Digital Camcorders?

Q. I want to buy a digital camcorder to take ski videos, videos for school projects, and anything else. I need a camcorder that is not too hard to use, has good editing, and is pretty durable. I want to try ans stay under $400 as well. If anyone could also help explain to me the differences of the different types and capabilities of the digital camcorders, that would be great as well.

A. The BEST camcorders will be those cameras which:

1) store their captured video with the least amount of compression.

2) have an easy video archive process so you don't have an extra step.

3) have an external mic jack so you can connect external mics.

4) have manual audio control, exposure/iris, zoom and focus - but also can go auto while you are learning to use the camera.

When you start looking you will find miniDV tape based camcorders will meet all of these requirements. Hard drive, flash memory and DVD based camcorders cannot meet these requirements.

DO NOT BUY A DVD BASED CAMCORDER.

Canon ZR950, ZR800
Sony DCR-HC28, HC96
Panasonic PV-GS320

Original Question

Whats can cheap HD Camcorder with shotgun mic?

Q. Im looking for something that has great video quality for outdoor and maybe sometimes indoor but mostly outdoor recording. I want it to have an Shotgun mic because the Audio is an must. (Im willing to buy shotgun mic separate).

A. being able to plug in the mic is one thing - you will also want manual audio control.

The Canon HV30 is the least expensive with both a mic jack and manual audio control. But the mic jack is only a 1/8" stereo jack and dcect shotgun mics use XLR connectors. So you will also need an XLR adapter like those from juicedLink or BeachTek. If you don't get one, then you will probably record the audio only on the right audio channel because affordable shotgun mics are not stereo. This can be fixed when you edit with something like Audacity.

For outdoor recording, you will also need a "zeppelin" or "dead cat" or "softie" on the mic to there is little/no wind noise. The foam windscreens don't work to well.

Low end shotgun mics from NRG Research (SA-568) and Audio Technica are OK - but nowhere near the qaulity of the high end Audio Technica or Sennheiser shotgun mics...

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What camcorders have great audio but qre of a low price?

Q. Hey, I've been looking for a good camcorder to make YouTube videos. I want to sing, play guitar, piano, all of that. But the cameras that I've been told to try out usually have this scratchy and muffled sound added to my voice. And other cameras are just not in my price range (I'd pay no more than $200 for a camera).
I'm no expert on cameras so please, please help! Thanks.

A. HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras interpolate the video, which means of every 25 frames of video, 4 or 5 frames are taken by the lens assembly; the other frames in between these are filled in by the camcorder inner circuitry, thus giving you not true video. It looks like this -one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, from front to back of the video. Near impossible to edit, even when you have the Multi port processor computer with the big 1GB Graphics card and a Sound card that is required to edit, view, watch and work with the files these camcorders produce.

Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras have 4 problems. 1) Blurry, fuzzy, out of focus areas closely around people in videos taken by consumer level HD camcorders. 2) Any movement, even a wave or lifting an arm, while in front of a recording Consumer Level HD Camcorder and DSLR Cameras, results in screen ghosts and artifacts being left on the video track, following the movement. Makes for bad video, sports videos are unwatchable. 3) These Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras all have a habit of the transferred to computer files are something you need to convert, thus losing your HD quality, to work with your editing software. 4) Mandatory maximum record times - 1 hour, 30 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes – four different times advertised as maximum record time for some Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras. No event I have ever been to is that short. Either take multiple camcorders and DSLR Cameras or pack up with out getting the end of the event on video.

MiniDV is currently the most popular format for consumer digital camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are typically more affordable than their HDD and DVD counterparts. Each MiniDV tape will typically hold an hour of footage at normal recording speed and quality. MiniDV tapes are available for purchase at not only electronic and camera stores, but also at drugs stores and grocery stores, making them easy to find while your on vacation. There are literally hundreds of MiniDV camcorders available; both in standard and high-definition. And add the fact that to get a HD camcorder that could produce better video quality footage, one would have to spend in excess of $3500 for that camcorder that could produce higher quality video

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm

http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/camcorders/consumer_camcorders/vixia_hv40#Overview

Original Question

What do you like about your digital video camera?

Q. Looking to purchase a digital video camera for general home use. I want it to have great zoom for capturing wildlife, great audio capture and HD video. I want my video productions to be as close to professional as possible from my camera recordings.

What camera do you use & why?
What do you like about it?
What don't you like about it?
How user friendly is your camera?
How computer compatible?
What camera do you recommend?

A. I got a JVC Everio Camcorder (can't remember the product code) and its reasonably priced. For under $200, I considered it a wise investment.

What I like about it is it has 30GB internal memory, so I don't have to pack extra tapes or discs. 30gig is big enough .. at least for me.

What don't I like? Nothing .. for me, its perfect in every sense. It suits my needs in taking stills and videos. I'm having fun with it.

How user-friendly ? Very user-friendly. Small, compact .. like the saying goes "Small but Terrible" its not a hassle when you have to move into a crowd .. so small yet so powerful and very efficient.

