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Community Newsletter: Q&A: What are the differences in today's camcorders? Go HD or wait?
- 1/17/08 4:10 PM
Very well said
by bryanbenham - 1/12/08 7:59 AM In reply to: Selecting a video camera by forkboyI just purchased the Canon HG 10 and I am very happy with it. The great thing about the hard drive cameras is they put your video on the segments you shoot them in (almost like a digital camera).
I am also having great success with Pinnacle Version 11 for editing my video.
Just my 2 cents.
Selecting a video camera
by Box134 - 1/12/08 8:03 AM In reply to: Selecting a video camera by forkboyForkBoy wrote:
"Remember, the big professional video cameras used by the folks at your local television station are tape-based and there is a reason they remain so: tried-and-true and long-term reliability."
This is absolutely incorrect. As a photojournalist for NBC, believe me when I say MOST all television stations in this country and around the world are leaving the tape format and going with either hard drive or memory card based cameras. I personally love the tape format for archiving, editing, quality, etc. But television has gone the hard drive and digital card route, which in reality slows down the entire process. Yes, loading your video into a computer may be quicker but the actual editing process and rendering is much slower. I will always be a tape man. I only hope tape doesn't become obsolete in the future.
But note how you phrase it...
by forkboy - 1/14/08 3:03 PM In reply to: Selecting a video camera by Box134However, even you have given away something that illustrates my point. You state that they are moving away from tape. Not that they have all done so. There are plenty of local-market television studios using tape-based camcorders, including ones in my community (I phoned before writing my reply).
I would indeed imagine that many big city t.v. channels and the major networks are changing over, but not everyone has done such and it will take plenty of time for the momentum to work its way down to the smaller, local arenas.
Software tools for HD
by rrothkopf - 1/12/08 12:06 PM In reply to: Selecting a video camera by forkboyFYI, there are many tools that now natively will support and edit HD footage along side SD video.. the one I know most about is Sony's Vegas Video, but I believe the other tools have all caught up as well.
Cheers,
--Rob
You're right
by forkboy - 1/12/08 8:17 PM In reply to: Software tools for HD by rrothkopfI think you're right. However I did add the caveat that things may have changed in regard to editing software since last year. And I believe the Sony product only works with Sony video cameras so you couldn't use it elsewhere.
Compatibility mode HDV-DV
by Bert37 - 1/13/08 1:28 AM In reply to: Selecting a video camera by forkboyI support the opinon of forkboy word by word. There is simply an addition to make with respect to SW for HDV. It is true that many difficulties are presently encountered, when you try to capture and edit the HDV formats. But many camcorders, such as the ones of SONY offer the possibility to capture and edit the HDV recorded material in a compatible DV mode. I do so successfully for about 1 year and I can work with my material the same way as I do with DV captured takes. The advantage is to have the takes in full resolution for the future.
I hope this holds also for the NTSC world, since I live in the PAL world, where HDV is already an everyday issue.
Camcorder
by heavenman123456 - 1/21/08 12:13 PM In reply to: Selecting a video camera by forkboyLiesten to ForkBoy; He knows what he is talking about. Hard drives are great but not reliable, specially when you are recording videos.
Start by reading consumersearch.com on digital camcorders:
by dabruro - 1/7/08 6:13 PM In reply to: What are the differences in today's camcorders? Go HD or wait? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I always start here because it summarizes all the reviews (CNET, Consumer Reports, etc.) but also advice on alternatives and choices, and provides links to those reviews which often also give such advice.
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/photo_and_video/digital-camcorders/
Oh, try to ignore their ads 
Now that I said that, you can be sure I have no relationship with consumersearch.
HD camcorder is amazing
by jjthedj - 1/8/08 7:06 AM In reply to: What are the differences in today's camcorders? Go HD or wait? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I can't speak well to technical aspects. I own a lot of HI8 travel tapes and started using a Sony HD (early generation, so tape) about two years ago and there is no comparison. My HD movies are so sharp and compelling on my HD set that people sit on the edge of their seat and go wow every other shot. The tapes are one hour and reproduce the picture very well. My plan is to use a Blu-ray Vaio laptop to burn the tapes to BD discs but I'm still burning the hundred HI8's to DVD first.
