Are MiniDV camcorders worth the cash?

[glenn8105]

Hi Guys,
I'm looking to get a Digital camcorder so that I have the ability to email mpeg movies and stills but they're so much money! Anyone know if one stands out over the rest? How about a Hi8 camcorder? I'm looking to stay between $500 and $600 but less would kick butt!!

[confus-ed]

If cash is the issue buy analogue, at the bottom end of the scale they are good value. You'll need a cheap (analogue!)capture device as well.

[confus-ed]

If cash is the issue buy analogue, at the bottom end of the scale they are good value. You'll need a cheap (analogue!)capture device as well.

[Scuba]

No No No No No
DON'T Buy a Hi8 or a Digital Hi8 !!!

Get a good Mini DV camera - i am working with a sony one on a dayly basis and it's Gr8. Also tryed several more sony models and they are Gr8.

I was working with a Canon and it was **** - but it might only be this exact model that i used.

Get a Mini DV cam with a DV in out - and a Fire Wire card (25$ more). you will not regret it.

[Scuba]

BTW - Damm will be Panasonic to charge over $10K USD for the good models.

/me uses a DVC Pro <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">

[ilovetheusers]

What scuba said!

Get yourself something nice that is digital. The quality is so much better and capture is way easier. For your money, which will come to about 1k to 3k US dollars for what you need (camera, fire wire card, editing software), this is the best thing going. My roomie and all his buds use the Sony cameras and pretty much like them a lot. They do have some limitations, but not many. You will need a decent firewire card like scuba said, though I'm not up on the best kind - maybe he could mention a few of the best.

I know you don’t want to spend a lot, but saving up for something nice is going to be far better that getting something analogue that will not have the quality and ease of use that digital provides.

Note that you will also need a decent computer for all of this as well. Don’t expect to run all these apps or capture on an old Pentium 133 with a 1 gig hard drive. You’ll want something with the most speed you can afford.

[glenn8105]

Thanks fellas! I was leaning towards the Sony brand. I was thinking about the TRV320, its around $600 and found it for $540 on Amazon. Also tha Canon ZR10 or ZR25, anyone have any experience with these? The only drawback that I've heard about regarding MiniDV is that the picture is grainy in low light, is this true? <IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

[ilovetheusers]

For the sony cameras the video is a little grainey in low light. You can put it on slow shutter speed and it will give a half decent picture. I have filmed stuff under street lights and it looked OK if not half decent, thought it is just a little grainey. The white balance is a little off in dark conditions too and it gives things a slightly orange cast to them (just a little - it's not bad). There is an IR mode but it puts a big green square in the middle of the picture from the reflection of the IR beam, kinda sucks but you can see in pitch black with it. I have to say that the quality of video comming out is a heck of a lot better than other cameras I have seen in the past. Low light provides a lot of difficulty with most cameras. If you are worried about lighting, realize that you will need to provide your own sometimes and might want to buy a text book on basic film lighting.

[Scuba]

Canon are BAD under Low light
We used it in a building - very good light inside, and even thow the light gain was on max - the pic was very Dark.
at the End - out Professional Hired Camera man - gave it the boot - and went back to the Sony.


Sory Cannon - you will have to do better.
canon Lanses are Very good - BTW, also the control's. Better then the Sony.

[swamprat]

I always heard that Sony makes the Canon cameras. I would agree that digital is the way to go.

[http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum1/noncgi]

One of our engineers brought in a digital camcorder, and a tape she made by straping the camera to the dashboard of her car on the way to work. The quality was INCREDIBLE! You could read people's bumper stickers and license plate frames from an amazing distance!

AND it can take digital still pictures!

She had half the engineering department here drooling over it. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">