Q. I need a camcorder that does the following things:
1.) portable
2.) could recorder good quality videos while running
3.) smallish
4.) hd
5.) comes in different colors
6.) not that expensive
besides the flip camcorder
A. Flip Ultra Camcorder 2nd Generation, 120 Minutes (Black)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0023B14U4?tag=dcmb-20
Review:I bought family members first generation Flips some time ago, and they were so impressed by their simplicity and convenience that I had to get one for myself. I justified it by explaining to my wife that it would make Amazon reviews so much easier (I haven't once used it in that way), but really I saw it as a new toy. Sometimes less is more, and that certainly seems to hold true in the camcorder world -- at least as far as the Flip is concerned. While there are certainly bigger, better, and far more professional solutions about, the real value to the Flip is that it can go with you anywhere, and you can forget all about it until a shooting situation comes up. We've used ours to record press conferences, and post the same online for others to see. We've created our own virtual tours of homes we were interested in. We sent it to Princeton for my grandfather's 65th reunion, so I could at least enjoy the festivities from a distance. We've used it far more often than we ever imagined we really would, and it's proven to be as much a real tool as a novelty. That you can hand it to someone who has never seen it before, and instruction can be limited to "on/off here, start/stop recording there," means that it's near universally accessible, and fun even for those who might otherwise be somewhat technologically averse.
I grabbed the 2d gen Ultra because I wanted the additional storage space. What I didn't expect was to enjoy a larger view screen, a better (by my eye) on/off toggle (a simple push button, rather than a slide), higher quality audio, and a number of functional enhancements on the software side, such as mass delete with confirm.
Curiously, I no longer seem to be able to just pull the .avi files from the Flip into the Movie Maker software that comes bundled with Windows Vista, but I'm not prepared to actually complain about that fact, as it may be as easy as saving them in another format before pulling them in. If someone else has a meaningful solution here, I'd love to hear it.
That aside, I'd be hard pressed to come up with a single complaint about this generation of the Flip. Unlike hauling around a 'real' camera or camcorder, you can toss this one in your pocket and forget all about it until you need or want it. You can teach others to use it in under 30 seconds. Uploading to services like Youtube is easy even for those who have never done it before, with or without the software bundled in the camera itself. I couldn't be happier that I took the leap from the basic first generation to the Ultra 2nd.
What camcorder would be suitable for producing wedding videos?
Q. I have looked around and don't believe i need a 'pro' level camera, i do plan to start a Business filming wedding videos, as long as the camcorder is hd and not a cheap rip off how good would the picture quality be?
Names of cameras please guys?
Thanks
Video student - I have worked within massive company's im not what you would call an amateur, just wanted other peoples opinions on the matter.
A. The very least I'd even think about going with is something with a relatively good lens, good manual controls, and controllable audio inputs. I've thought about using, for example, something like a Canon HV40 as a second or backup camera on paid gigs, but that's as low as I'd even consider going. Even then, I take my HV30 along as a "use in an emergency only!" backup on paid shoots I use my DVX100B on.
A consumer camera will leave you shorthanded in many ways - it will auto-focus at times when you do not want to change focus. It will leave you scrambling to find light, anywhere, to avoid grainy video. It will leave you trying to figure out what to do about audio - you WILL need some form of external mixing or recording if you go this route - there just aren't enough audio options on consumer cameras. Make sure your clients know EXACTLY what they will be getting from you, and make sure that they're comfortable with that.
If you're shooting HD, factor in the costs of the Blu-Ray burner and discs, as that's how you're delivering video to clients, right? If you're not mastering in HD, you might as well go with a really good standard-definition camera like the DVX100B, or even a GL2 if you're really budget-strapped, and output to DVD. You can get a solid entry-level pro standard definition camera for a MUCH better price than any solid entry-level pro HD camera that doesn't compress the heck out of the video - and therefore, your video quality will actually improve! I'll take DV from a DVX100B over "HD" from any handheld consumer camera any day, with VERY few exceptions.
On a wedding, I NEED control over my image - this means iris, white balance, and especially manual focus. I NEED a relatively large lens for decent low-light performance. I NEED good audio (absolutely critical!) - this means direct pickup from the couple at the ceremony, whether a wireless microphone or some other direct feed. Any combination of equipment that doesn't meet those needs is useless to me, and more importantly, it's useless to the celebrating couple. You'll find that just about every camera that is lower than the entry-level pro threshold will fall into this category.
To make some money, you have to spend some. If all else fails, consider renting or borrowing pro equipment. Or, buy demo or refurbished pro equipment - my demo DVX100B has been a workhorse of an entry-level pro camera through my entry into the world of video. Big retailers like B&H do this, as well as lesser known ones like Omega Broadcast in Austin, TX.
Explore all your options, and resist the urge to cut corners in places where your quality will suffer. With all due respect, sacrificing quality is an amateur move, and not one to be taken lightly - it's certainly not one that people who pay you will take lightly. Do not settle for a camera that will cripple the skills you have acquired in preparing to go out on your own.
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