First time with Camcorder... Tips?

[leahannpen]

We finally got a camcorder, and I plan on taking it in September. That way I can tape all my favorite things and "go back" whenever I want by popping in my tape. Any pros out there who could offer up some taping tips? How about care of the camcorder? Any info would be great. Thank you!

[tc]

Just bumping 'cus I'd like to know of any tips out there. :earsboy:

[beachclubber]

After capturing hours of memories of the back of my childrens heads I started sitting away from them to tape parades and shows. For instance I now sit across the street from my family during parades. This allows to capture the parade and the wonder and amazement of my children. During shows I sit a couple of rows away to capture their reactions. By positioning myself 'away' from the family I can video the show and everyones reactions to the event.

I believe 'sitting away' makes for much more memorable video.

One other thing I started doing.....If your camera has 'Night Shot' or zero lux, which allows filming in darkness, use it to film your party in some of the darker attractions. I have the best footage of the kids being scared by the events in HISTA and singing along with the cast of the Country Bears

[TammyB]

Be sure and have your name ingraved on the camera, or have your name and hotel on the camera in some way. If it gets lost hopefully it will get back to you.
As we got off of Buzz Lightyear and my husband left our camera on the ride. Thankfully the person behind us saw it and gave it to the Cast Member. Then they chased us down out side and told him they gave it to the Cast Member. Thank god for honest people. The first thing the Cast Member will tell you is to have your name on everything. If you lose it you may not ever see it again (dishonest people), but if your name is on it you will have a better chance of getting it back.

Also everyone should put your name, address or hotel on all your film. If you lose it in the parks they can get it back to you. We lost 1 roll out of 27 and if I had my name on it we might have gotten it back. You wouldn't believe the number of Kodak rolls they find in one day!

TammyB

[tink2dw]

Dh ask why I didn't tape more at WDW well I had hurt my leg and Had to use a Wheel chair!! So, I was always behind my family and the shots would have been all of their lower backs[ok,butts]

Give the Camcorder to the fastest tallest person in your party!!

[marc]

I would suggest really becoming familiar with your camcorder prior to your trip. That way you can enjoy what you are doing more and not have to worry what the video is capturing.

[fostrmom2mny]

My camcorder has the night vision feature, but I've never used it. (Lost the perfect chance to give it a try on July 4, but forgot about it :( ) Anyway, has anyone used this feature and how does it look when you view it?

One tip I read about would be to not video tape everyday. Take a break or share the job so you can experiance Disney yourself first hand instead of thru the camcorder. As already mentioned, make sure you get recations f your party to things, not just hours of the park itself. Being able to go back and see the look on your loved one's face to WDW is priceless.

[*Huey*]

The nightshot feature on my camcorder basically looks like black & white OVER EXPOSED film when taken of someone or something within about 5 feet. (Blair Witch-esque) When used in the Haunted Mansion it had an eerie effect (the holigraphic ghosts were even visible). It's not a feature that gets used a lot on my camcorder, but in certain instances, it's been nice to have.

Also, as your original "Tommy the Tourist," I've compiled hours and hours of tape that I'll probably never watch again. The shows, rides, etc. are great when you watch it the first time, but you'll notice yourself fast forwarding the more you watch it. I must have 3 different complete versions of Thunder Mountain...

[eeyorecollector]

I would have to agree.
We taped to many of the shows,and parades.
I think it would be best if used to tape small children ]
and their reactions to the whole experience.
Other wise it all seemed boring to watch.

[gilly]

Make sure you have extra batteries....

[ga9497]

If you can take a small tripod with you. This is great for shows as your arm doesn't get tired and you don't get a shaky film to watch.

We didn't do this but are definitely going to next time and my husband hates to carry anything around and will carry this on our next trip.

Don't try to tape everything or you will not enjoy yourself

[wendy74]

I used my Sony camcorder for the first time at WDW on my honeymoon this past June. Here are some very important tips that I learned after using it. Some of these tips are listed here and some I read before I left and didn't listen to-afterwards I wished I had!

