If I were to get a video camera...

[Selkie]

what would be a good kind/brand/etc. to get?

Give me some info, I really have no clue where to start...

[greg400]

I have a Kodak V550 digital camera. It's pretty good.

[ME##]

What's your price range?


I was looking at CNET's top picks for home-movie camcorders and the two top ones are the Sony Handycam HDR-CX7 and Sony Handycam HDR-SR7, they're basically the same except the latter has an HDD, and the former uses memory sticks. And it would appear that the HDR-CX7 is cheaper too, from the Sony store it's $611.99.

[Selkie]

My price range is like up to 500-600 I guess

Also, a friend of mine who is big on that stuff told me that small tapes were better than DVD recorders. Is this true? and why?

[Snorkel]

I know quite a bit about consumer video cameras, and quite frankly, buying anything but a Sony MiniDV Handycam would be stupid.

In my experience Sony Handycams are pretty much the best consumer cameras in terms of durability and quality for price, and the MiniDV is because when you get the direct-to-DVD/SSD ones it compresses your video right off the bat... with MiniDV it's recording uncompressed video, so importing it to iMovie/Final Cut Pro/whatever is the first time you're downgrading the quality of the video, unless you import and still don't compress (this is ideal, but really not practical unless you're above a semi-pro level).

Oh, and yeah, your friend is right. MiniDV = small tapes, I should have mentioned that. I said why above.

So, recommendations... this (click) will be a perfectly good camera for you, unless you're trying to do serious amateur filmmaking or something (which is what I do)... in that case you'd want something like this, which is what I'll hopefully be shooting with by the end of the summer.

Also, when browsing cameras, disregard digital zoom. It's worthless and not something that makes a camera good or better... higher optical zoom is more desirable.

[V]

I know quite a bit about consumer video cameras, and quite frankly, buying anything but a Sony MiniDV Handycam would be stupid.

In my experience Sony Handycams are pretty much the best consumer cameras in terms of durability and quality for price, and the MiniDV is because when you get the direct-to-DVD/SSD ones it compresses your video right off the bat... with MiniDV it's recording uncompressed video, so importing it to iMovie/Final Cut Pro/whatever is the first time you're downgrading the quality of the video, unless you import and still don't compress (this is ideal, but really not practical unless you're above a semi-pro level).

Oh, and yeah, your friend is right. MiniDV = small tapes, I should have mentioned that. I said why above.

So, recommendations... this (click) will be a perfectly good camera for you, unless you're trying to do serious amateur filmmaking or something (which is what I do)... in that case you'd want something like this, which is what I'll hopefully be shooting with by the end of the summer.

Also, when browsing cameras, disregard digital zoom. It's worthless and not something that makes a camera good or better... higher optical zoom is more desirable.

ahh somebody said my name three times like beetlejuice

[The artist formally known]

ahh somebody said my name three times like beetlejuice

i hate you

[Selkie]

Well the plot thickens...

I just found a 1998 JVC camera in my parent's closet. It seems to be working perfectly fine, but I don't know if they manufacture the battery still, and I assume it is the same mini tapes they still use.

But Snorkel, if this doesn't work out for whatever reason, I will get that first Sony you showed me. It looks perfect for me. I see no reason to not get it. Thanks

[Cookie]

Yes, go with MiniDV tapes. Using a HD or DVDs is not that great. It makes me mad because that is all they advertise anymore. But yeah I heard JVC has a good MiniDv handycam for $300.

[Snorkel]

Well the plot thickens...

I just found a 1998 JVC camera in my parent's closet. It seems to be working perfectly fine, but I don't know if they manufacture the battery still, and I assume it is the same mini tapes they still use.

But Snorkel, if this doesn't work out for whatever reason, I will get that first Sony you showed me. It looks perfect for me. I see no reason to not get it. Thanks

If it was one of the higher-end ones it could be okay for casual use; things you might notice are poor contrast and color in general, and a little bit of high-ISO/fuzziness.

[Cookie]

I know quite a bit about consumer video cameras, and quite frankly, buying anything but a Sony MiniDV Handycam would be stupid.

In my experience Sony Handycams are pretty much the best consumer cameras in terms of durability and quality for price, and the MiniDV is because when you get the direct-to-DVD/SSD ones it compresses your video right off the bat... with MiniDV it's recording uncompressed video, so importing it to iMovie/Final Cut Pro/whatever is the first time you're downgrading the quality of the video, unless you import and still don't compress (this is ideal, but really not practical unless you're above a semi-pro level).

Oh, and yeah, your friend is right. MiniDV = small tapes, I should have mentioned that. I said why above.

So, recommendations... this (click) will be a perfectly good camera for you, unless you're trying to do serious amateur filmmaking or something (which is what I do)... in that case you'd want something like this, which is what I'll hopefully be shooting with by the end of the summer.

Also, when browsing cameras, disregard digital zoom. It's worthless and not something that makes a camera good or better... higher optical zoom is more desirable.

You should just get a VX1000. I purchased mine back in December and was debating weather or not to get it or the VX2100. But really a VX1000 is pretty much the same thing except I hear the auto white balance is somewhat better on the VX2100.

[Selkie]

Alright well the piece of shit I found isn't working. When I turn it on with a tape in, it just stays on for a second, then shuts off.

Then again it is fine without the tape....but the tape was literally brand new, I just opened the packaging so...


Screw it I'm just gonna get a new one.

[Pancake Paraphernalia]

Sony. Avoid those cheap general brand kinds. I got a generic digital camera for about 30 bucks, thinking I made a good deal, and I was better off getting a film disposable camera.

[Snorkel]

You should just get a VX1000. I purchased mine back in December and was debating weather or not to get it or the VX2100. But really a VX1000 is pretty much the same thing except I hear the auto white balance is somewhat better on the VX2100.

That's not the actual one I'm planning on getting, it's just one of the only ones Sony has in their online store for some reason... the one I'm really thinking about is this: http://www.zoommania.com/descript.asp?prodid=HVRHD1000U (couldn't find a better website)

[Cookie]

That's not the actual one I'm planning on getting, it's just one of the only ones Sony has in their online store for some reason... the one I'm really thinking about is this: http://www.zoommania.com/descript.asp?prodid=HVRHD1000U (couldn't find a better website)

Ah, what do you film? Just kinda out of curiosity.