Q. I am looking to buy an hd camcorder (possibly a Canon Vixia HF100). One of the main uses will be for recording entire baseball games (2+ hours). Can a flash memory camcorder record that long continuously?
Also, the TV and the camcorder will be the only HD things I have (I have a regular DVD player and I don't know if I need a special computer to edit or burn hd dvds, I currently have a Dell Inspiron 530S)
Ideally I would like to put the flash card in my computer and burn a dvd, after editing. Will that be easy to do? I am not real techno saavy but can figure most things out if it isn't too difficult.
Can most HD camcorders also record in SD if necessary?
Also, the TV and the camcorder will be the only HD things I have (I have a regular DVD player and I don't know if I need a special computer to edit or burn hd dvds, I currently have a Dell Inspiron 530S)
Ideally I would like to put the flash card in my computer and burn a dvd, after editing. Will that be easy to do? I am not real techno saavy but can figure most things out if it isn't too difficult.
Can most HD camcorders also record in SD if necessary?
A. To answer your questions directly:
Can a flash memory camcorder record that long continuously?
You have two gating factors: The amount of memory and the battery. Go to the Canon site - and to the HF100's product page. Downolad the camcorder's manual. In there will be two tables to handle your question. The memory card size and video qulaity will determine whether there is enough storage for the whol game. If a memory card fills, put in a blank. There are available optional high capacity batteries available from Canon. When battery loses power, take it out and put in a charged one.
Also, the TV and the camcorder will be the only HD things I have (I have a regular DVD player and I don't know if I need a special computer to edit or burn hd dvds, I currently have a Dell Inspiron 530S)
Ideally I would like to put the flash card in my computer and burn a dvd, after editing. Will that be easy to do?
"Easy" is a relative term. Consumer flash memory and hard disc recorders record to a VERY highly compressed AVCHD (MTS file type) video format. Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere float to the top for editing AVCHD video. You would be wise to visit those manufacturer's sites to determin if your computer meets or exceeds the requirements for AVCHD video work. High definition video is EXTREMELY demanding of RAM (2 gig minimum - 4 gig is WAY better), available hard drive space (external drive for the video project files) and requires a pretty powerful CPU (multi-core is definitely better)MovieMaker cannot deal with AVCHD files. Once the video is in the computer's video editor, you can select various out put formats for rendering. This could be burning AVCHD files to disc for BluRay or PS3 playback or downsampling to a standard definiiton DVD for regular DVD player playback... or even a computer file for uploading. There is no single "universal" file type for all methods of playback.
Can most HD camcorders also record in SD if necessary?
It depends - A year ago, consumer flash memory or hard disc camcorders recorded stabdard definition is very highly compressed MPEG2 files and high definition in even more compressed AVCHD files. More recently, and in the case of the HF100, the file "container" is always MTS - just more - or less compression is applied to the data stream. More compression = discarded data = reduced video quality. So they don't exactly "record in SD" anymore - just reduced quality versions of high definition.
You should be aware that miniDV tape continues to apply the LEAST amount of compression (resulting in best available video quality) when saving to either DV or HDV. As well, form a storage perspective at around $3 per 60 minute miniDV tape, it is the least expensive $ per gig when compared to all the other currently available consumer video storage mechanisms. A single 60 minute, regular, miniDV tape will hold up to 63 minutes of HDV format video. Carry extra blanks to more than cover the game. Of course, this means your computer needs a firewire port for video importing to a video editor capable of handling HDV. BUT all HDV camcorders can also record in standard definition DV format. And after the high definition disc is burned and the standard definition disc is burned and the computer file is rendered, you can export the video back to the camcorder - and use the camcorder as a playback deck so you can watch the final project on an HDTV without having to get a BluRay player or PS3... Plus, from a long tern "archive" perspective, miniDV tape is an "acceptable" archive method when the tapes are stored in a cool, dry, place. And it continues to be the media of choice for the pros (if you like Canon, check the XH series and XLH series; for Sony, check the HVR series and for JVC, refer to the GY series. I have yet to see any "pros" using any sort of AVCHD camcorder.
The Canon HV30/HV40 and the Sony HDR-HC9 would be in the same "family" as the HF100.
Which ever you choose, make an effort to use a higher shutter speed than the default 1/60 second. This will work best during well lit games - the slow motion feature in consumer video editors will provide much sharper reply or even useful/clearer frame grabs for stills. Suggest 1/500 or 1/1000 second (or more) if possible.
Can a flash memory camcorder record that long continuously?