1.) MOST IMPORTANT- Don't try to tape every ride, you really will feel like you weren't even there. If you want to tape a bunch of rides take turns and switch off who tapes them so that you can enjoy yourself. I taped the Lion King show and Kilimanjaro Safari in AK and since we only did these things once I feel like I missed the entire ride bc I was trying to hunt for the animals through the lens. I recommend seeing the shows or rides at least once before you decide to tape them so that you can see what goes on and then later do them again and you will know where to point your camera.

2.)Night shot was not needed half as much as I used it. I thought that in rides like the Haunted Mansion, Pirates and Splash Mountain I might need it on some or all of the ride but I discovered I didn't. I taped all 3 of these rides twice, once with and once without night shot. The time that I taped them without night shot ALWAYS came out better. I was surprised that even in the Haunted Mansion everything was pretty visible w/o night shot. When I used night shot in HM I saw a lot of the "tricks" they use and it made it not look as magical.

3.) Tape your loved ones. We taped so many rides and not enough of eachother enjoying WDW-if it wasn't for a few shots I took of DH and he of me on some rides you would never even know we were there.

4.)Don't bring the camera with you everyday. It's nice to have it for the unexpected moments but it can get heavy.

5.) Tape CMs whenever you get a chance. You will find that the more outgoing Cms will put on a show for you and it can be very entertaining.

6.)If you tape the fireworks at MK make sure you stand directly in front of the castle about half way down Main Street. Oh also, you don't need night shot for the fireworks. I had figured this out by the time I decided I was going to tape them and I knew that I didn't want to watch fireworks in black and white. They came out great in color with regular shot BTW.

Hope this helps-if you have any specific questions please ask me and I will help any way that I can:D

[goofyme]

this is from a previous post of mine....hope it helps!

welcome class to my pearls on video taping the big mouse. it is a short class and your final test will be having to sit thru your own video at the end of your vacation.

1)charge your batteries-get one of those $100 long life batteries, i charged my last one only twice in one week our last trip.

2)do not walk while video taping-unless you are taking your vertigo medicine, you will not like watching this on tape later

3)catch the small moments-we all want the "big attractions" and character moments, but the ones you will love the most are the ones with the kids half asleep on the bus going back to your resort

4)fight yourself if you must, but point your camera away from the action during the parades, fireworks, etc..and just tape the expressions from your childrens face as they watch. the most precious smiles and wide-eyed happy expressions i've seen are when i tear myself away from the spectacle and film my kids

5)be sure to turn off your camera during the bus rides...i hate to admit i've done this, but i have several times..in the hurried mornings when i'm excited (Disney Commando and proud of it!) I have forgotten to stop taping... there is nothing worse when you go home and have to watch twenty minutes or so of the inside of your camera bag (although the audio can be interesting)

6)remember what you are saying when taping-my wife and mother-in-law talked about me (and my Commando tatics) without realizing the tape was on...imagine my (and their) surprise later.

7)your camera will get wet on splash mountain

8)if your stupid enuf to try to film RnR, space Mtn., etc.. be sure to keep the strap around your neck in case it does fly off----try putting the camera inside your shirt(it works)

9)plenty of film kids---WDW isn't known for inexpensive sundries

10)you are not Bob Costas and you do not have to give a running commentary about everything going on--let the sounds of disney come thru, not you

11)DO NOT FILM THE WHOLE ATTRACTION--ok, i am torn on this one...have i filmed the whole pirates of the caribbean? of course i have. have i done it on subsequent trips? of course i have. and me stupid man. filming the whole attrraction(small world, journey,etc.) is one thing you will want to do thinking that your children and yourself will love to watch this later....believe me, unless you edit your tapes down(i will honey sometime but i don't have the time right now) you will skip over this time and time again. get a small portion and just LET IT GO!! fight your instincts here boys.

12)do not carry the camera with you 24/7--i think people want to catch every "special" moment on tape so bad that they end up missing the moments all around them.....put it down on occasion and you will realize what your missing..

[leahannpen]

These tips are GREAT! I'm so glad I asked, because I've learned alot! We just bought our camcorder in May, right after our son was born. My husband has to show me how to use it. (He sitting this trip out, it's just the "girls" going)..... I'm going to have my friends over when he shows me how to use it, so they can listen too!

These tips are wonderful! Thank you... and if anyone has any other tips, pass 'em on!
Thank you!

