Digital Camcorder for Disney

[elmo2wdw]

We are thinking about buying a digital camcorder for our next rip and we would appreciate any suggestions. We have a digital camera that we love but we know nothing about the digital camcorders. Please help us. We don't want to spend more than
$500..... if possible.

Thanks!

 

[Mymatisse]

We have a very nice Panasonic that we got for a little over 300.00. Just a word of caution. I don't know when you are planning on making your trip but we took our camera with us in September and the humidity was too high the camera wouldn't operate outside. We repeatedly got this "dew" alert message and couldn't use the camera.

 

[F5CHASER]

I fairly recently purchased a Sony 8mm Digital Handycam and love it. I went with a 8mm over a miniDV format due to having a bunch of old 8mm analog tapes that can't be played with a miniDV camcorder. The optical zooms were much better on the 8mm as well. I love it and haven't had any problems.

 

[DisneyPete]

We love our JVC GR-DX75. It's smaller than most 35 mm cameras and takes great videos.

Had no problems with humidity or the rain that came by last November either. Its Mini DV format and resonably priced ($300). You can check it out at www.buydig.com

 

[Northwoods]

I have a Panasonic MiniDV with 24x Optical and 800 Digital Zoom. It also can take digital photos. It is a great camera - the zoom is super. And it is small - easy to fit in a purse, fanny pack or even a pocket.

We will be taking it to WDW in Dec.

 

[elmo2wdw]

Bump...any more suggestions

 

[msr709]

I got a Cannon XR80 which works wonderfully outside but not too good for nighttime shots but very convenient and small. Its a mini-DV format and tape, easy to hook up to the TV or computer, very user friendly. Its almost as small as my Sony Cybershot Digital. Its a great first time user one, I didn't want to spend too much, it was under $300 at Walmart on sale. I'm ultimately looking to get a Sony that has the CD format, but that will be when they come down a little more in price. Good luck!

 

[gallaj0]

I'm going to second the Sony Digital 8MM camera. I love sony's cameras, easy to used, but also plenty of features if you want to gussy things up.

The 8MM digital camera I bought was also backwards compatible with my regular 8MM tapes, and would automatically convert them to digtial while downloading them to my PC; now I have my "old" 8 MM tapes saved on the PC or burnt onto DVD.

 

[crow11ad]

I am going to 3rd the Sony digital 8mm handy cam. It works great. THe night shot is a great feature. When you go and look, if you already have a digital camera, then you won't need the extra feature that are in some of the digital camcorders. THe feature is a memory card holder so that you can take pictures. Also feel free to look at this site

http://www.sterlingtek.com/

It is a site for camera and camcorder accessories, such as batteries. Your camera will come with a battery that will probably last about an hour to maybe 2. Well if you look at the store where you are thinking about getting your camera, you can get a bigger battery for about 100 plus. Well at this site, you can get the same battery straight from Japan and buy an battery charger for really cheap. The battery I got when fully charge will record 11 hours without recharge.

So needless to say, I have 1 battery for the camcorder and 3 back ups for the digital camera. I hope this helps.

 

[loriandmatt]

i have a canon elura. It is a few years old and i am sure the price has come down a bit on this technology since i purchased it for around 500. I have always been happy with it. works pretty good in dark situations without that blinding light.

- lori

 

[Poohs Pal]

My DS also has the sony. He really likes it. He shot the fireworks at the MNSSHP and they are awesome. Susan

 

[bytheblood]

Best Buy has lots of great sales during the Holiday Season. I suggest a Sony, personally.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?j=1&id=cat04014&type=category

 

[Serenity]

A few of you have mentioned the Sony 8mm. Does anyone have a model or style number? Our Camcorder has been acting up lately (it is also a Sony handycam but is 9 yrs old and they don't sell it anymore). I don't want to take any chances in December that the camcorder will work and plan to get another one before we go. I would love to buy another Sony and you all seem to really like this one. So, anyone who knows, please give me details on this camera.

Thanks.

 

[crow11ad]

Originally posted by Serenity
A few of you have mentioned the Sony 8mm. Does anyone have a model or style number? Our Camcorder has been acting up lately (it is also a Sony handycam but is 9 yrs old and they don't sell it anymore). I don't want to take any chances in December that the camcorder will work and plan to get another one before we go. I would love to buy another Sony and you all seem to really like this one. So, anyone who knows, please give me details on this camera.

Thanks.

I can suggest a model number. Try the Sony DCR-TRV 260 w/steady shot.

 

[dolphindan1]

We just bought a JVC GRD-72us from wal-mart for abot 320.00....I takes the mini DV tapes and a memry card....You can take snapshots and record at the same time....One feature I really like is you can hold the snapshot button down and it will start snapping pictures real quick....You can save them on the tape or the memory card....it has a 17 optical zoom is all you really want to deal with any way....The digital zoom is really wrthless to me in a park. The only thing it lacks is a stabilization button that will minimize unsteady hands....

 

[Jennabeth]

Sorry, just had to post to this message. It’s my first post every, so please be nice. I am a Sony snob, so that’s the only brand I can tell you about. I have a Sony 8mm, a Sony digital 8mm and a Sony miniDV. The Sony digital 8mm does a good job, but the miniDV produces a far better picture! With the DV you get digital video that you can transfer to your computer and then to a DVD or CD or video tape without loosing any quality. When I see videos of my oldest I cringe and the quality compared to the DV. The digital cameras are also a lot smaller then the 8mm cameras (and lighter) so it’s easier to take somewhere like Disney.

Price wise the only difference between the “cheap” and “expensive” camera are the options or the mega pixels of the “still picture” camera. The quality of the video you get on the “cheap” camera is the same as the quality on the “expensive” camera. Since you already have a digital camera, get the cheaper digital video camera.

I hope this makes since. This is a passion of mine (I have a degree in it) and I would highly recommend the miniDV digital video cameras over the digital 8mm. You would be amazed at how clear the picture is. (It’s like comparing an old video tape to an old DVD, what’s going to look better).

 

[Serenity]

Thanks Jennabeth and Crow11ad. I will head to the store tomorrow and see what I can find. Dolphindan1, Thanks for the suggestion and I will look at the JVC.

Thanks Again

 

[FatCow]

I'm also a D8 user (not 8mm, but Digital 8mm).

Video8 = 240 lines of resolution
Hi8 = 400 lines of resolution
Digital8 = 425 lines of resolution AND in digital (same codec as miniDV and full-sized DV)


rule of thumb:

1. the larger the CCD size, the better low-light performance it's going to have

2. the lighter the camcorder, the shakier your video will be

3. 3 CCD is better than 1 CCD (better colour rendition).

4. 3 CCD with smaller sized CCD will STILL be better than a larger single CCD camera

 

[elmo2wdw]

Thank you for all of your help...we really appreciate the suggestions. We are going to go out and shop this weekend!