Need recommendation on a decent camcorder.

[jimsmegos]

Hey gang, gotta question...

I'm really wanting to pick up a couple of the new HD camcorders to use for my news gathering / reporting duties because I am wore out packing around the stations DV5000 and or the Canon XL1. Plus everyone freezes up when you point it at them. That makes 'man on the street stuff' a real "B" to capture. Anyway... I want to pick up a good HD camera that has decent audio as well as real HD recording. There are so many camera out there now on the consumer level that doing my homework is running me into the ground. So I again reach out to all of you in the Mego world for some advice. What do you use or recommend that isn't terribly expensive but still captures clean video with acceptable audio?

I appreciate any and all input. Thanks a ton fellow's and girls!

[doctor09210]

If you want a camera, try to find on ebay the 10-some year old Sony HandyCam, it is one of the best non-professional cameras with amazing quality, it is better quality than the new HD's, the HandyCam is also an average camera size, just a little taller...

[Hector]

I think HD cams are overrated.

I prefer the old reliable mini DV.

I have a Panasonic PV DV952...hardly used (not a scratch) because I bought it just before I got really sick back in 2004...it's a 3CCD camera...it was a cheaper-priced competitor of the Canon XL1 back in the day...

Gearing Up: Choosing a Camcorder :: Hour 1. Camcorder and Shooting Tips :: Part I: Getting Started :: Adobe Premiere 6.5. Teach yourself in 24 hours :: Adobe :: eTutorials.org

Panasonic PV-DV952 review - Palmcorder Camcorders

I have been thinking on selling it...message me if you are interested...



P.S. You should contact Sandy on HD cameras...he might be able to help you further.

[Adam West]

I'm also a big fan of the Sony Handy cam. We have the non-HD version but my brother has the HD and it's just a great camera all the way around.

[jimsmegos]

Thanks for th heads up guys... PM on the way Hector....

I too feel much more confident when it comes to using a miniDV cam than all these new HD ones but I was hoping one of you on here may have knew of one that was decent. My only real reason to 'want' one is that I was hoping to bypass the real time capture aspect. The HD cameras I've played with so far really haven't impressed me and it seems all of them use a proprietary file format so you have to jump through conversion hoops before you can edit your clips. Anyway, I o appreciate the heads up.

The angle I'm working with is that I'm really trying to lighten my load as well as boost turn around speed all the while not sacrificing too much quality of the final cut. Yeah, yeah, I'm asking for a lot, possibly even a miracle but a rabbit can dream right?