[dBugged]

I have a few tips on our site. Similar tips have already been shared here, but I have a few others that might come in handy. Just go to our site and click on the TIPS link on the front page.

[TIGGER36027]

Make sure you charge your battery before you leave your room. There is nothing worse than getting to a park having a half-charged battery.

Back up batteries are good too!

Happy Filming!!! :)

[DParkfan]

Just a couple tips:

1. Practice filming before you go.

2. Keep the camera on what your filming longer than you would look at it through the eyelens. I just filmed Disneyland and I got dizzy at home from the constant moving of the camera to various objects. I kept saying what was that?

3. Do not leave camera anywhere, carry it with, like in a backpack.

[nluvwithdisney]

Is it a pain to carry a camcorder. We just purchased one a few months ago. For short trips to visit our families it worked out well. However, my wife and I to visit DW we are having some apprehensions. First we don't want to carry it everywhere. We also would prefer not to leave it in the hotel room for fear it will be stolen. It's just the two of us traveling in November.

We just want some tips to see how you guys managed with a camcorder.

[goofyme]

i hate my camcorder case b/c it is too bulky...i hate carrying it around my neck because it makes me feel hot and it rubs....i finally started carrying it in a backpack (along with a book to read, spray mister/fan, snack, diapers, etc)....and found this to be very manageable...

[Diznegrl888]

The last post about carrying the camera in a
bookbag was great, I almost spnt $30 on a case for the camera thinking it would be easier. But the strap rubbing you would be a nightmare. So thanks for saving me $30 &
a sore shoulder. This also my first time bringing a camcorder its a small panasonic digital with the LCD flip out screen. Im
scared I might be one of those record every little thing freaks! I just love Disney World so much. We are going Sept. 3-7th. Any more advice or tips would be wonderfull.

[dBugged]

Trust me... avoid the over the shoulder camera bags! Ick! I carried one around last year for a couple of days, shot as much footage as I could possibly shoot and then left the camera in the room for the rest of the trip. It rubbed against my neck and helped add to the heat. :)

This year I bought a VERY small MiniDV camera that is small enough to fit inside a special case that can be attached to a fanny pack. Should be a lot easier to drag around! My hope is that I won't even notice that I have it with me (except when I'm using it). :)

[Bob H]

I have found that you may NOT be able to record in low light without Nightshot. All I can suggest is that you try your camcorder under different light conditions BEFORE you try to get "that perfect" shot.

My camcorder, (I have a Sony miniDV DCR TRV-30), will not record well in light below 7 lux (the amount of light thrown off by seven candles from a distance of one foot). Many camcorders are rated for much lower light requirements and this won't be an issue for them. For some reason, some of the new DV camcorders with megapixel capacity, require alot of light to process the picture.

Other suggestions:
-Get a spare battery (longer life, but heavier), and an external battery charger (either A/C or D/C car) so that you can have one charging in the room or car while you use the other to record.
-Use the LCD display as little as possible without crimping your enjoyment. The more you use the large display, the faster your battery drains.
-Understand the different exposure settings. If you choose a low light setting and use the camera in bright light, you will wash out the picture. ViceVersa, don't use the daylight setting in low light.
-If you have a camera that takes digital snapshots on a seperate media from the tape (ie, Sony memorystick), get as large a memory module as you can reasonably afford. You can take snapshots on the digital chip and not use up the tape, the pics are easier to find (you don't have to scan the entire tape to find a particular shot), it doesn't have a motor to run that uses up more power, plus you can download the pictures to your computer. I have a 128MB stick which allows me to take about 400 pics before I need another.
-Buy a clear lens filter to protect your expensive lens from dirt, salt, and sand. It is onlt a couple of bucks and if you scratch it, you can always buy another at any camera shop.
-Consider a neutral filter in order to reduce the glare on the lens in bright light, or over water.


Bob

[kristikae]

Don't talk too much if you are recording! I have hours of tape that seem like all you hear is my big mouth! I hate the way I sound on tape anyway so I cringe when I hear myself on the tapes.

[Diznegrl888]

I just thought "Im leaving Monday the 3rd & have barely tried out the camera yet" Im going home after work and using the thing before I get to Disney and have terrible shots. The tips about the lighting were helpfull. Only 10 more days!!!:earsgirl: