HDD Digital Video Cameras

[Brougham]

so, baby almost here. i want to buy a digital video camera, preferable HDD type. i've spend a while looking at them, and i'm stumped as to what's good or not.

Sony? Canon? JVC?
HD or SD?

budget is about $1000-1500.
like to have as big a HDD as possible, 40gig would be a good minimum.
it's gonna be kept for a while, recording our kids life to embarrass them at their wedding, so quality is important.

opinions?

[shmoo]

My brother's got a JVC one. Not HD def, just one of their more basic HDD models. It seems to be excellent, but I dont really know the finer details as i dont use it regularly.


edit - hmmm sorry, that really wasnt any help at all was it

[sathid]

My old man bought a Sony one for our trip to europe. We got a tape one, because HHD capacity was too small, and IIRC they use a more compressed format for the information, so the quality is down a bit.

It was a very good camera, and they have improved them somewhat since then. I'd be looking at one of the ones with multiple sensor chips, to improve low light colour quality.
Cost about $2k IIRC

[Aphex]

I have a Sony 1080i camcorder w/60GB HDD. Does 16:9, 5.1 surround, has built in IR for night time etc. Doesnt have all the fancy titles and transitions built in but thats what PP is for Also has a built in Xenon flash for taking stills upto 6.1mp.

Fantastic image and sound quality for what it is. Even has an image stabliser for shakey hands.

I use to get all fanboi about Camcorders etc, but TBH Sony, JVC & Panasonic all have some very nice examples these days and you'd really stuggle to tell the difference between them. Some use 3CCD's others use a single CMOS. Some say CMOS = more noise etc but meh.. show it to me. Go have a look at a few and see what feels best in your hand. IE: Where the controls fit etc.


EDIT: Regards compression on HDD models... Ive used mine in XHQ mode (highest quality) for almost everything ive recorded. Ive currently got about 8 hours of footage on the HDD with about another 3 or for to go. The image quality is in no way compromised by using HDD and it saves having to carry mountains of tapes around.

[Klink]

the new gen CMOS is much better than CCD. I'd be surprised if CCD was still around in a few years time.

[Brougham]

yeah, i was leaning towards this one:



"HD 60GB 10MP HARD DRIVE HYBRID HANDYCAM HDRSR11 "
RRP is $1899, but i'm sure i could get it cheaper shopping around.

[sathid]

Originally Posted by Aphex

I have a Sony 1080i camcorder w/60GB HDD. Does 16:9, 5.1 surround, has built in IR for night time etc. Doesnt have all the fancy titles and transitions built in but thats what PP is for Also has a built in Xenon flash for taking stills upto 6.1mp.

Fantastic image and sound quality for what it is. Even has an image stabliser for shakey hands.

I use to get all fanboi about Camcorders etc, but TBH Sony, JVC & Panasonic all have some very nice examples these days and you'd really stuggle to tell the difference between them. Some use 3CCD's others use a single CMOS. Some say CMOS = more noise etc but meh.. show it to me. Go have a look at a few and see what feels best in your hand. IE: Where the controls fit etc.


EDIT: Regards compression on HDD models... Ive used mine in XHQ mode (highest quality) for almost everything ive recorded. Ive currently got about 8 hours of footage on the HDD with about another 3 or for to go. The image quality is in no way compromised by using HDD and it saves having to carry mountains of tapes around.

When I was looking at them the HDD were only 20GB and had a max of 7 hours footage storage. I took 30 odd hours on my holiday, and I assure you the tapes were less hassle than draggin a laptop around would have been At that point in time I had read reviews of quality issues with HDD (or maybe it was DVD).

Sounds like there have been some nice improvements since we got ours.

Out of curiosity, whats the story with connections etc to the cameras now? The one we bought didn't have a mic input, and using USB connections of the svideo out caused a drop in quality. Only way to get proper HD is to use HDMI output it seems.

[Brougham]

yeah, well this for hospital/home/little family trips/filming first steps, etc.

[Aphex]

Originally Posted by sathid

When I was looking at them the HDD were only 20GB and had a max of 7 hours footage storage. I took 30 odd hours on my holiday, and I assure you the tapes were less hassle than draggin a laptop around would have been

Sounds like there have been some nice improvements since we got ours.

did you have your camera in hand everywhere you went? You're secretly one of these guys that points a camcorder at anything that moves whilst you're significant other stands there with her arms folded rolling his/her eyes arent you.

Secondly, HTF does any self respecting photo/video phreak go anywhere outside the metro area with anything less than a mobile data centre these days? Hmmmm???

Oh and Brougham... that camera is very similar to the one I have.

[Klink]

Originally Posted by Aphex

Secondly, HTF does any self respecting photo/video phreak go anywhere outside the metro area with anything less than a mobile data centre these days? Hmmmm???

I wont mention my setup that records directly to my Laptop from my Canon pro HDV camera

[sathid]

Lots of pointing the camera out of the train capturing countryside.

My dad wanted lots of footage to show his olds, who have never left the country (and never will). So he did a fair bit of filming.
We were away for 5 weeks, so it's less than an hour a day.

I had visions of creating a grand documentary style movie of the trip, but I've since discovered I lack the computing power, time, skills and motivation to do it.

lol

[Aphex]

Originally Posted by sathid

We were away for 5 weeks, so it's less than an hour a day.

I had visions of creating a grand documentary style movie of the trip, but I've since discovered I lack the computing power, time, skills and motivation to do it.

lol

I've had these very same grandious visions of filming expiditions past. The enthusiasm seems to come from capturing the moment rather than pouring over hours of footage in finite detail, chopping it appart and stitching it back together. Often the end result is nothing as envisaged in the first place. Its all good when you first start but often half way through theres that "ahh fuck it" moment. From that point on its all down hill.

[Brougham]

Originally Posted by Klink

I wont mention my setup that records directly to my Laptop from my Canon pro HDV camera

lol, i DID look at the pro cameras, then decided against it!

[Klink]

Go on... you know you want to... Its only blowing your budget by 600%

[Aphex]

Yeah go on... its only like going shopping for a point and shoot and comming away with an EOS 5D

[Klink]

Well you CAN point and shoot with an |EOS 5D|

[Brougham]

Originally Posted by Aphex

Yeah go on... its only like going shopping for a point and shoot and comming away with an EOS 5D

does a EOS-400D count? 'cause i dun that already!

[sathid]

Originally Posted by Aphex

I've had these very same grandious visions of filming expiditions past. The enthusiasm seems to come from capturing the moment rather than pouring over hours of footage in finite detail, chopping it appart and stitching it back together. Often the end result is nothing as envisaged in the first place. Its all good when you first start but often half way through theres that "ahh fuck it" moment. From that point on its all down hill.

Luckily that was after clipping the first scene.

[dugy]

Considering how cheap flash memory is why not a CX12 or TG1?
I bought a Sony TG1 on impulse in Japan.
It's HD, but not as good quality as the calibre of the footage from a CX12.
But you can't put a CX12 in your jeans pocket.

[Gryphen]

or try a Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 HD Camcorder