I looking for a professional 3D camcorder under $800?

Q. My budget is extremely tight but I want a professional video camera under $800. Where can I possibly find that camcorder? My budget is up to $1000 but not more. Many thanks.

A. The only semi-professional 3D camcorder that I know under $800 is the Panasonic HDC-SDT750K, High Definition 3D Camcorder. The original value of this baby is normally $1400 but they have it on sale for $734 now.
The features include:
World's first 3D Shooting Camcorder*
Fulls HD 1080/60p Progressive Movie Recording
Advanced 3MOS System
Intelligent Auto
Hybrid OIS
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XREDVE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=digital-photography0a-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399353&creativeASIN=B003XREDVE

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Best HD camcorder for chromakey/greenscreen under $800?

Q. I need a good quality digital camcorder, it's main purpose will be for chromakey/greenscreen- church announcements, testimonies, etc. We may also use it for some live video shots. Thank you.

A. I would consider Canon VIXIA HF S200 Flash Memory Camcorder
* Records crisp high definition video directly to two removable SD memory cards
* Genuine Canon 10x HD Video Lens
* Canon 1/2.6" 8.59-Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor
* Canon DIGIC DV III Image Processor
* Dynamic SuperRange OIS corrects a full range of motion

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Best Camcorder under $800?

Q. What are some great camcorders under $800. Picture quality in high and low light is important. As well as HD, 1080p, is preferable.

A. Hi Alpha Threat,
I think Sony HDR-CX350V 32GB Flash Memory Handycam
Camcorder Kit - with Sony Movie Studio HD Software
Capture 1920 x 1080 Full HD videos and 7-megapixel still images to 32GB of embedded Flash memory. An "Exmor R" CMOS sensor delivers superior low-light performance
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RR0256?ie=UTF8&tag=digitsy-post3-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003RR0256

Original Question

Best hd camcorder under $800?

Q.

A. Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder have many usefull feature :
Genuine Canon 15x HD Video Lens
Canon Exclusive: 3.89-megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor
Canon Exclusive: DIGIC DV III Image Processor
1920 x 1080 Full HD Recording
24Mbps Recording
Canon Exclusive: SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization
Canon Exclusive: Instant AF (Auto Focus)
Canon Exclusive: Genuine Canon Face Detection
and more

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I need a good Nightvision hand held camcorder...?

Q. for under 800 and I don't mean the cheap color enhancement feature. I mean the really good quality night vision that is green and lets you see into nearly 0 light. Any Ideas?
also are there any new models for 08-09? Iv'e heard a lot about older dicontinued models but what about newer models with a hard drive or high def?

A. The only consumer camcorders with a built-in infrared emitter for zero-light monochrome video capture come from Sony. For under $800, that puts you in the DCR-HC62 standard definition miniDV tape camcorder.

I don't recommend hard disc drive camcorders because of their known porblems with high levels or prolonged vibration and high altitude - but they have the IR emitter too...

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Best camcorder for under 500?

Q. I would like a camcorder that has fairly nice picture quality. I don't mind if the camcorder has no sound or records in black and white. And I would like it to record for at least 40 minutes in a single take. Thank you.

A. Panasonic, Panasonic, Panasonic!

***And no, I am not a sales rep for Panasonic, I just believe they have the best products out there.***

If you want a serious camcorder not a piece of junk read this, but know that you will end up spending between $400-1000 for a "good" one.

***Remember, miniDV tape format is digital and any video you take with a miniDV camcorder you will be able to use on your computer (to edit and make movies), on your tv (to play back your video), and if you have a DVD recorder you will be able to make DVD's from the video you have on the tape and then the tape becomes reusable***

***I would recommend miniDV camcorders because for the price, what you can get is way better than what you can get with a DVD camcorder. And the tapes are pretty much comparable in price to the DVD's. The DVD camcorders are a newer technology and they haven't perfected everything yet. The only positive thing about the DVD camcorders is that you can get the video on your computer or on your DVR in a matter of seconds. With miniDV, it takes a little longer.***

Panasonic, Panasonic, Panasonic!

You should look for a camera that is similar to the one listed below. The Panasonic PV-GS300 is listed below and is a great camera for around $475. Other good Panasonic brand camcorders include the PV-GS320 and the PV-GS500 but the higher the model number, the higher the price.