You have two gating factors: The amount of memory and the battery. Go to the Canon site - and to the HF100's product page. Downolad the camcorder's manual. In there will be two tables to handle your question. The memory card size and video qulaity will determine whether there is enough storage for the whol game. If a memory card fills, put in a blank. There are available optional high capacity batteries available from Canon. When battery loses power, take it out and put in a charged one.
Also, the TV and the camcorder will be the only HD things I have (I have a regular DVD player and I don't know if I need a special computer to edit or burn hd dvds, I currently have a Dell Inspiron 530S)
Ideally I would like to put the flash card in my computer and burn a dvd, after editing. Will that be easy to do?
"Easy" is a relative term. Consumer flash memory and hard disc recorders record to a VERY highly compressed AVCHD (MTS file type) video format. Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere float to the top for editing AVCHD video. You would be wise to visit those manufacturer's sites to determin if your computer meets or exceeds the requirements for AVCHD video work. High definition video is EXTREMELY demanding of RAM (2 gig minimum - 4 gig is WAY better), available hard drive space (external drive for the video project files) and requires a pretty powerful CPU (multi-core is definitely better)MovieMaker cannot deal with AVCHD files. Once the video is in the computer's video editor, you can select various out put formats for rendering. This could be burning AVCHD files to disc for BluRay or PS3 playback or downsampling to a standard definiiton DVD for regular DVD player playback... or even a computer file for uploading. There is no single "universal" file type for all methods of playback.
Can most HD camcorders also record in SD if necessary?
It depends - A year ago, consumer flash memory or hard disc camcorders recorded stabdard definition is very highly compressed MPEG2 files and high definition in even more compressed AVCHD files. More recently, and in the case of the HF100, the file "container" is always MTS - just more - or less compression is applied to the data stream. More compression = discarded data = reduced video quality. So they don't exactly "record in SD" anymore - just reduced quality versions of high definition.
You should be aware that miniDV tape continues to apply the LEAST amount of compression (resulting in best available video quality) when saving to either DV or HDV. As well, form a storage perspective at around $3 per 60 minute miniDV tape, it is the least expensive $ per gig when compared to all the other currently available consumer video storage mechanisms. A single 60 minute, regular, miniDV tape will hold up to 63 minutes of HDV format video. Carry extra blanks to more than cover the game. Of course, this means your computer needs a firewire port for video importing to a video editor capable of handling HDV. BUT all HDV camcorders can also record in standard definition DV format. And after the high definition disc is burned and the standard definition disc is burned and the computer file is rendered, you can export the video back to the camcorder - and use the camcorder as a playback deck so you can watch the final project on an HDTV without having to get a BluRay player or PS3... Plus, from a long tern "archive" perspective, miniDV tape is an "acceptable" archive method when the tapes are stored in a cool, dry, place. And it continues to be the media of choice for the pros (if you like Canon, check the XH series and XLH series; for Sony, check the HVR series and for JVC, refer to the GY series. I have yet to see any "pros" using any sort of AVCHD camcorder.
The Canon HV30/HV40 and the Sony HDR-HC9 would be in the same "family" as the HF100.
Which ever you choose, make an effort to use a higher shutter speed than the default 1/60 second. This will work best during well lit games - the slow motion feature in consumer video editors will provide much sharper reply or even useful/clearer frame grabs for stills. Suggest 1/500 or 1/1000 second (or more) if possible.
What is the best high definition camcorder to buy?
Q. I looked up a couple cameras and read that a Canon HV20 mini DV/HDV high definition camcorder was good. I want a small camera like that, but is there one that will have a better picture, better audio, better anything???
A. Be careful about asking about the "best high definition camcorder" without qualification, or some joker's likely to point you at a CineAlta or The Red One or something (though technically, these are video cameras, not camcorders).
But back to your question. I would claim the Canon HV20 was certainly among the best consumer-priced (under $1000) HD camcorders, at least until recently. From Canon themselves, they've replaced it with the Vixia HV30, which is a minor improvement. The HV30 uses the same sensor as the HV20 (and the HV10... I have one of those), but adds a 30P mode on top of the previous 60i and 24P modes, and perhaps some other refinements. You certainly can't go wrong with the HV20 or HV30.
As far as quality goes, that's a valid question, but ultimately, it's not going to be a huge difference. Can you get better audio than an HV30? Sure.. .use any old DV camcorder... DV records audio uncompressed (16-bits, 48kHz), while HDV used MPEG Layer 2 audio compression.. but at a fairly high bitrate. Your best bet on improving audio will be to get an external microphone.. the ones built-in range from poor to bad to downright evil (on some camcorders you can actually pick up motor noise with your built-in mic, though I don't believe that's true of the HV20 or HV30).
