What's the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

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JeffS

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What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

Ok FISHDOOD and all you video guys... what's the best video cam for shooting races at a reasonable price... not "in-car"... but quality 'spectator' video, with the ability to download easy to a pc and take stills. I assume miniDV is the tape format of choice, but please enlighten me if I'm wrong. It seems I need good optical zoom but what is good, and how do I get good 'video quality' ??

Thanks,
- Jeff S.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.RedRockOffroad.com>http://www.RedRockOffroad.com</A> - There is a fine line between Hobby and Mental Illness.
 
Kritter

Kritter

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

The still pictures that are an option on some video cameras are not that good. we use a TRV-27 which was abut $1200 after all said and done and the stills from it are not spectaculor. They are fine for posting on a website, but as for hi res...aint gonna happen. All DV's shoot in frames and you can pull individual pictures when you edit the film...but those are not great quality either. So I would say if you want hi res pics and also video...go with a good dig camera and a cheaper DV camera that way you have the best of both worlds. Also keep the dirt out of the cameras...it is amazing how fast dirt puts a wrench in the works.

Kris
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THNKPNK

THNKPNK

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

I dont know what price range you are looking for but have you looked into the Sony DCR VX2000 cam?



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erikh

erikh

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

I use a Sony PC9 which they don't make any more. It was $1,200. They were moving on to the wireless Bluetooth technology for the microMV. I love the fact that I can take digital stills, automatic .mpgs and DV that I can edit. The resolution of the stills is not that great so you won't ever get a print quality level with this but it is real easy for the web. So, it's going to depend on what your end goal is. I have a 128 meg memory stick so I can shoot stills and automatic .mpgs basically all day long with out much problem. The camera also has a touch screen window that is awesome and real easy to use to view the stills or playback any video I shot out in the field. Your camera should have both USB and Firewire capabilty especially if you plan on dowloading and editing DV. So, that means your computer also needs USB and Firewire capabilities.

erik
 
Steve_HKmtrsprts

Steve_HKmtrsprts

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

I have an older sony trv digital camera, not sure which model, but it works great and hooks up easy to the computer. Like Kritter said either wrap the camera up when your in the dirt or learn how to take it apart and clean it cause it makes a huge difference especially when trying to zoom.

 
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mattrick88

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

if i was to do it again, i would go with a sony like steves. in my opinion the sonys are the best, they seem to be more stable and have the best night vision. i have one the most expensive JVC minidv cameras and i dont like it much. i think i paid more for a bunch of options that i never use, not a better quality camera.
 
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Billy_the_Kid

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

I have a Sony DCR-TRV720 (??) and it is awesome. It will do more than I will ever use. Was about $900 from SEARS one year ago. It's fully digital video, plus does digital stills that are pretty good quality, and also does mpeg's both on a memory stick. The picture of my half done truck under my name was taken with this camera if you want to check it out. Otherwise I could PM you more examples taken with this camera if you would like.

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Bill Schmitt
 
stuckthrottle

stuckthrottle

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

i've said it a bunch of times in different threads so once more wont hurt.
whatever you end up getting, make sure you get the extended warranty. it might save your butt every once in a while (depends how thrashed your cam is when you take it in).
Also, when you tape your cam (to keep dust out of internals) make sure you dont accidently pull the serial #'s off. Sony decided it would be a "great" idea if they used a steeker for the # instead of using the tried and true lazer etched metal plate from before, anyways good luck and happy shooting.
 
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robert_encinas

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

i have a sony trv-130 digital 8 .the super nightshot is pretty cool.the salesman talked me into buying it.
" you can hook it to the computer and edit your own movies, take still shots and this and that".
i still havent figured out how to use it yet. buy one that you are comfortable with ,to many features will just confuse you.
 
klaus

klaus

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

For me the extended warranties don't work.. or I gave up on them cause once they see layers of dust it turns into abuse.

This is what I do:

Go to some hands on retailer "freys", "good guys", "best buy" and play with tem all. Find, what you like. Look online "shopping.yahoo.com". "pricewatch" etc... buy it for 10%-50% less without the warranty. Do it a couple of times and take the risk. From what you save over time its worth it. If things break either replace it with new or get it repaired.

In the dez protect your gear !!!. Use zip-loc bags. Underwater ca$es. or what I do is use masking tape to prevent dust grains to reach the recording head.

Nice high end consumer models are the Sony VX2000 or Canon GL2. That's what most video productions are using like Fleshwound or Quicksand. I personally have my eyes set on a Xl1s now after seeing some footage shot with it.
 
Gabe Lara

Gabe Lara

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

Consumer?

Look at the Sony TRV line, and the Canon ZR line.
Heck of alot of bang for your buck there.

I've had my Canon GL1 for almost 2 years now, and I still dig it.

-Gabe
 
stuckthrottle

stuckthrottle

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

i've had my trv11 since the week before the b2k. it's still alive and kicking.
and about the warranty thing, i would always open it up and blast some canned air into it, then take a soft bristtle brush to clean whatever was left behind. the only time i had problems with "them" servicing it was when the serial number was missing.
on the other hand, i've also done what klaus mentioned and bought demo/display cameras or even on ebay (used) and havent had any problems with that either.
also, on my own experience, i've found that sony has the best/better power management (i.e. their batteries last longer)
 
J

JeffS

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

Thanks for all of your suggestions.... because of them, I've been looking at the SONY DCR-TRV33 ... it has.. Megapixel resolution, and the Zoom is 10x optical / 120x digital zoom ... Is that enough zoom ?
.. price $800 retail at sony... I'll check other places.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.RedRockOffroad.com>http://www.RedRockOffroad.com</A> - There is a fine line between Hobby and Mental Illness.
 
stuckthrottle

stuckthrottle

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

what you want is OPTICAL zoom, digital zoom pixelates the images and then zooms on the pixels which then creates a very very crappy image. 10x sounds about right for a consumer cam though.
 
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dcman008

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the money ??

ya if you want to spend $2000+ get the sony dcr vx-2000 grate cam, i just got mine and love it. but if thats out of you range get the sony tvr-90 min dv and has lots of setting to play around with. if you want ot buy a used jvc min dv cam and a centuryoptics baby death lens, <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/dv/4/3x_ultra_fisheye/index.htm>http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/dv/4/3x_ultra_fisheye/index.htm</A> to see the lens, pm me.

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Motorider

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

I'm digging this post back up, because I am now looking for a camcorder. What is the difference from recording on MiniDV and the HI8. It seems like the sony camcorders, that record on HI8 have 20x optical zoom, where the ones recording on MiniDV are only getting 10x. I understand that the HI8 tapes are bigger, but they seem to be able to do pretty much the same, just different sizes, and much different cost.
 
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dcman008

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

theres a big difference between hi-8, digital-8 and mindv. the biggest is mindv is digital as well as the digital-8. the reason for the big difference in zoom is that most people that buy mindv cams are higher end users and know that digital zoom is poop, all it does is interpolates (sp?), puts in, what it thinks should be there... digital zoom is like travel the more the better right? not all ways... my sony vx-2000 ($3000) has 20x optical 28x digital. my jvc ($500) has a 5x optical and a 200x digital zoom the vx can't zoom as far but the picture is 9999999999999x better
oh ya if you can't tell im a big camra doork.

"on a scale of one to ten...i think im at least a bagillion!"
live long 91 cors-a-truck
 
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MNotary

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Re: What\'s the best Digital Video Cam for the mone

Yea, but if you go low end, get a better camera with digital 8 and better optical zoom. Forget the MiniDV, it is still tape... Do I have that right?
 
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