�10x Optical Zoom and 700x Digital Zoom
�2.7� Widescreen LCD Display (123,000 pixels)
�3CCD (3 x 800,000 pixel, 1/6� CCD image sensors for best quality and clarity photos and video. The same kind of system used in professional broadcast cameras means crisp color reproduction, thanks to a separate CCD for reds, greens, and blues. (most camcorders just have 1CCD)
�Recording system NTSC
�SP and LP recording and playback modes (most MiniDV tapes are 60 minutes, but in LP you can record 90 minutes on these tapes)
�Video and Photos can be taken in 16:9 (widescreen) or 4:3 (regular)
�High-quality Lecia lens (37 mm)
�5 preprogrammed auto exposure modes for a variety of shooting options
�OIS (optical image stabilizer�minimizes shake and vibration distortion) This is a helpful tool, but if you want still images use a tripod.
�Soft skin detail mode (softens details to reduce skin imperfections when shooting close-ups)
�MagicPix (allows full color recording in low light)
�1-touch navigation with easy joystick control
�3.1 MP photos in Photo Mode with build in flash that can be turned on/off. Photo size is determined by what mode you have the camcorder set at. (video/photo and 16:9/4:3) In Video mode, the photos are smaller and quality is not as good as taking a photo in Photo mode.
o.2 MP photo size is 640 x 360
o.3 MP photo size is 640 x 480
o1 MP photo size is 1280 x 960
o2 MP photo size is 1600 x 1200
o2.4 MP photo size is 2048 x 1152
o3.1 MP photo size is 2048 x 1512
�Min shutter speed is 1/30 sec
�Max shutter speed is 1/8000sec
�Built in Stereo Microphone
�Stores photos on SD Memory Card (slot located on bottom of camera)
�Stores video on MiniDV Digital Tapes
�USB 2.0 and Firewire IEEE 1394 compliant
�DV, AV, external mic, and USB ports (the included AV cable has RCA and S-Video outputs)
�PictBridge (direct printing from camcorder)
�Includes MotionDV and Quick Movie Magic software

What�s in the box?

�PV-GS300 Camcorder
�RCA/S-Video cable
�AC cable
�Battery and charger
�Remote control
�Hand and shoulder strap
�USB 2.0 cable
�Software

What you will need to purchase.

�MiniDV Digital Video Tapes. Most stores sell these tapes between $7-10.00/tape! Check out eBay for good deals on tapes...you can probably find them for around $3.00/tape.
�Carrying case (Circuit City and Best Buy have a good selection, but expect to spend about $20.00.)
�Firewire (DV) cable. You don�t necessarily need this, but the quality is supposedly better when transferring tapes to DVD. I haven�t noticed any difference between the two and I prefer to use the included RCA cables with my DVD Recorder. If you have a laptop or desktop that has a firewire port this will come in handy...but note, a firewire cable is NOT included on most camcorders. You do, however, get a usb 2.0 cable that works just fine. Check out www.accstation.com for cheap, but great quality firewire cables. And if you have windows xp, you can use Windows Movie Maker to edit your videos. You shouldn't need to purchase any extra software.)

Stores and Prices

www.jr.com had it for under $475.00 (including shipping). Definitely check out this site. They offer great customer service, competitive prices, and fast/cheap shipping. They are located in New York and are a very reliable, trustworthy store.

�Circuit City�around $500.
�Best Buy�around $500.

Panasonic makes the best. If I were you, before you make an expensive purchase, do some research...look at customer reviews at www.camcorderinfo.com, www.bestbuy.com, www.circuitcity.com, or at any other review website. Most of those people that answer reviews do it for your benefit...they let you know if it is worth spending $500-1000+ for a certain product.

I have owned a JVC (miniDV), Sony (miniDV, DVD, and hard drive), and Panasonic (miniDV and hard drive) camcorders and I have to say that the Panasonic are the best. They have the best quality...best design...are the easiest to use...and are more durable than JVC and Sony. I use them for my business, which is why I have used and tested so many different kinds.

***PLEASE...go to the stores and try them out...don't make a purchase online without actually holding one and testing out its functions.

***And also be careful...if you do a google search to try and find a store that sells the camcorder that you are looking for, for the cheapest price...do some research and check out that store before you make your purchase. There are many great deals out there, but at what cost? A lot of places will advertise a cheap price but then will try to get you to buy more equipment for your camcorder that should already be in the box! WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS! I can't stress that enough.

