Ok...I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about what to look for in a camcorder. Looking for one that will work well with the MG Racing's camera mount I just received through the mail

Hi8, Digital8, MiniDV

I was told to avoid Hi8 for any in-car camcorder shots. Is that true?

Having said that, I am looking through some flyers that have camcorders on sale:

Sony Hi8 CCDTRV108
Sony Digital8 DCRTRV240
Sony MiniDV DCRTRV25
Sony MiniDV DCRPC101
Canon MiniDV ELURA40MC
JVC MiniDV GRDVL320
Samsung Hi8 SCW71
JVC MiniDV GRDVL725
JVC ?????? GRAX770

What's good? I want one where the picture is clear as heck and the sound is top notch.

 

Sony announced today that they are eliminating all of their non-current video technology over the next 2-3 years. This includes Beta, Hi-8 and eventually Digital-8 (likely in that order). Also for the past 1-2 years all of the Hi-8 and Digital-8 cameras from all manufactures have been shipping with less and less features to get the price down.

MiniDV offers much better resolution than the Hi-8 and Digital-8 formats - Digital 8 is pretty close though. That being said! The Sony DCRTRV25 (or DCRTRV27) is a pretty good camera. 1.0 Megapixel stills, Carl Zeiss lense (pro-sumer quality lense not found on the other cameras) and an abundance of other features.

I have a DCR-TRV30 (now replaced by the DCRTRV50) - it has all of the same features as the 25/27 units (plus 1.5 Megapixel stills) and most all of the features of the DCRTRV50 (does not have BlueTooth and a few on-camera edit functions).

You can probably find the TRV30 new for about $1200-$1400 - Try www.jandr.com, they are an authorized Sony etailer and have pretty good deals.

I can't say much about the other manufacturers as I have only used one JVC MiniDV camcorders in the past. It worked OK but it required alot of accessories to download my video to the PC for editing. Another reason to think about a Sony - all of the cameras use the same i-link/firewire communications protocol so most every PC based editing solution works well with them.

Regarding sound - I have never seen an on-camera mic that was worth a damn. So make sure you buy one that has an external mic capability.

Hope this helps - have fun

 

Seks, I also have a Sony. It's a Digital 8 and I love it. I might add that one of the reasons that I purchased a digital 8mm camcorder was the fact that I have 32 8mm tapes sitting here in a box waiting to be used. I have a higher than normal resolution TV (which allows me to use the digital 8 resolution) and the tapes that I make with this camcorder look as good as the tv programs.

I have made tapes from our group drives and they came out very well. My wife got tired holding the camera after a while, but it worked nicely.

 

I think I am gonna get MiniDV. Thanks for the advice!

 

Just got MicroDV for $900. Sony's the only game in town and they have two models.

Software is limited now (won't work w/ a Mac), but I'm not too worried about that. That stuff will come . . .

- If size is a factor - can't go wrong. Like most high-end stuff I have (like a nice film SLR) I don't use it cuz its a PITA to carry around. Slip that tiny cam corder in the shirt pocket, and take it everywhere.

 

jah: what model #?

Is microdv more newer technology than minidv?

 

I misstated the format - its MicroMV (not MicroDV)

...and the model number would be useful

Here's the one I got: DCR-IP5
at this location:
http://www.centraldigital.com/cen.cfm?fuse...product_id=1068

They also make a model (DCR-IP7) with more bells and whistles (same size) for more $$$. Gives you internet access of all things - what is the world coming to - internet through a cam corder.

Its newer technology, and not yet a "standard". Could go the way of Beta, but I jumped in anyway. Check out Sony's site for more info, pictures, etc.

-Josh

 

Seks,

I just recently picked up a Sony DCRTRV27 (Mini DV) from Futureshop about 6 weeks ago. It was on sale at that time for $1099. It's great Great as everyone has mentioned above. Mini DV tapes are a little on the pricey side, relatively speaking, but the quality is so much better. The sound quality on the unit is extremely good...much better than our old 8mm Sony which is now about 6 years old. When you come down to Calgary, I'd be more than happy to let you fool around with it. It has some real neat "special features"

If you recall, I posted a thread a while back on our new Puppy. The pictures I posted were taken by the Camera. Sony is good in that they include a "memory stick" with the Camera which can be used on any other Sony device. I have a sony digital still camera, so the interchangeability feature works well for me.

You won't regret going with the Sony...trust me
Asif

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by VTEXTC
[B]Seks,

I just recently picked up a Sony DCRTRV27 (Mini DV) from Futureshop about 6 weeks ago.

 

Seks,

Sure..no problems using mine for the drive.

Let me run upstairs and see what model I have. Maybe it's not the 27 after all?
Asif