Camcorders

ChrisReid

ChrisReid

Super Soaker Collector / Administrator
Hey, anybody know a lot about camcorders? I've been looking lots lately.. Need to film E3 and DragonCon and then put them on the computer for distribution. I was focusing mainly on Sony Digital8 camers for a while.. then I found this Sharp miniDV
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...&s=photo&vi=customer-reviews&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Pretty darn cheap for a MiniDV and it has a decent 3" LCD. No eyepiece viewfinder or light, but it's so cheap. Reviews are pretty positive too. Played with it at BestBuy and I think it seems good.
 
We got a Sony Hi8 Digital Camera. It's great, and the movies and pictures can go to the computer directly by USB. Not only that, but the camera can be used to turn normal VCR stuff into MPEGs too. I can't remember the model number right now.
 
I was looking at those.. mainly the Sony Digital8 ones, but then Wildfire said I needed a miniDV. So I found that Sharp one. It's even cheaper than the Sony Digital8 cameras, and while it doesn't have a light/nightshot, it does have a bigger screen which I like. All things considered, I think it's the best thing for me to get right now. And at $300, I can get a new one in a year or two when I have more experience with cameras and the more advanced ones go down in price.
 
Yes, they cost a lot. Well, I don't know the sharp one, but it's really cool to transfer your stuff directly to the HD. It does have a USB port, so it should be cool. But if you want to use it to transver VCR movies to the HD, go with the Sony, it's quite worth the money. A dedicated hardware that does that will cost a lot.
 
I actually already have hardware to transfer VCR/s-video/coaxial cable into video on my computer actually. I went ahead and bought it anyhow:
http://www.sharp-usa.com/products/ModelLanding/0,1058,868,00.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...&s=photo&vi=customer-reviews&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER
The USB functionality is to transfer digital camera still image shots. It's got a slot in the side for you to put SD memory cards in and take digital cam stills. That's a cool feature. The firewire is for the digital video stream. I've done some upgrading lately.. so I've got about 275 gigs of hard drive space here now.. Ready to do some video editing!
 
Originally posted by ChrisReid
I actually already have hardware to transfer VCR/s-video/coaxial cable into video on my computer actually.
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Great. I did too, but I found out the quality of the Sony camera to be much superior. Of course, I have no idea of what kind of hardware you have, so I can't really say. :)

The USB functionality is to transfer digital camera still image shots. It's got a slot in the side for you to put SD memory cards in and take digital cam stills. That's a cool feature. The firewire is for the digital video stream. I've done some upgrading lately.. so I've got about 275 gigs of hard drive space here now.. Ready to do some video editing!
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Fierwire? That's much better than the normal USB. Oh well, at least in theory. The movies are recorded on the computer in real time, anyway, so I don't think it would make much difference. But does this camera actually transfer stuff from other cameras/VCRs too?

BTW, congrats for the aquisition. You'll need the 275 GB if you really start saving stuff. Get a DVD burder too, or get some decend enconders to burn VCDs.
 
Originally posted by Delance
Fierwire? That's much better than the normal USB. Oh well, at least in theory. The movies are recorded on the computer in real time, anyway, so I don't think it would make much difference. But does this camera actually transfer stuff from other cameras/VCRs too?
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Yeah, I could record into this from another camera or thing if I wanted to. I forgot to mention I have USB2.0 on this computer, which is even faster than Firewire.. but Cameras do not yet support video transfer over them. The USB transfer on this camera is for moving the still images over.
 
Firewire transfers at a constant 400mbps, USB 2.0 can do a max of 480 mbps (but not constant). Firewire is coming out with Firewire 2.0 which can do 800 mbps. So stick with firewire for right now....If you're really ambitious for doing camerawork, don't buy a cheap one, borrow one from a friend for the time being. But if you wanna get serious, save up a good $2000 for a camera with a three CCD lense. I reccommend the Cannon GL1.
 
Also standard MiniDV (meaning excluding three CCD lense ones) cameras have approx. 50 lines extra of resolution than a D8. On an HD it's noticeable but not on a smaller CRT.
 
Sorry for triple posting...but if you're really ambitious JVC is coming out with the first HD camera which does up to 720i at 30 FPS. It'll be about $2,500 - 3,000. Ok I'm done.
 
I bought the Sharp one. It's great. I really don't need 720i. None of my tvs support it and I'll need to compress the video on the computer for distribution. By the time I'm ready for it, they'll be a lot cheaper. I did get a miniDV recorder with the firewire thing. I hadn't heard of Firewire 2. I picked up a cheap Audigy 2 to connect with.
 
Speaking of HD, is anyone familiar with HDTV stuff? Apparently HBO has a HD version of the Wing Commander movie... anybody know what sort of process you'd have to go through to record it (to a DVHS tape, I suppose)?
 
My understanding is that they haven't even decided on a standard for HD-DVD yet... so there won't be any HD DVD recorders for a while.
 
Yeah.. that's a good question.. Not sure how you'd record that. A VHS tape of an HD presentation would probably be better.. but not as good as a standard DVD (so what I'm getting at there is that the HD presentation of the movie will be pretty much what you have on the DVD already). Maybe a TIVO recorder or special capability of your video capture tv-in?
 
No...DVHS, like LOAF said is your best bet, it records everything from an HD signal into 5.1, the vidoe is also a higher resolution than a standard DVD, but the. Check out the Stereophile Guide to Home Theater Magazine if you wanna record and HD signal, but DVHS is the way to go. Don't worry DVD lovers (like me), DVHS will probably be like MiniDisc and go nowhere.
Yeah.. that's a good question.. Not sure how you'd record that. A VHS tape of an HD presentation would probably be better.. but not as good as a standard DVD (so what I'm getting at there is that the HD presentation of the movie will be pretty much what you have on the DVD already). Maybe a TIVO recorder or special capability of your video capture tv-in?
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No, a standard DVD compared to an HD signal is the equivalent of 480i. But DVHS records 720i and 1080i.
 
DVHS

I work at the largest electronics store in the world and we get to deal with all that HD stuff all the time. We get lots of reps in the store and have trainings with them pretty often. The jvc and mitsubishi reps have both told us that DVHS won't be a major segment of the market ever. Its just out there now for a very small number of people who just have to watch there movies in the best possible image.
 
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