GOOD LUCK!

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What is a good camera under $800 for making pro-like motocross movies? Best quality!?

Q. I need a camera that will take very great quality HD videos for a motocross movie that I will be selling. It needs to be under $800. THANKS
I'm making a motocross movie to sell in stores but the highest I can possibly go is $800. It needs to be compatible with Sony Vegas Pro and go into the computer through USB. Also, it has to be great with fast moving things, i.e. the bikes.

A. For the best quality I would suggest a Mini-dv camcorder but in your situation, you may be better off with a media card camcorder. I know the quality is not as good as a mini-dv camcorder but because of the huge amount of vibration the camera is going to be put through, I think a Mini-dv would spend more time being repaired, dust and vibration enemy of a camera. Forget HDD camcorders it will die very quickly, and a dvd camcorder does not even warrant a mention.

as for the model there are loads, its down to personal choice, and you need to find a camera that you are comfortable with. the best thing is to spend some time looking at some cameras, hold them get the feel for them. then make your decision.


Good luck

RR

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What's a good HD Camera for recording and achieving slow motion with?

Q. I need a good HD camera to record with that won't break the bank (preferably under $800, that possible?). I've heard time and time again that I should get a camera that records in 60i, then in post production I can slow it down to 24p. What camera are good for this?

A. You are mixing formats.

60i = 30 frames per second - this is standard NTSC frame rate. When you slow the video to about 14 frames per second, you will start to see poor "slow motion" results. It gets worse the slower you go. "Slowing" to 24 fps is an attempt to get a cinematic look/feel because this is what film based cameras record at. This is not a slow motion feature.

If you really want slow motion, then record a a fast frame rate. Some Sony consumer camcorders have "SmoothSlowRecord" that allows a few seconds burst of up to 120 frames per second so when the video is played back at normal speed (30 fps), it is truly slow motion. Some of the Casio Exilim DSCs can do faster than that.

If what you want is the 24 fps "cinematic look", then you need a camcorder that records at 24 fps. The Canon HV40 and many of the HF series camcorders do that. Some Sonys, too. But keep in mind that it is a lot of marketing hype that pushes that... If you REALLY want the 24 fps "film look", you REALLY need to be using a film camera - not digital video.

If you decide you really want to do the digital 24fps thing, be sure your video editor can deal with that and the "drop down" conversion issues - many cannot.

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What is the best camcorder for under $200, and what's the reason for such a price difference?

Q. I am looking for a camcorder that I can use for family functions. I don't need it to do anything fancy, and I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. I don't really understand the differences in most of these, and see some for under a hundred dollars, and some costing over four hundred. But I don't understand the difference! Any help would be appreciated...

A. A basic MiniDV camcorder should do the job just fine. Like a Canon ZR800 (or ZR500 if there's any still on the shelves). MiniDV is cheaper than either DVD or hard drive recorders, and has several advantages over those formats: the tapes are reusable, you can buy more if you run out while on vacation, and they record in the DV format which can be accurately edited frame-by-frame.

Some camcorders have 3 CCD sensors instead of one; that costs more, and should give a higher quality picture. Some camcorders may have better light sensitivity, which would pay off in better performance indoors or at night.

Now that HDTVs are becoming common, I think standard-definition camcorders are becoming obsolete, so I wouldn't spend any more money on one than you absolutely need to. There's some decent HD camcorders that record to MiniDV starting at around $800 (Canon HV20).

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What is the best camcorder/camera for low light situations?

Q. I plan on doing some YouTube videos in the future, but the problem is that my room is kinda dark, and my cellphone is terrible when it comes to dark areas. Are there any cameras for $200 or under for low light situations?
If not in my price range, anything not too expensive is fine.

A. Your question #1: What is the best camcorder/camera for low light situations?
Response: Any camcorder with a large lens diameter (to let light in to the camcorder/camera) and large imaging chip (to process what little light comes in through the lens when it is dark.

Your question #2: "Are there any cameras for $200 or under for low light situations?"
Response: No.

"not too expensive" means different things to different people.

