Camcorders forum: Best camcorders compatible with Mac?

Buy a mini-DV camcorder and buy a Firewire cable (camcorders come with a USB cable, not Firewire). I've connected countless mini-DV camcorders via Firewire to my Mac and I have NEVER had any issues with connectivity.

Simple How-To: Before you start iMovie and before you power-up the camcorder, plug the camera in with Firewire, then launch iMovie, start a new project, then power-up the camcorder. Make sure the camcorder is in Playback mode, not Record mode. You can now control the camcorder with the buttons provided within iMovie. Now you can smile and relish in the fact that you have a computer that works brilliantly and easily with mini-DV camcorders and you will be very happy.

has its "downsides"... it just depends what you are willing to trade.

If you are a Mcintosh user (as I am), read this http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4975840�

before you get ANY hard drive camera.

From my viewpoint, miniDV continues to offer the best quality video... and when it comes to using a camcorder, video quality is a pretty important item to consider.

MiniDVs are not designed for one use- that's ridiculous. If it was designed for one use, then why can you record over previously recorded material? That's easy enough to prevent if your assertion is true.

What's true though is that just like any magnetic medium, writing to it multiple times will eventually degrade quality. Yes, even hard drives degrade, it just takes a much longer time than something as fragile as magnetic tape.

you are... but I get mine at Fry's Electronics for closer to less than $4 per miniDV tape... they come in packs of 5 or 8... I know Fry's is a bit on the high side but I go into the brick mortar store:

http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4796539?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

$24.99 for an 8-pack is normal.

Of course, you *could* try tapestockonline.com (my buddy gets tape there all the time)
http://www.tapestockonline.com/son60minprem.html

And while I agree with you that you *could* reuse miniDV tapes (just because you *can* do something does not necessarily mean you *should*) - I agree with kiddpeat that miniDV tapes should capture video and be locked (hence one-time use)...

As far as "changing tapes right in the middle", all of the performances my kid was in had an intermission about 50-55 minutes in - so trading tapes at "1/2 time" is easy and non-stressful.

I use the locked tape as an archive in case I want to go back to do different edits with the clips (like a year end compilation)... The other thing I do is after the edits and after output to DVD, I output back to tape so I have a "final" version archived... the [miniDV] digital tape long term storage is probably the longest shelf-life available.

when connected to a mac via firewire and imovie does a mini dv camcorder record to the mac hard drive or a specific folder

I'm looking for a camcorder to record my choreography and an external hard drive to store the footage on. I'm trying to decide between the Seagate Freeagent and the WD My Book. Do you have any experience with either?
Also, while everyone here seems to agree that miniDV camcorders are best for mac users, which models/makes do you all prefer?
Thanks, I've been on the search for a while and I'm ready to finally start recorder and documenting my work!!

I know this is an old post but thanks alot - followed your instructions and it all worked perfectly.

Running iMovie 6 on an Intel Mac and save the imported file straight through to a 1TB hardrive.

Just bought a secondhand DV Camcorder and the quality is great.

the consumer-grade camcorders which record very highly compressed, low quality video, to small 8cm DVDs to camcorders that record low compression, high quality video, to miniDV tape. The video they capture is very different. No need to get into the details here.

There is no consumer camcorder that records to DVDs that has a firewire (also known as DV, IEEE1394 and i.LINK) connection. There is no way to directly connect a consumer camcorder to a computer using a firewire cable.
This is true whether Apple Macintosh or any other computer manufacturer's hardware.
This is likely the reason why you have not been able to find the equipment. It does not exist.
MiniDV tape based camcorders use the firewire connection.

Which Mac?
Which camcorder?
We'll assume your Mac has a slot loading SuperDrive (DVD drive). NEVER EVER put a small or odd shaped optical disc in a slot loader. You need to get an external drawer loading drive. LaCie makes good ones.

For standard definition consumer grade DVD-based camcorders:
The easiest way to get the very compressed VOB files into the computer is by downloading and installing a ripper. I like HandBrake ( www.handbrake.fr ). There are others.
Finalize the disc in the camcorder (instructions are in the camcorder's manual).
Take the disc out.
Put the disc in the drawer loading DVD drive.
If DVD Player launches, quit that application.
Launch HandBrake.
Transcode - convert - the video on the disc to a low compression format (MOV or MP4 or DV) that iMovie can deal with.
When the transcoding is done, quit HandBrake.
If you want to play the video, double click on the converted video file.
If you want to upload the video to file sharing site, go ahead.
If you want to edit the video, launch iMovie and either drag/drop or import the video.

Another option is to use the camcorder as a DVD player, connect the AV cables to the camcorder and an external "analog/digital converter (like those from Canopus or Elgato), then connect the A/D converter to the computer and bring in lower quality video.

If you are using a consumer camcorder that records high definition AVCHD-compressed MTS files to DVDs, then very specific (relatively new) versions of Macintosh hardware, OSX and iMovie ( or other video editor) are required. Let us know if we need to travel that path.

I use a Cannon HD camcorder with mini DV tape. Quality is fantastic.
I down load using iMovie, running the download "through" my MacBook and onto my 1TB external Hard Drive (connected by a USB Cable) - this is done all at the same time.
I have a second 1TB external hard drive hooked up to my 1st to back up everything.

I would definitely NOT store any movies on your Mac - they take up enormous amounts of space and can very often lead to freezing your Mac up.

The first 1TB hard drive is then reattached to my MacMini, and that is connected to my 42" Panasonic Plasma.
I can then view all my movies (along with my music and photos) on my big screen through Front Row - which came as a standard application on all my various macs.

Hope that helps!

No, not really. If your Sony camcorder still works well, why switch when miniDV provides a better resolution than digital? I, too, use an older model Sony camcorder with my iMovie 6 on my Macbook Pro. Just pick up a firewire from your nearest Apple Store and hookup your camcorder to your Mac. Sometimes older technology can't be beat and this is just one example of that fact.