Top HD Camcorders under $500?

Q. What are the top 2011 HD camcorders under $500?

A. The top HD camcorders for under $500 are all JUNK. It would take you in excess of $3500 to get a HD camcorder that could even compete withe video Quality of a $300 MiniDV tape camcorder.

consumer level HD camcorders have 3 issues. 1) Fuzzy, blurry, out of focus areas around people in the HD video. 2) Any movement in front of a recording HD camcorder shows up in the finished video with screen ghosts and artifacts following the movement, ruining the video. 3) Lack of record times. 1 hour, go home, no way to change storage or continue shooting. Some offer a whole whopping 30 minutes. What, record 1/3 of the event then put the camcorder away or leave.

You can get the Canon ZR960 for $250 or the ZR930 for about $300. Both of these camcorders are MiniDV tape based. Both camcorders have a Mic jack. Both of these camcorder can take better quality video and audio than any sub $3000 camcorder.

Original Question

Best Pro Camcorder under $3000 for Film making !!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

Q. Hi,

I'm planning to make a movie for bigscreen , I have written a script and I've got one small investor for that .I have a budget of around $3000 for Camcorder,kindly suggest me all possible best camcorder within that range.. Pls note my plan is there for big screens(theatre release),and my preference is HD cam..

Sam

A. I bought this item for a Church looking to do it's own production. We tape both services and do more produced and edited media for use in services. The camera is in use alot. If you are buying it for indoors filming, invest in a good set of lights. This camera gets grainy on high zoom in low light. I don't know any camera in this price range that does not. Other than that, I have not found any problems that will jump out and surprise you. But the quality will.

You can complain about what this camera does not offer (XLR ins, and it is menu driven), but those are advertised. Don't buy this camera if those are deal breakers for you. What it does do it does well. And the battery life with the cmos chips is worth some of the trade offs with ccd cameras. I easily shoot two and a half hours without plugging in (on the OEM battery that comes with it). That is amazing to me. I can position for best shot of the event, instead of hanging with the others by the plugs.

I have been happy that I made the technology jump to this camera instead of playing it safe with a more industry standard camera. I would recomend this to anyone who is looking for an entry level production camera. It is a bargain at its price.

Sony HDR-FX7 3-CMOS Sensor HDV High-Definition Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom
* Record and play back HDV 1080i video; switchable recording in standard definition
* ClearVid CMOS sensor; 20x optical zoom
* Wide 3.5-inch Hybrid Touch Panel Clear Photo LCD Plus display
* Capture 1.2-megapixel stills to Memory Stick Duo
* Professional 62mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-HDR-FX7-High-Definition-Handycam-Camcorder/dp/B000IBDWNS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1263312608&sr=1-2&tag=commentglitte-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325

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Best wedding camcorder for under $3000?

Q. I am a pro photographer and i currently use the 5d Mark 2 & 3 I want to buy a wedding camcorder for my partner and myself (if it's a video only job) and I want tape-less for convenience without capturing. I am not looking to rent equipment, again for convenience. I am shooting for low budget clients as of now so I don't feel the need to spend more:

In order of preference, I'd like Dual Slots (A buddy of mine shot on a CF card and ended up spending more time recovering than he did if he was capturing), good low light quality, and good selective focus (bokeh)

Looking at:

Sony NEX-VG20H (With 18-200mm lens) $2200 - Very good selective focus - But only one sd slot.
Canon XF105 - $3000 Nice but heard IQ is pretty much the same as XA10 or worse in low light? - Pricey
Canon XA10 - $2000 - I think overpriced for just the handle with XLR inputs
Canon HF G10 - $1300
** What I meant was, my buddy was shooting on a Sandisk CF card and there was an error. He spent hours and hours retrieving lost data and spent more time doing that than he would have capturing MiniDV. Thats what I meant. **
Double Slot Recording allows you to record to two SD cards simultaneously, so you can have an automatic safety backup as you shoot FROM: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-G10-Camcorder-Internal-Memory/dp/B004HW7DZM

also we usually do 6-8 hours so it can come out to 4 tapes, so we would have to go back to the computer every hour so...

but THANK YOU for taking the time to write comprehensive explanations!

