DVD camcorder?

[KYCruiseCrazy]

anyone have or use a DVD camcorder at wdw? what kind do you have and can you or do you have any video on line i can see? just wondering if its better to have then the old VHS-c camcorder. thanks

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I'm sure many people do use these. I'm looking for one too. I leave in 29 days! I'm trying not to spend too much though as I already paid for my package and bought mvmcp and cirque tickets. I'm sure though, that I'll have to get memory cards too, but I'm looking for a memory card that will hold about 5 hrs. of video. If I can't find it, I'll probably have to spend more and get a few memory cards. I've seen cheaper DVD camcorders than the old VHS camcorders with the tapes though.

 

[Robo]

anyone have or use a DVD camcorder at wdw? what kind do you have and can you or do you have any video on line i can see? just wondering if its better to have then the old VHS-c camcorder. thanks

Speaking as professional video photographer (videographer), I recommend a "miniDV" camcorder and not a DVD-R camcorder.

The quality on the miniDV tapes is better than DVD-R, the tapes are cheaper than DVD, and you can record for a longer time (up to 80 minutes at SP speed) on a miniDV tape.
DVD format can't be edited without changing the files to another format in a computer, while DV tape can be directly input to a computer and edited in the original DV format.

You can make DVD's FROM a miniDV tape using a computer or a "set-top" DVD recorder if you like.

I know there are plenty of folks who have bought DVD-R camcorders... but I consider it the wrong buying decision to make at this time.

BTW, any "posting" over the internet of ANY video will be degraded to the point of "trash."

 

[Big Vic]

What Robo said.

I have a Sony Handycam DVD-R, and be honest, I didn't make the best decision.

It's easy to use and the video looks great, but I had to buy a separate program to rip the files from the DVD to a different format for editing. If I had to do it all over again, I'd chose a different camera.

I've edited (very crudely) about a minute of the MNSSHP parade and have it uploaded to the web. If you want to see it, I'll gladly provide you with the link.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

thanx for posting

 

[DisneyHolidayFan]

We have an Hitachi DVD Video camera and used it last year at WDW. I love the convenience of taking the DVD right from the camera to the TV. Quality of video is excellent and camera is easy to operate. Now, I see there are HTD cameras available which probably have wonderful pictures. Good luck!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

You might run this by the folks on the Photography board here also, LOTS of really knowledgeable people there.

 

[bord1niowa]

I used a hitachi dvd camera and it was fine except for 1 thing. One of the days shooting was corrupted and it wasn't salvageable for some reason. I didn't know it until after we were done with it so we lost an entire day's shooting. BIG BUMMER! I am now looking at a hi-8 as a possibility. I figure if it gets a bad spot it will only be bad in the one spot instead of not allowing any of the dvd to work. Anyone have any recommendations for a hi-8 or really how much better is it than a reg 8mm?

 

[Robo]

I used a hitachi dvd camera and it was fine except for 1 thing. One of the days shooting was corrupted and it wasn't salvageable for some reason. I didn't know it until after we were done with it so we lost an entire day's shooting. BIG BUMMER! I am now looking at a hi-8 as a possibility. I figure if it gets a bad spot it will only be bad in the one spot instead of not allowing any of the dvd to work. Anyone have any recommendations for a hi-8 or really how much better is it than a reg 8mm?

You don't want Hi-8, you want DIGITAL-8 (D-8) same format/files/quality as miniDV, but it records that digital info on a Hi-8/8mm cassette tape.

D-8 is a good format for those who already have been shooting 8mm and Hi-8 in the past, as many new D-8 camcorders will also playback the older 8mm and Hi-8 analog tapes.

Hi-8 is an obsolete analog format with all the drop-outs, noise, and other problems associated with analog.

DIGITAL is the only way to go today and in the future.

 

[DisFhan]

I would also go with the mini-DV. I am also a videographer and I would buy a mini-dv. By the way you get drop out on all formats. Being an old news photog I have had many dropouts in digital formats.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

wow thanks everyone. im learning alot here. both on this thread and a digital photo thread. thanks again.

 

[Robo]

I would also go with the mini-DV. I am also a videographer and I would buy a mini-dv. By the way you get drop out on all formats. Being an old news photog I have had many dropouts in digital formats.

The comparison of visible dropouts between Hi-8 and miniDV would be tremendous.
Statistically, one would likely find well under 1 percent of the video dropouts found in consumer analog formats, 8mm/Hi-8, in particular.

Plus chroma (color) noise (worse in reds), video noise ("dirty"-looking video), lower fidelity audio
(even with Hi-8's AFM/"Hi-Fi" tracks), and inability to make high-quality dubs (copies)... all make consumer analog (VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS, 8mm, Hi-8) a very inferior system to shoot a vacation, a birthday party, etc. compared to consumer digital (miniDV or DVD).

There's no denying that DVD is convenient if all you want to do is watch EVERYTHING that you shoot on a single DVD machine, but the extra cost of a DVD camcorder (and the high cost of "blank DVD's), coupled with the more compressed digital info, the shorter record time, the inability to edit easily, the need to "finalize" a DVD before it can be played on a DVD player, make it a less-convenient way to acquire video than miniDV for all but the most basic of shooting.
------------------------------------------------------------
Anyone not in the TV biz can ignore the rest of this post.

I have shot literally hundreds of miniDV tapes with a Sony PD150, PD170, PD100, Canon GL1, XL1, etc.

Yes, there are a few dropouts, but compared to analog (BetaCam SP, a prime example) I have "statistically zero" visible drop-outs (during my "good takes") using digital.
The digital error-correction is spectacular.
I have shot continuous takes (live plays, etc.) for up to an hour, captured to the computer and not had a single visible dropout.
This goes "triple" for my 3-camera sync shoots.
Digital (DV, DVCAM, DVCPro, Digi-Beta) has the least (visible) drop-outs in the media I've ever used, and I started with 2" Quad, 3/4" Umatic, 1" C-format, m2, and BetaCam/BetaSP.

When I make my final dub to BetaSP (Sony UVW-1800, etc.) for the TV stations...THEN... I get reminded of what "dropouts" are all about.

Now, the new HDV format can get into more serious problems with dropouts as the HDV format is so VERY critical for needing "perfect" magnetic media for its high resolution.
A single significant tape dropout can knock out a half-second or so of video material.