do 1000 rewrites... and isnt as reliable... but the DVD+RW is the better of the 2, behind DVDRAM

                  DVD-RAM is used in IBM UNIX AIX environments for Backups...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

                    Originally posted by marcstolk link=1180451586/0#7 date=1180482447
                    While I agree a HHD would be "faster"... reliability of HHD this size (physically) would be my concern... After your 12months warrantee passes, I wonder what a HHD replacement cost is... it would be an eye opener.
                    Yep, that would be a worry.... but cameras today have a life of about a year

                    New features (higher megapixel CCDs, ability to work at lower light levels and faster "shutter" speeds for smoother action shots), greater zoom range, better recording media, on camera editing etc make a 1 year old camera (or pretty well any piece of electronic equipment) obsolete after about a year.... and try to get service on something a year + old..... if you are willing to pay Mega dollars... and you will need to be fortunate - spares are still available.

                    My sister in law has an 18 Month old, several thousand dollar "wide screen" TV. She took out the extended 4 year warranty..... it failed only to be told - "Read the small print - subject to parts availability"...... and as the part was no longer manufactured / available - chuck the TV!!!

                    Mmmmm

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

                      just to put in my opinion - I would go for a Canon or Panasonic, both make good digital cameras. Decide the budget and then get the best deal for the money.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

                        JavaB,

                        You are quite correct indeed... Its not fair is it? Spend $1000, and next year its too old and obsolete... Even Laptops have a good 3-4 year life now with good specs....

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please


                          Wow thats for all the replies. I knew I was at the right forum.



                          I would go with anything that can transfer the video to your pc easily, gives enough minutes to film what you will need to film and feels good in your hand
                          All great points. Transfer is important.

                          I guess you need to decide what you will be filming and how important you place quality of picture over price.
                          Hmmm... pictures of our kids growing up mostly... how important is that? I guess the quality is not "that" important, just having some footage of their childhood is and I hate spending too long behind the viewfinder.

                          The JVC we have was great 5 years ago and is still "the bomb" for on the fly firewire conversion of VHS tapes (far better than any PC video capture card I have seen) but the batteries all need replacing, the white balance is dodgy (did someone point it at the sun maybe???) and the size of it means that we rarely take it anywhere.

                          All the current video cameras are small enough for Paulas handbag so we will actually use it more often (in theory).

                          But youre right Andy, so much information and Jargon.. even for an IT guy like me...
                          I understand nearly all the terminology but struggle sorting which of the features I will ever need. Thanks for the links Marc, some interesting comments in the couple of reviews I just skimmed... Ill read some more soon)

                          I have concluded that my next one will have a hard drive (or maybe flash if the memory is big enough).
                          For sure Matt. I thought the same but the flash memory ones seem too new and the HDD ones are only just out of beta really.

                          I know what you mean about the data transfer sppeds, I have a half a draw full of DV tapes that need transfer/editing and cannot see me having the spare time to blow anytime soon.

                          Id go to a direct to DVD recorder... with whatever features are needed.... any reputable brand... and if high quality images are the go.... 3CCD. And 16:9 is the standard for digital TV.... which shortly will be the only sets available.... so yep, that as well.
                          I guess those mini DVDs will stack well in the DV-tape draw too

                          16:9 makes sense although I still have a 4:3 screen and it wont get changed in the next few years unless the smoke gets let out.

                          Im curious how durable the DVD drives are for these though and the startup-shutdown times for the couple that I fiddled with were slow and the streaming data rate means that while they work ok they will never keep up with the HDD or memory cameras in resoluttion stakes (which may/may not be important). Still a neat concept.


                          I would go for a Canon or Panasonic, both make good digital cameras. Decide the budget and then get the best deal for the money
                          I used to have Canon still gear (and liked it) and I have had a couple of verbal recommendations for the Panasonic video gear as having great built quality, menus, image quality etc

                          While I agree a HHD would be "faster"... reliability of HHD this size (physically) would be my concern
                          Me too. I see far too many dead HDDs to feel warm and fuzzy that the data would always be safe.

                          Spend $1000, and next year its too old and obsolete...
                          {Cringe}


                          Thanks for all the tips and thoughts.

                          Currently I think Im leaning towards a cheaper one in the range and wait for the memory cameras to become the norm.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

                            My 2 bobs worth.
                            I do a lot of video and photographic work and while I use equipment well outside of what is being discussed here I have a couple of suggestions.
                            For sure whatever you buy today isnt going to be anywhere near current in 12 months so Id suggest you loom at the middle of the road pricing say at aroung the$1K mark and possibly turn it over on evil bay in 12 months...

                            SD cards.....as previously in the thread - forget them

                            1CCD Vs 3CCD......well if there is a 3CCD in the price range you REALLY want to spend then go that direction.

                            DVD drives inbuilt - streaming rates arent that great, hence there is a bit of reliability issues around them.

                            HDD drives could be the go but arent so great if the unit gets a great hammering ie rough treatment..

                            16:9 even if you dont have a 16:9 TV screen go for it as you never know what you might end up in a few months.......

                            Personally id stick with the miniDV tape format. It is versatile, pretty small, low cost, reliable and even if you only use them once cheap as chips.

                            Probably put a few dollars into better post processing software to obtain a better final quality image.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Video Camera -  Suggestions please

                              Redundancy in a HHD is non existent...but there is in DVD/\/Tape ;-)

                              Although you can get HHD and DVD combined units... thats an option...

                              Yep, I see dead HHD almost 2 times a week... and thats in PCs....

                              Comment

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