A. Hi Victor, and welcome to Y!A Camcorders:

If you look at the sensor size on the four cameras you've listed, you'll notice that the 3 Canon's are just 1/3" size (hence the poor low-light performance), whereas the Sony gives you a full APS-C sized sensor (hence the better "bokeh" DOF effect and more surface area for low-light).

You also have to look at video compression codecs and bit-rates to determine the output quality. The "pricey" Canon XF105 also gives you a 50Megabits/s which rivals pro-broadcast cameras. It also has GenLock, which you won't need, but is also a broadcast TV & multicamera "must have" feature. This Canon also uses pro-level 4:2:2 color sampling.

None of the Canons you listed will allow you to change lenses, but with the Sony you'll be able to buy a relatively-inexpensive lens adapter and make use of your Canon DSLR lens investment (the 5D's have a larger sensor, but you won't have any vignetting effects on the Sony's APS-C).

Out of the 4, I'd strongly recommend the Sony. Just buy larger flash cards, and forget about dual slots. (Good-quality video takes up a lot of space, which is why your buddy's CF cards filled up so fast.) You can always add an external storage drive, like the pros do! See: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-xh-series-hdv-camcorders/143239-sony-hvr-mrc1-mount-w-pics.html

But take a look at Blackmagic Design's new "Cinema Camera" which is due out next month: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57415376-1/blackmagic-cinema-camera-aims-to-make-pro-video-more-affordable/ You're still in the under-$3000 price range and the Blackmagic can use your Canon EF lenses without any problems.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.

P.S. Thanks for the update note, Victor. Yeah, I've experienced "disappearing files" on flash cards as well as glitched ones, which is why I prefer shooting miniDV/HDV tape... no files to lose. I know you probably hate the real-time tape transfer process, but that's one of those "do it over lunch" or capture on a separate computer with a removable/external drive (you guys have 2 decent PCs) while editing on the other PC or Mac.

When we're in a hurry (on a TV commercial deadline or reality show), we link each camera to its own AJA KiPro drive using Apple ProRes codecs for direct inputting into Final Cut. Those are pricey drives, so you could try the cheaper FireStore FS-series or the Sony HVR-MRC1 CF recorder that is mentioned in the DVInfo forum link above. The MRC1 records in HDV low-compression format, but still eliminates the real-time transfer lag (and on my Sony cameras, I can still roll tape simultaneously as a backup).

Oh, and Dual Slot SD cards wouldn't have helped your buddy's situation: the two SD cards record SEQUENTIALLY not simultaneously (it's called "relay record"). You'd still need a 2nd media recording device to provide a backup method.
--DC
 

Original Question

Top HD Camcorders under $500?

Q. What are the top 2011 HD camcorders under $500?

A. The top HD camcorders for under $500 are all JUNK. It would take you in excess of $3500 to get a HD camcorder that could even compete withe video Quality of a $300 MiniDV tape camcorder.

consumer level HD camcorders have 3 issues. 1) Fuzzy, blurry, out of focus areas around people in the HD video. 2) Any movement in front of a recording HD camcorder shows up in the finished video with screen ghosts and artifacts following the movement, ruining the video. 3) Lack of record times. 1 hour, go home, no way to change storage or continue shooting. Some offer a whole whopping 30 minutes. What, record 1/3 of the event then put the camcorder away or leave.

You can get the Canon ZR960 for $250 or the ZR930 for about $300. Both of these camcorders are MiniDV tape based. Both camcorders have a Mic jack. Both of these camcorder can take better quality video and audio than any sub $3000 camcorder.

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What happens when a camcorder requires 7.9volts and you plug in a 7.5 volt adapter?