How do you do it?
by vwmark - 1/11/08 4:52 PM In reply to: HD camcorder is amazing by jjthedjHow do you convert your Hi8 tapes to DVD? Do you use the old camcorder, or is there some alternate device that you use to play your Hi8 tapes?
late answer to vwmark
by jjthedj - 1/21/08 1:03 PM In reply to: How do you do it? by vwmarkSorry for the late answer, I missed your question. In my case the answer is a little different because I have had four Hi8 camcorders but when I went to copy the tapes to a component dvd recorder none of my camcorders would work. I went to eBay and bought a fairly expensive Hi8 playback deck (originally over $3,000, I paid $500) since I literally had over a hundred two hours tapes of travel memories. If your camcorder is working you can run the cords into the dvd recorder ($100-$200), just like to a TV for playback and record your own discs. Blank discs are about a dollar each. It is all relative. My first Beta recorder with wired remote in 1978 was $1300, plus an extra hundred for the optional clock. The 15 minute blanks were $30 and prerecorded movie tapes $90. When I got into laser discs, I paid $50 to $100 each. Blu-ray doesn't sound that expensive to me.
Good suggestion
by vwmark - 1/21/08 5:46 PM In reply to: late answer to vwmark by jjthedjThanks for replying. I am in a similar situation with my Digital8 tapes--I have many (not hundreds) to archive to current media, but I find that Digital8 camcorders are no longer manufactured. I am considering getting a Digital 8 recording deck (GV-D200 Digital8 Video Walkman VCR), when I can save up--but had better hurry!
I back up my video tapes (all kinds) to DVDs with my Toshiba deck, which works effortlessly. (I don't take the time to edit.)
Sony HD Camcorder
by Josan4u - 1/12/08 5:34 AM In reply to: HD camcorder is amazing by jjthedjI was interested to read your posting. I too bought a Sony HD Camcorder just over two years ago. My problem is I cannot set it up properly - I found the manual that came with the camera very uninformative. The videos I have made are not very clear and the aspect ratio of the screen is distorted. Is there an idiot's guide for the Sony HD or do you have any straightforward advice on setting up the camera before shooting? I would be grateful for any help!
Joe, Turks and Caicos Islands, BWI.
answer to Josan4u
by jjthedj - 1/21/08 1:16 PM In reply to: Sony HD Camcorder by Josan4uI may not be able to help. The manual is bad. The camera should come with default settings and the manual might help you reset them. I never messed with anything, just started shooting. I went to the local botanical garden and shot long distance and close ups, pans, etc. and watched the tape to see what I was doing wrong. I often did not turn the camera on/off right so I would shoot nothing then a bunch of pictures of my feet. I learned from my mistakes. As to the focus problem, I don't know, it might need repairs. I have shot my camcorders for years with the eyepiece. I never use the fold out screen, so I am uncomfortable with it. It also uses a lot more of the battery life. I have found that the eyepiece on my HD is very sensitive to focus problems but I have faith in the automatic camera, if it is in the picture it usually comes out focused, even if it looks bad to me while shooting.
What They Said !
by Jamfan55 - 1/9/08 6:10 PM In reply to: What are the differences in today's camcorders? Go HD or wait? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
MiniDV tape is the best way to go, all around! In addition to what they said, mini DVDs are expensive, and only give you about 20 minutes recording time each, at the highest quality setting. MiniDv tapes come in 60 and 80 minute sizes.
For reliability, stick with the big 3 - Sony, Canon or Panasonic. I'd say get a Sony, with 3 CCD, for better color in low light. They've also got better lenses, and better sound quality. And you'll probably never need more than the lower 10 - 12x optical zoom (ignore the digital zoom, disable it and never use it).
If you can find it, an audio in jack for an external zoom or wireless mic is a plus (some models have them, even though they're not mentioned in the specs - you just need to actually look at them).
Even better, if you can get one that'll record through the A/V cord, or firewires between cams, that you can use to comvert your analog tapes to digital.
Depending on the age and condition of your old tapes, you may want to edit them, even if only adjusting brightness, contrast, color balance and sound (a lot of my old tapes were pretty dark).
Editing the AVI files is a breeze, especially conpared to the likely compression issues you'll have with mpegs.
One bad thing I've found, and it's likely that way regardless of format, is that adjustments you're used to being able to make externally while you're recording on your analog cam will have to be progammed in either beforehand, or interupting your recording.
If you really want to get into HD, then use this cheap comsumer toy to learn and figure out what you really want. And save your money and go buy yourself a decent prosumer cam in a couple years. And maybe by then, you'll have more options on editing software.
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