Q. After 12 years I now need to buy a new camcorder. I'm only familiar with the old tape ones. How do you get a recording from the little digital camcorders to view on television like the old ones? They all say they have a memory card? Sounds like a lot of trouble to go thru the computer and then onto a DVD type thing? We have always viewed our recordings on our tv and I still want to do it that way.
Which ones are good quality picture and sound and inexpensive?
Thanks to all of you!
Which ones are good quality picture and sound and inexpensive?
Thanks to all of you!
A. Most camcorders allow you to output to your TV no matter what medium they're recorded on. You'll probably be using those same familiar yellow-red-white video/audio plugs that you're used to. Or, if you're using HDTV and you get a camera that records in HD, you might step up to the red-green-blue-red-white component cables, or a single HDMI cable.
You have all kinds of options here:
MiniDV tape:
Inexpensive digital format, best quality of the consumer digital formats. Must fast-forward and rewind through video to get to the point you want to find. Records in standard-definition on most cameras, but there are also many "HDV" format cameras that record HD on MiniDV tape. When you finish recording, pop the tape out, put in a new one. Capture to a computer using a "FireWire" port if your computer has one, but it's easy enough to purchase and install a FireWire card if your computer has space for one and doesn't yet have a port. Compatible with most video-editing programs. The drawback is that for computer editing, you capture in real time (an hour of video takes an hour to capture), and because it's tape, there are moving parts that can occasionally malfunction, so maintenance is important. That said, these cameras are good for serious hobbyists and those who like to edit videos on a computer, as well as those who are still open to the idea that tape is still going strong in the world of video, and like to be able to just pop in a new one when they fill one up.
Hard drives (HDD):
Record directly to a hard drive within the camera. Good for faster transfer to a computer, and for more quickly finding a spot on the video without necessarily rewinding/fast-forwarding through everything. A few drawbacks to these cameras, though - when you run out of space, you must clear space out - delete video, or back it up to a computer immediately. Then, you have to worry about how much space you have on your computer for storage. These formats can sometimes have compatibility issues with editing programs. Cameras can be susceptible to vibration and altitude. Formats are more compressed than MiniDV tape-based formats. For convenience and instant viewing, these cameras can be useful.
DVD:
Honestly, it's hard for me to find advantages in DVD. They require you to "finalize" a disc after recording in order to view anywhere else, which takes time. They're a headache to import for editing. They're highly-compressed formats. There are a few nice things about them, but they're really not worth the difficulties.
Flash memory/memory cards:
Similar to hard drives, except you do have the option of removing the media and inserting a new one. Fill one up, copy it to a computer, and record on another one. The cards are still expensive, so you will eventually have to worry about backing up or deleting video. Still, I'd say these types of cameras come in second to tape-based formats in my personal opinion. Some of them are delivering quality formats now, and the compatibility is getting a bit better with editing programs. They're at least worth a look.
That said, for just about every camcorder, there is a way to just plug it into your TV and watch what you recorded. If you have HDTV or plan on getting it soon, you might consider getting that feature in your camcorder.
Think about what's important to you in video quality and how you like to shoot - do you shoot in automatic mode all the time, or do you like having some manual options at your disposal to override the automatic operations? Might you want to plug in an external microphone? Price range is, obviously, a huge factor as well. Start there, and see which cameras' features best match your shooting and viewing preferences for that price.
If you have any further questions, feel free to add to your original.
You have all kinds of options here:
MiniDV tape:
Inexpensive digital format, best quality of the consumer digital formats. Must fast-forward and rewind through video to get to the point you want to find. Records in standard-definition on most cameras, but there are also many "HDV" format cameras that record HD on MiniDV tape. When you finish recording, pop the tape out, put in a new one. Capture to a computer using a "FireWire" port if your computer has one, but it's easy enough to purchase and install a FireWire card if your computer has space for one and doesn't yet have a port. Compatible with most video-editing programs. The drawback is that for computer editing, you capture in real time (an hour of video takes an hour to capture), and because it's tape, there are moving parts that can occasionally malfunction, so maintenance is important. That said, these cameras are good for serious hobbyists and those who like to edit videos on a computer, as well as those who are still open to the idea that tape is still going strong in the world of video, and like to be able to just pop in a new one when they fill one up.
Hard drives (HDD):
Record directly to a hard drive within the camera. Good for faster transfer to a computer, and for more quickly finding a spot on the video without necessarily rewinding/fast-forwarding through everything. A few drawbacks to these cameras, though - when you run out of space, you must clear space out - delete video, or back it up to a computer immediately. Then, you have to worry about how much space you have on your computer for storage. These formats can sometimes have compatibility issues with editing programs. Cameras can be susceptible to vibration and altitude. Formats are more compressed than MiniDV tape-based formats. For convenience and instant viewing, these cameras can be useful.