Q. Its a Panasonic PV-GS31 camcorder.

A. You need to know what AMPERAGE - milliamps the Camcorder is rated for at the 7.9 listed voltage. Adapters almost NEVER give the voltage that the label indicates - if you have a digital multimeter and look at the voltage, you will usually find that 7.9 volts actually reads 14 or 16 volts with no "load" ( not plugged in ) as the camcorder uses power the
voltage will drop, and the Amperage will increase - different
functions on the camcorder such as rewind, zoom, playback etc. will use different motors and chips, and therefore use different amounts of power. Some adapters use cheap
single diode converters from AC ( Alternating current input of 120 volts, which goes from zero to 167 vots in one direction, back to zero, then to 167 volts in the other direction, and back to Zero ) If there is little or no CAPACITOR value in MicroFarads, then the output is a choppy
jagged pulse. The Output rating of 7.9 volts at xxx milliamps ( one thousand milliamps is one amp ) is an AVERAGE only - at one specific amperage listed !
NOTE - you also need to know the center tip and outer
adapter plug poarity ( Positive and negative ) of the
replacement 7.5 volt adapter ! ! ! make certain that the
positive and negative match the required 7.9 volt inputs.
If you use a 3 AMP ( 3000 milliamp ) 7.5 volt adapter,
it may work much better than a 1100 milliamp 7.9 volt
adapter, since when the Camcorder uses a lot of power, the
7.9 volt may drop to 7.3 volts under heavy load, but the
7.5 volt ( "RATED" ) adapter may actually put out
9 raw volts, and NEVER drop below 7.5 volts with the
3000 milliamp ( "power output " ) it is capable of supplying. Unless I find a computer grade switch mode power supply rated a 5.0 volts, xxx amps, I rarely find any
adapter that actually puts out the VOLTAGE that is listed
on the label. Ten different adapters, by ten different
companies, all with the same output label ( 7.5 volts at
1000 milliamps ), will actually give 10 different voltages
at any given load ( Current draw in milliamps ).
Just make certain that the polarity ( Positive and negative ) is correct, and try the 7.5 - if the adapter gets too hot in a few minutes of use, then it is too small in its Amperage output, and you could burn it out. If it has an equal, or higher amperage than the original 7.9 adapter, and it remains cool running, and the camcorder works perfectly, then you are probably ok.
Summary - check the polarity and the amperage required. If your 7.5 volt adapter is labelled 200 or 450 milliamps then you are probably in trouble - the adapter is for a tiny device that uses little power. If the camcorder label states
1.6 amps ( at 7.9, or " 8 " volts ) then you are better off to try to find an adapter with similar or HIGHER amperage output, at, or near 7.5 to 8 volts, for example 2 amps ( 2000 milliamps ). If you had 2 electrical meters, one set to amperage, the other set to votlage, you could see the actual voltage of any adapter drop from, for example, 12 vots raw output, with no load, to 7.9 volts under heavy camcorder load when plugged in.
NOTE 120 Vots is not 120 volts of anything - it is an AVERAGE of the curve going up and down from zero to about 167 vots at the peak of each "hill" in the center. The wave form of 120 volts looks like a bunch of hills, alternating
with identical valleys, so the average "real" power is
about 120. If you look at an oscilloscope you see a sine wave, which looks like the side view of ripples in water.
If you had to say how high the water level was, and there were waves comming in on the beach, you take the average between the tops of the waves and the bottoms, and use that as an average. Similar to "120" volts, or 7.9 volts Direct current ( Direct Current is exactly the same a a battrey output - just a single voltage with no waves - just a straight line, like a water level on a day with no wind - flat ) Most adapters put out some form of ripple or waves caused by the 120 volt input's huge waves.
So, 7.5 and 7.9 "could" be almost identical, depending on
how well the adapters were made, and what electronics were used inside the adapters to change 120 volts down to " 7.9 ".
FINALLY, if I haven't bored you to death already, the CAMCORDER itself usually has a power regulation circuit
built into it as well ... This means that the Camcorder takes in the raw "7.9 volts" and has circuits to change the power to charge the camcorder's batteries ( high current, probably about 6 volts ), to run the motors ( probably
various tiny motors running 6 volts, 5 volts, 3 volts etc
depending on how powerful they need to be ), to run the memory and controller chips, (5.00 volts, 3.3 volts, 1.5 volts, etc. ) and to supply the mini liquid TV viewer screen's backlight... SO... This means that even a 9 volt
power supply with a correct polarity, and similar Amperage rating may work just fine, IFF the power converter circuits in the Camcorder itself can handle dropping a bit of excess voltage from the 9.0 volts ( rated, but putting out 12 vots raw power easily under no load ) to 8.0 ( or 7.9 ) volts rated by the Camcorder manufacturer. Again Amperage rating is a huge factor to consider...