How computer compatible .. Very compatible .. all I do is plug and play .. and I get my videos transferred to my computer and either edit the vids or burn them into discs. Never had a problem. I guess I got lucky.

What camera for recommendation? A JVC Everio, of course, since I own one. However, its still up to you, since you're the one buying and when you do, consider all the aspects of the product and make sure it suits your needs first.

Good luck with your purchase and hope you get a good one.

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How can i get great audio for my videos?

Q. My camcorder has no audio input jack, and i would really like to use an external mic to get great audio for my movies. How can i do this?

A. you could do it the old-fashioned way and just have two separate devices, one for video and one for audio. other than that i cant really think of anything

Original Question

What camcorders have great audio but qre of a low price?

Q. Hey, I've been looking for a good camcorder to make YouTube videos. I want to sing, play guitar, piano, all of that. But the cameras that I've been told to try out usually have this scratchy and muffled sound added to my voice. And other cameras are just not in my price range (I'd pay no more than $200 for a camera).
I'm no expert on cameras so please, please help! Thanks.

A. HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras interpolate the video, which means of every 25 frames of video, 4 or 5 frames are taken by the lens assembly; the other frames in between these are filled in by the camcorder inner circuitry, thus giving you not true video. It looks like this -one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, from front to back of the video. Near impossible to edit, even when you have the Multi port processor computer with the big 1GB Graphics card and a Sound card that is required to edit, view, watch and work with the files these camcorders produce.

Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras have 4 problems. 1) Blurry, fuzzy, out of focus areas closely around people in videos taken by consumer level HD camcorders. 2) Any movement, even a wave or lifting an arm, while in front of a recording Consumer Level HD Camcorder and DSLR Cameras, results in screen ghosts and artifacts being left on the video track, following the movement. Makes for bad video, sports videos are unwatchable. 3) These Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras all have a habit of the transferred to computer files are something you need to convert, thus losing your HD quality, to work with your editing software. 4) Mandatory maximum record times - 1 hour, 30 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes – four different times advertised as maximum record time for some Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras. No event I have ever been to is that short. Either take multiple camcorders and DSLR Cameras or pack up with out getting the end of the event on video.

MiniDV is currently the most popular format for consumer digital camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are typically more affordable than their HDD and DVD counterparts. Each MiniDV tape will typically hold an hour of footage at normal recording speed and quality. MiniDV tapes are available for purchase at not only electronic and camera stores, but also at drugs stores and grocery stores, making them easy to find while your on vacation. There are literally hundreds of MiniDV camcorders available; both in standard and high-definition. And add the fact that to get a HD camcorder that could produce better video quality footage, one would have to spend in excess of $3500 for that camcorder that could produce higher quality video

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm

http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/camcorders/consumer_camcorders/vixia_hv40#Overview

Original Question

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What do you like about your digital video camera?

Q. Looking to purchase a digital video camera for general home use. I want it to have great zoom for capturing wildlife, great audio capture and HD video. I want my video productions to be as close to professional as possible from my camera recordings.

What camera do you use & why?
What do you like about it?
What don't you like about it?
How user friendly is your camera?
How computer compatible?
What camera do you recommend?

A. I got a JVC Everio Camcorder (can't remember the product code) and its reasonably priced. For under $200, I considered it a wise investment.

What I like about it is it has 30GB internal memory, so I don't have to pack extra tapes or discs. 30gig is big enough .. at least for me.

What don't I like? Nothing .. for me, its perfect in every sense. It suits my needs in taking stills and videos. I'm having fun with it.

How user-friendly ? Very user-friendly. Small, compact .. like the saying goes "Small but Terrible" its not a hassle when you have to move into a crowd .. so small yet so powerful and very efficient.

How computer compatible .. Very compatible .. all I do is plug and play .. and I get my videos transferred to my computer and either edit the vids or burn them into discs. Never had a problem. I guess I got lucky.

What camera for recommendation? A JVC Everio, of course, since I own one. However, its still up to you, since you're the one buying and when you do, consider all the aspects of the product and make sure it suits your needs first.

Good luck with your purchase and hope you get a good one.

Original Question

Im buying A camcorder and need to know the best typ for my needs mentioned?

Q. Ok guys, I really need some "specific" advice. I own a website that takes pictures and videos in nightclub environments and I have been starting to put more videos on the website. i eventually convert the video from whatever source to flash video and stream it on the site. i have been recently just using my point and shoot digital snapshot camera that has the video feature ( 640 by 480) to take the clips but OBVIOUSLY the video is horrible and the sound is even worse. what i really need is a small camcorder.
basically after i shoot the videos, i will have to transfer them to my pc and then ill eventually encode them to flash.

what is the best camera format for this need. mini dv? harddrive type? etc. i basically need a small camcorder that shoots great video and audio ( good with lo light) and is not killer expensive with the best format for editing later.. any specific models come to mind? also, do I really need HIGH-Def?

A. Get an HDD camcorder. if you are transferring it to the PC regularly, I'd highly recommend it.

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