camcorders

[marv]

Ime off tomorrow to get a new digital camcorder for our holiday, would any body have any ideas on what i should be looking for. There are so many brands out there, i really havn't a clue what to look for.

Thanks Marv

 

[Melcatfish]

Decide before you go in to the shop what you are prepared to pay. I went planning on spending around £400 but I made the fatal error of asking what their "best value" deal was and although they didn't try and get me to buy the most expensive camcorder in the shop I was shown a new JVC at £550 which, as it happens I did find easy to use, looked nice and had all the functions I wanted. So I ended up buying it

Its a lovely camcorder but over my original budget. The point is that I got a bit carried away with features and specification and spent more than I had intended!!!!

Apart from setting your budget heres my advice...

Think about whether you will have a stills camera or whether you want it to double up as a stills camera (you're going to have to pay a lot more for a camcorder that takes GOOD stills)

Pick it up and walk around (without looking like you might leg it out the store!) If you are going to be carrying it round WDW it needs to be light and not cumbersome.

Will you want to transfer old analogue movies to digital format on it? If so you need DV in and out functions.

Does it come with editing software (it can be expensive if you have to buy it searately.

Don't get TOO wrapped up in it's digital zoom capabilities. To all intents and purposes the optical zoom is more important as once you start using the digital zoom you lose quality very quickly.

Errrrrr

Cant think of any more. Happy shopping. Come back and tell us what you have got!

Regards
Mel

 

[Melcatfish]

IF you see one you like don't buy it there and then. Do a price check... I saw differences of up to £100 in shops less than 200 yards apart!

Write down the model number and then check it out online, look at store websites if your feet don't like the idea of pounding the shops looking for price difference but be aware that as usual online prices may or may not include shipping.

Check out http://www.camcorderinfo.com/ and look at their consumer and users groups at the bottom left of the site. Of course everyone there usually has their own opinion on what is good or bad about various camcorders but you can get a general feel for what its accepted good and bad points are.

As for makes... Sony, JVC, Panasonic, Canon - take your pick, its mostly down to personal taste.

 

[yourwelcome]

personally Marv I would hold back and head straight to Wal-mart
when you get there.

e.g. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/sear...igital+camcorders&Continue.x=18&Continue.y=13

I have bought in the past and the only extra you will need is a
travel plug for charging.

I purchased a sony digital camera for $499.00 plus tax. the cheapest one in the uk was £550.00. average being £700.00

happy shopping.

Brian

 

[Melcatfish]

We needed ours before the trip to use at family functions and also because I wanted to start practising, but if you can wait prices are *much* better in the US

Regards
Mel

 

[Tiggery]

IMO Jessops have the best range and high st price. I bought my camcorder last year and got some great advise from them.

 

[matty624]

I personally wouldn't buy a camcorder in the US. I've been very tempted to, I've now had three dv camcorders over the last 5 years, all bought in the UK. Why?
1. I'd worry about customs on the way back in. I even take a photocopy of the receipt for our 3ccd model with us! I know there is never anyone on duty (at least in Manchester), but you never know! I'm sure if I bought one, we'd get stopped!
2. Warranty. Not entirely confident that some 'World wide' warranties are that great.
3. Prices. Having looked around every year for the past 5, I'm not sure that prices are that much cheaper in the shops in Florida than the best UK sources from internet/mailorder places. In fact I know for a fact that tape prices are actually far higher there, than I can get here. e.g. £2/60 minute dv tape in the UK, $9+ in the US!
Of course the exception to that is probably Walmart as Brain mentioned. They are only good if you aren't too bothered about choice, as they only have a very limited range compared to what is actually available.
Hope this helps.
Ian

 

[yourwelcome]

Matty, whilst I agree with you on all points there is the fact that goods bought in Wal-mart are now covered by Asda.

I would also use any "problems" as an excuse to go back!!!!!!

Brian

 

[marv]

Thanks for all your advice

1 I have considered buying one in the us but as Matty pointed out that customs may be a bit trickey. Also i was worried if it happen not to work, i may have a problem replacing it back here in the uk. We only have a few days now before we go and ned to get as much practice in, i dont fancy fumbling around whith it when in the parks.

2 I have a budget of £400 and Currys have a Canon model on offer for £399, origanally £499. What do you all think of this model?

3 I have to see first of all wether its small enough as it has to fit into a bum bag. All my kids are big enough to do all rides, so there is no need to carry back packs.

4 Melcatfish i didn't realise i could take my analogue films and transfer them. Does that mean i can take old video footage and transfer onto disc? would you be able to let me know how i go about it.
I also have studio 8 software, would that be ok to use with any camcorder?
I would like to take stills with it, have seen some lovley stills of wishes that have been taken with a camcorder. I have fugi film finepix and night photos dont seem to come out that well.

Thanks again for all this info

Marv

 

[marv]

Back again

What numbered optical zoom should i be looking for, the canon one has a 20 optical zoom. Which is best lower or higher and whats the diffreence between a an optical or digi zoom?

Thanks again
Marv

 

[matty624]

A x20 opitical zoom is very good. My £1500 Panasonic only has a x10. Cannon seem to like including a high opitical. Opitical zoom figures are only the ones you should be interested in. A x20 opitical zoom will theoretically make the picture 20 times bigger. The digital zooms are a waste of time. e.g. a digital zoom of 100 allied to an opitical zoom of 20 will actually make the picture 20 times bigger and then increase each of those pixels 5 times bigger to get to the magic 100 figure. Some manufacturers even include ridiculus x500 digital zooms. Only the opitical figure is worth considering. Once you zoom in past about x40 using digital zooms, the picture becomes so pixilated its not worth having.
Hope this helps,
Ian

 

[mickmin]

visit www.pricerunner.com or co.uk. i by all my electrical equipment here

 

[marv]

Hi
i bought the canon 630i model, has 20 optical zoom night mode stills facility, in and out av. I have put the soft ware on the computer digital solution disc, this soft ware seems to be for the memory card side of it.
Ime having problems understanding how i can capture movie footage from tape to computer. I have pinnacle studio 8 software for this, but it wont capture. I did have it connected with a usb cable to the computer and realised later on that i have a dv oulet on the camcorder but no dv cable . Do i need to buy a dv cable to be able to capture movies from tape or am i totally getting the wrong idea.
Help please!

thanks marv