Hope this helps

ROBIN

Original Question

Best consumer camcorder?

Q. I want to buy a new camcorder. I prefer Canon, but might consider something else. I usually videotape fire scenes for our local dept, and i film trains some. I would probably be doing some indoor shoots too, such as a school Christmas play. Here is what i'm looking for:
* Preferably under 600$
* I want to attach a shotgun mic to it (such as RODE videomic)
* I may want to add a led light for shooting also.

A. his wahat I was told :
The problem with HD is that it is not a video standard, rather it is a marketing term that describes a frame size only (i.e Full HD is 1920 x 1080).

The quality varies widely, and cameras run from under $100 to over $100,000 (not a typo). Along with normal camera parts and pieces such as lens quality and light gathering, the quality is also dependent on the data-rate, the LESS time you can record on a given size card or hdd, the better the video.

The final nail in HDs quality coffin is the compression. Only a fraction of the 25 or 30 frames per second are from light processed by the sensor. In some cameras MOST of the frames are mathematically calculated based on frames ahead and behind.

So, before the merits of SD, the limits of HD...

Really cheap cameras will get 6 or under gb of data per hour.
Name brand, cheap cameras typically get 8 gigs/hr
About $350 or so, the consumer twinkie cams get 11 gigs/hr. This does not change even into the top of the line, $2000, consumer twinkie-cams.

DSLRs get 20 gigs and approach very good quality, but they do have a host of other issues that make them ill suited for recording long events like a wedding. All over the web and here on "Answers".

Pro cameras start at $3000 and get 25 gigs/hr HOWEVER the compression has improved to 4:2:2 intraframe compression, no frame depends on its neighbors. Quality and cost go way up from here.

SD, MiniDv based cameras for consumers are few new, Canon stopped their last one in January, the ZR960. But this format is still popular for pros and TV field use. Remember this frame size is 1/6th that of HD, yet it gets 13 gigs/hr of data and is 4:2:2 compression. In other words, very good quality.

Your problem is that your fellow consumers gave up quality for ease of use. Your only options now, unless you can find unsold DV cameras, is to go with a used camera or spend the $800 or more to get a HDV camera. (HD version of MiniDv, 1440 x 1080 typically).

The other issue is that for consumers, DV and HDV is actually MORE data intensive than HD for storage (The tapes are a built in archive, though) and editing. You will need a firewire port on your computer.

HD from ANY twinkie camera is fine for small screens, computers, phones, youtube. But even on a moderate HDTV it starts to fail in quality. My SD, Canon GL-2's video can be up-converted to HD and is better than native HD the small consumer cameras.

If you can find on, DV will give you better video in more environments. DSLR may be an option, just know their limits. HDV is very good and the best you can get under $1000 new.

Just depends on budget, specific uses and your intended media...
Scott's answer is spot on, but there's still the issue of editing. As Scott said, the HD formats throw away most of the video data - this is fine for the finished product (Blu-ray, DVD) but not good for editing. Most of the frames you want to edit have to be reconstructed on the fly - this needs a lot of computer power. Another problem is that every change you make is likely to degrade the video quality - if your business is providing good quality video, can you afford to do that? Then there's the final render - this will almost certainly be to a lossy format - this has to involve some loss of quality but it's worse if you're starting with a lossy format.
Someone said that cards are easier for editing - the only thing that's easier is the ability to put the card in a reader - it's a very slim advantage!
new is not the same as better. so the real question depends on whether you need "better" because of intended commercial use, or "newer" because its just for home hobby use.