For video quality... maybe, but it depends a bit. Until recently, HDV was without question the best quality HD recording medium available to consumers. And there are good reasons to reject other media anyway: Hard drive cameras can be fragile and power hungry, DVD based camcorders only record 20 minutes per DVD in the best quality mode, and even at that, their best quality mode is lower than on other formats. And flash memory was too small and too pricey.
Well, today, I claim you can actually get better video on the very latest AVCHD flash-based camcorders, at least some of the time. AVC was chosen over MPEG-2 for these camcorders (HDV uses MPEG-2 compression) because, ideally, it can give you the same quality as MPEG-2 at 1/2 to 1/3 the bitrate. In practice, though, while this is certainly true of commercial, non-realtime encoders used to make Blu-Ray discs, it has not been true of the on-chip encoders used in consumer camcorders.
But time has passed... the AVCHD algorithms have improved, and some newer models allow higher bitrates. Canon is supporting 24Mb/s in their new models, and full 1920x1080 recording. HDV is 25Mb/s MPEG-2 at 1440x1080, while most sensors in both camera types are 1920x1080... so there's more resolution and no loss from resampling in the flash-based models.
As well, flash memory cards are in price free-fall.. I saw a 16GB SDHC card on sale the other day for $19... I pay about $8 for an 83min pro-class HDV tape... also a 16GB item. So flash, being reusable, is actually going to cheaper these days than tape in the short term.
I would only look at the latest flash-based camcorders as alternatives to tape. Read the reviews, check things like low-light performances, look for 24P support if you're into film-look (or film school), 30P is also a nice option if you do on-line video. I would consider the Canon Vixia HF11 or the new HF S10 or the Panasonic HDC-TM300.
It's up to your.. tape IS still quite fine; both of my HD camcorders are HDV. However, if I added another today, it would probably be a flash-based model.
But back to your question. I would claim the Canon HV20 was certainly among the best consumer-priced (under $1000) HD camcorders, at least until recently. From Canon themselves, they've replaced it with the Vixia HV30, which is a minor improvement. The HV30 uses the same sensor as the HV20 (and the HV10... I have one of those), but adds a 30P mode on top of the previous 60i and 24P modes, and perhaps some other refinements. You certainly can't go wrong with the HV20 or HV30.
As far as quality goes, that's a valid question, but ultimately, it's not going to be a huge difference. Can you get better audio than an HV30? Sure.. .use any old DV camcorder... DV records audio uncompressed (16-bits, 48kHz), while HDV used MPEG Layer 2 audio compression.. but at a fairly high bitrate. Your best bet on improving audio will be to get an external microphone.. the ones built-in range from poor to bad to downright evil (on some camcorders you can actually pick up motor noise with your built-in mic, though I don't believe that's true of the HV20 or HV30).
For video quality... maybe, but it depends a bit. Until recently, HDV was without question the best quality HD recording medium available to consumers. And there are good reasons to reject other media anyway: Hard drive cameras can be fragile and power hungry, DVD based camcorders only record 20 minutes per DVD in the best quality mode, and even at that, their best quality mode is lower than on other formats. And flash memory was too small and too pricey.
Well, today, I claim you can actually get better video on the very latest AVCHD flash-based camcorders, at least some of the time. AVC was chosen over MPEG-2 for these camcorders (HDV uses MPEG-2 compression) because, ideally, it can give you the same quality as MPEG-2 at 1/2 to 1/3 the bitrate. In practice, though, while this is certainly true of commercial, non-realtime encoders used to make Blu-Ray discs, it has not been true of the on-chip encoders used in consumer camcorders.
But time has passed... the AVCHD algorithms have improved, and some newer models allow higher bitrates. Canon is supporting 24Mb/s in their new models, and full 1920x1080 recording. HDV is 25Mb/s MPEG-2 at 1440x1080, while most sensors in both camera types are 1920x1080... so there's more resolution and no loss from resampling in the flash-based models.
As well, flash memory cards are in price free-fall.. I saw a 16GB SDHC card on sale the other day for $19... I pay about $8 for an 83min pro-class HDV tape... also a 16GB item. So flash, being reusable, is actually going to cheaper these days than tape in the short term.
I would only look at the latest flash-based camcorders as alternatives to tape. Read the reviews, check things like low-light performances, look for 24P support if you're into film-look (or film school), 30P is also a nice option if you do on-line video. I would consider the Canon Vixia HF11 or the new HF S10 or the Panasonic HDC-TM300.
It's up to your.. tape IS still quite fine; both of my HD camcorders are HDV. However, if I added another today, it would probably be a flash-based model.
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