Consumer grade camcorders start at the low end with small (less than 30mm) diameter lenses and small (less than 1/6") single imaging chip. As the price goes up, the lens diameters and imaging chips get larger. At around $400, the lens diameter is around 37mm and the imaging chips can get as large as 1/4". At around $800 the lens diameter is around 43mm and the imaging chips approach 1/3". At around $1,200 the lens diameter is around 58mm and the imaging chips are around 1/3". As you continue up the price spectrum to high-end consumer (sometimes called "prosumer") camcorders, $3,000 finds 72mm lens diameter with 3CCD or 3CMOS 1/3" imaging chip arrays - these do quite well under low-light conditions.

So... what can you do if you can't afford a camcorder/camera that can behave well under low light conditions? It depends what you are capturing to video, but one relatively easy way (assuming you will be editing the video with a half decent editor) is to add LOTS of light so your room is no longer dark - then, using your editor, make it look dark... This is call shooting "day for night".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MaC44MU4iw

When you go this route, use whatever camera/camcorder you want - and make the investment in lighting and a decent video editor - not a camera/camcorder. For $200, assuming your computer has a fast CPU, 4 gig RAM or more and lots of hard drive space - Sony Vegas is affordable and a couple or three worklights from the hardware store like
http://www.amazon.com/Voltec-08-00210-500-Watt-Portable-Worklight/dp/B004ZMUHBG
would be plenty.

Learn about 3-point lighting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_point_lighting

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What is the best camcorder/camera for low light situations?

Q. I plan on doing some YouTube videos in the future, but the problem is that my room is kinda dark, and my cellphone is terrible when it comes to dark areas. Are there any cameras for $200 or under for low light situations?
If not in my price range, anything not too expensive is fine.

A. Your question #1: What is the best camcorder/camera for low light situations?
Response: Any camcorder with a large lens diameter (to let light in to the camcorder/camera) and large imaging chip (to process what little light comes in through the lens when it is dark.

Your question #2: "Are there any cameras for $200 or under for low light situations?"
Response: No.

"not too expensive" means different things to different people.

Consumer grade camcorders start at the low end with small (less than 30mm) diameter lenses and small (less than 1/6") single imaging chip. As the price goes up, the lens diameters and imaging chips get larger. At around $400, the lens diameter is around 37mm and the imaging chips can get as large as 1/4". At around $800 the lens diameter is around 43mm and the imaging chips approach 1/3". At around $1,200 the lens diameter is around 58mm and the imaging chips are around 1/3". As you continue up the price spectrum to high-end consumer (sometimes called "prosumer") camcorders, $3,000 finds 72mm lens diameter with 3CCD or 3CMOS 1/3" imaging chip arrays - these do quite well under low-light conditions.

So... what can you do if you can't afford a camcorder/camera that can behave well under low light conditions? It depends what you are capturing to video, but one relatively easy way (assuming you will be editing the video with a half decent editor) is to add LOTS of light so your room is no longer dark - then, using your editor, make it look dark... This is call shooting "day for night".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MaC44MU4iw

When you go this route, use whatever camera/camcorder you want - and make the investment in lighting and a decent video editor - not a camera/camcorder. For $200, assuming your computer has a fast CPU, 4 gig RAM or more and lots of hard drive space - Sony Vegas is affordable and a couple or three worklights from the hardware store like
http://www.amazon.com/Voltec-08-00210-500-Watt-Portable-Worklight/dp/B004ZMUHBG
would be plenty.

Learn about 3-point lighting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_point_lighting

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Any cheaper alternatives to the Canon EOS 7D?

Q. The cheapest I could find for that product was £1200 and my budget is realistically half that. Was wondering if there was any camcorders that produced the same beautiful HD videos as this camera with the same adjustable features such as ISO etc. I'm willing to lose out on a decent camera, but I'm looking for a robust camcorder with a long battery life and decent features for under £800. Thanks.

A. Unfortunately there is no camcorder in that price range that will give you the manual abilities of the 7d or the control over the depth of field that allows you to have true film-like results at 1080P. But, take a look at the new Canon Vixia camcorders. They will be in your price range and will deliver very good video, they just wont allow you the same flexibility you will get from the 7D.

If you dont mind shooting 720P, then your best bet is the Canon T1i. Is takes fantastic 720P video. Is does not have the ability take external microphones, so you are either stuck with on board sound or buy something like a Zoom H4N to record sound from external mics.

Ultimately, if 720P is ok, then the T1i is your best option. (And its a pretty darn good photo camera too).

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