The reason miniDV can be edited by all computer editors, including the freebie ones, is because it is open source code and has not been messed with for over 15 years. yep, a Windows95 could edit miniDV. further, its low compression of 6:1 greatly reduced the computational power demanded of the CPU to keep up in real time. Contrast that with AVCHD which is a proprietary secret invented by Sony and only available to editing programs that are willing to pay exorbitant license fees. That is why it doesn't come as a freebie. And the code is not fixed, AVCHD has undergone significant changes every year since being introduced, moving from a lousy 200:1 compression to a somewhat respectable 40:1 compression in current top level consumer cameras. So if you buy a discounted older model editor, it might not work at all with a new camera. AVCHD was designed by Sony to be strictly amateur grade, Sony designed XDcam for professional use and the differences are not trivial.

IMHO miniDV will continue to be a viable commercial format as long as movie DVDs remain as the primary distribution media. not everybody wants to view videos on a computer, and that goes double for the mother of the bride, the one paying the bill.

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What is a good Camcorder and Microphone for Guitar Covers on Youtube.?

Q. I want to keep it under $300.
I need it for guitar covers so the sound quality needs to good enough.
Thanks(:

A. http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DCR-SX45-Handycam-Camcorder-Black/dp/B004H8FNAI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344158681&sr=1-1&keywords=camcorder+hd

http://www.guitarcenter.com/MXL-3000-Mic-Bundle-104599907-i1371796.gc?&source=4WWRWXGP&cagpspn=pla&=

http://www.adorama.com/SOHDRCX130BE.html

HDR-CX190 High Definition Handycam


i Know your starting a band, i could help out with getting you guys some publicity once you start..
heres my email.

oppikooppiko@gmail.com
dont be shy :)

Original Question

What is a good camera for delivering a professional quality video HD and blue ray?

Q. I am looking into becoming a videoagrapher for wedding and receptions I need a good quality professional grade camera that will deliver a good product.I am on a budget so it cannot of course be completely out of reach.Thank you for your assistance.

A. Hi Christian:

One problem with most of these Y!A discussions like yours, is the lack of real budget figures (actual dollars, not just "low cost" or "cheap").

To give any decent quality at all, stay away from hard drive and flash card camcorders. The tape-based (miniDV) HDV camcorders yield the fewest "digital artifacts" and use the least "lossy" compression methods, and handle action (like throwing the wedding bouquet) quite well without jerkiness (motion artifacts) to the captured video.

If you don't have $1500-$3000 (or more) to spend on a low-end "real pro" model (like a Sony HVR-HD1000U or the HVR-Z1U/Z5/Z7 series) then I'd recommend one of Canon's HV20/30/40 series HD models that are all under $1000.

You should also budget almost another thousand for a decent fluid-head tripod. Spend as much as you can on the tripod & head, since it will never become outdated and can last a lifetime. Even if you "go cheap" at least try the head's smoothness in-person with the same weight of camera you will use with it. A friend's company bought a couple of what-were-s'posed-to-be-good Bogen/Manfrotto #316 fluid heads, but were using them with 2-pound Z1U's, and have never been satisfied with the stickiness (inertia & fluid viscosity) of the head action (designed for cameras up to 35-pounds), even with a slightly heavier S270U model.

There are literally dozens of HD/HDV models out there in all price ranges, so feel free to use the Y!A "Additional Details" link to post realistic budget figures that you can spend on this project, and I & other Y!A Contributors can give better recommendations.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

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I want to shoot high quality digital video (not high def), what digital camcorder should I get?

Q. Any pro-sumer camcorder under $3000 is good? Any good one under $2000?

A. You are in the right target range - basically, the largest lens and imaging chips you can get in the camcorder - in the price range you can afford - keep in mind that you should not spend you whole budget on the camcorder. Audio and stability devices - Mics and tripod/crane/steadycam-glidecam devices - and lights will be needed. Maybe even a lens or two.

Standard definition
Canon GL2 & XL2, Sony DCR-VX2100, Panasonic AG-DVX100 series.

Any particular reason you don't want high def? They can all capture standard def, too... Sony HDR-FX1000 & HVR-V1U, Canon XHA1...

Original Question

Is the Canon XA10 HD Professional Camcorder good for film making?