DVD:
Honestly, it's hard for me to find advantages in DVD. They require you to "finalize" a disc after recording in order to view anywhere else, which takes time. They're a headache to import for editing. They're highly-compressed formats. There are a few nice things about them, but they're really not worth the difficulties.
Flash memory/memory cards:
Similar to hard drives, except you do have the option of removing the media and inserting a new one. Fill one up, copy it to a computer, and record on another one. The cards are still expensive, so you will eventually have to worry about backing up or deleting video. Still, I'd say these types of cameras come in second to tape-based formats in my personal opinion. Some of them are delivering quality formats now, and the compatibility is getting a bit better with editing programs. They're at least worth a look.
That said, for just about every camcorder, there is a way to just plug it into your TV and watch what you recorded. If you have HDTV or plan on getting it soon, you might consider getting that feature in your camcorder.
Think about what's important to you in video quality and how you like to shoot - do you shoot in automatic mode all the time, or do you like having some manual options at your disposal to override the automatic operations? Might you want to plug in an external microphone? Price range is, obviously, a huge factor as well. Start there, and see which cameras' features best match your shooting and viewing preferences for that price.
If you have any further questions, feel free to add to your original.
Buying a new Camcorder?
Q. Ok I am buying a new camcorder and wanted to get a harddrive one what I wanted to ask about is quality. Do harddrive cams have better image quality than Mini-Dv? I heard Mini-Dv can only produce 4bits of color or something like that. And what brand names usually have the highest quality image. I dont really want to spend more than $550.
A. Here is a great source for some of your questions:
http://reviews.cnet.com/camcorder-buying-guide/
There is also a decent website with a message board (forums) you can also sign up for that often have folks who are well versed in that type of technology like http://www.avsforum.com/
Tom's hardware (http://www.tomshardware.com) also provides a "compare prices" feature as well as http://www.amazon.com, http://www.pricewatch.com, and google's "product search" option when you are looking for a good price. You can also ask a question on a great website called http://www.slickdeals.net and let other people research the model you are looking for when you are ready to purchase for the best price. Some people like doing that for some reason...
Anyway, for $550 you are going to be getting a low-end model. Canon; JVC; Panasonic; Sony all make camcorders that use the built in hard drive (microdrive like what is found in some iPods I believe).
Mini-DV is probably the best format if you plan on editing video. If you are serious about a quality image, you should just bump up to an HD recorder and shell out the extra bucks as it would be well worth it.
The Sony DCRSR45 is around 500 bucks (it has a hard drive). And then you have the Canon HV30 (mini-DV) for around $1000 at Best Buy which is a GREAT budget camera.
You can't go wrong with Sony, Canon, or JVC in my opinion...watch out for the fanboys! People tend to be very pro-Sony or very anti-Sony.
Check this out:
http://www.preferredphoto.com/viewproduct.aspx?ID=9781281&l=Froogle
$753 (Free shipping???) seems like a great deal for a sweet camera like this. Check the specs. That camera looks like a winner.
But I'd go to avs forums, introduce yourself, say you are in the market for a budget camcorder and see what those tech-nerds have to say. All I'd have to say is, think HD... it is quite impressive. Plus that widescreen aspect ratio is a must-have.
http://reviews.cnet.com/camcorder-buying-guide/
There is also a decent website with a message board (forums) you can also sign up for that often have folks who are well versed in that type of technology like http://www.avsforum.com/
Tom's hardware (http://www.tomshardware.com) also provides a "compare prices" feature as well as http://www.amazon.com, http://www.pricewatch.com, and google's "product search" option when you are looking for a good price. You can also ask a question on a great website called http://www.slickdeals.net and let other people research the model you are looking for when you are ready to purchase for the best price. Some people like doing that for some reason...
Anyway, for $550 you are going to be getting a low-end model. Canon; JVC; Panasonic; Sony all make camcorders that use the built in hard drive (microdrive like what is found in some iPods I believe).
Mini-DV is probably the best format if you plan on editing video. If you are serious about a quality image, you should just bump up to an HD recorder and shell out the extra bucks as it would be well worth it.
The Sony DCRSR45 is around 500 bucks (it has a hard drive). And then you have the Canon HV30 (mini-DV) for around $1000 at Best Buy which is a GREAT budget camera.
You can't go wrong with Sony, Canon, or JVC in my opinion...watch out for the fanboys! People tend to be very pro-Sony or very anti-Sony.
Check this out:
http://www.preferredphoto.com/viewproduct.aspx?ID=9781281&l=Froogle
$753 (Free shipping???) seems like a great deal for a sweet camera like this. Check the specs. That camera looks like a winner.
But I'd go to avs forums, introduce yourself, say you are in the market for a budget camcorder and see what those tech-nerds have to say. All I'd have to say is, think HD... it is quite impressive. Plus that widescreen aspect ratio is a must-have.
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