Q. I'm starting out so this would be my first camcorder I have ever used.

A. Hi "Bittercold":

Since you already asked twice last month about miniDV camcorders, I won't repeat any of the other Y!A pros' advice on that subject. I will, however, point you back to fellow Contributor "L's" Answer to you regarding the AVCHD format issues that the Canon XA10 records all its files in: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmxPdh4o1WYVv83bjYM0h6Xsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20120324030021AAL8XNH

If you are interested in "filmmaking", then you are going to have to plan for editing, and AVCHD's lossy compression codec isn't the best for frame-accurate edits.

If you've never done any camcorder shooting at all, you might be better served starting out with something used from a good camera store or pawn shop, and making sure some of your budget money goes into the extra RAM & fast hard drives (among other things) that editing HD footage will require. Try a $250-$500 test run, before you go spending almost 2-grand.

Feel free to update us with what kind of stuff you plan to shoot, for better feedback. It makes a difference:

When I get hired by Coach Schuman or one of the other Yahoo!Sports' "Rivals 100" coaches to videotape a football event, they expect me to bring a miniDV format camcorder, not a flash-card AVCHD or H.264 unit, no matter how expensive. And small-is-good with run & gun sports shooting, so I use a Canon ZR-series or Panasonic GS-80 (both under $700), rather than my $3000 Sony Z1U. We shoot everything in 4:3 Standard Def, since that's what the editor, the other coaches, and all the other shooters work in. And the low-compression DV codecs make for good action footage and easy edits.

The Canon XA10 has pro-audio features, good Canon glass optics, dual SD slots, etc., but I can't say if it's the best deal for you.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

Original Question

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I want to shoot high quality digital video (not high def), what digital camcorder should I get?

Q. Any pro-sumer camcorder under $3000 is good? Any good one under $2000?

A. You are in the right target range - basically, the largest lens and imaging chips you can get in the camcorder - in the price range you can afford - keep in mind that you should not spend you whole budget on the camcorder. Audio and stability devices - Mics and tripod/crane/steadycam-glidecam devices - and lights will be needed. Maybe even a lens or two.

Standard definition
Canon GL2 & XL2, Sony DCR-VX2100, Panasonic AG-DVX100 series.

Any particular reason you don't want high def? They can all capture standard def, too... Sony HDR-FX1000 & HVR-V1U, Canon XHA1...

Original Question

Is the Canon XA10 HD Professional Camcorder good for film making?

Q. I'm starting out so this would be my first camcorder I have ever used.

A. Hi "Bittercold":

Since you already asked twice last month about miniDV camcorders, I won't repeat any of the other Y!A pros' advice on that subject. I will, however, point you back to fellow Contributor "L's" Answer to you regarding the AVCHD format issues that the Canon XA10 records all its files in: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmxPdh4o1WYVv83bjYM0h6Xsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20120324030021AAL8XNH

If you are interested in "filmmaking", then you are going to have to plan for editing, and AVCHD's lossy compression codec isn't the best for frame-accurate edits.

If you've never done any camcorder shooting at all, you might be better served starting out with something used from a good camera store or pawn shop, and making sure some of your budget money goes into the extra RAM & fast hard drives (among other things) that editing HD footage will require. Try a $250-$500 test run, before you go spending almost 2-grand.

Feel free to update us with what kind of stuff you plan to shoot, for better feedback. It makes a difference:

When I get hired by Coach Schuman or one of the other Yahoo!Sports' "Rivals 100" coaches to videotape a football event, they expect me to bring a miniDV format camcorder, not a flash-card AVCHD or H.264 unit, no matter how expensive. And small-is-good with run & gun sports shooting, so I use a Canon ZR-series or Panasonic GS-80 (both under $700), rather than my $3000 Sony Z1U. We shoot everything in 4:3 Standard Def, since that's what the editor, the other coaches, and all the other shooters work in. And the low-compression DV codecs make for good action footage and easy edits.

The Canon XA10 has pro-audio features, good Canon glass optics, dual SD slots, etc., but I can't say if it's the best deal for you.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

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