Help! 2 weeks until WDW, now camcorder has problems!

[Carolc]

I am leaving in two weeks for WDW, and I discovered that my camcorder is having problems. I can't leave a battery on it or it will be dead within a day (there is some sort of constant clicking noise – about every few seconds – even when it is not in use). But what's worse - yesterday I discovered that it won’t even stay in player mode long enough to play more than a few seconds of a tape – it switches from player mode to camera mode right away.

Do you think it is worth fixing or is it just as well to buy a new (cheap) one? I have absolutely no idea how much it would cost to fix. It’s a Sony and we spent about $430 on it back in 2004. it’s pretty compact and fits in the pocket of my DH's shorts. It's a DCR-HC30: Mini DV, image stabilization, 120X, night vision. It seems like this is the 3rd camcorder we’ve purchase over the years – oh why do they always have problems? Exactly the reason I don’t want to pay top dollar for the best available.

Any thoughts?

 

[DizGeek]

If it were me, I'd buy a new, cheap one before you go.

 

[Carolc]

I went to look at Costco yesterday... cheapest one is $299 for a Panasonic with 30X optical and 1000X digital zoom plus image stabilization. Was temped to buy on spot, but I couldn't pull trigger. I went online to do research but found hardly any info about that model number (still too new, I guess).

Any idea how much it would cost to fix? If it's over $100, probably not worth it...

 

[DizGeek]

I went to look at Costco yesterday... cheapest one is $299 for a Panasonic with 30X optical and 1000X digital zoom plus image stabilization. Was temped to buy on spot, but I couldn't pull trigger. I went online to do research but found hardly any info about that model number (still too new, I guess).

Any idea how much it would cost to fix? If it's over $100, probably not worth it...

Ive heard that about BJ's/Costos...they have model numbers that no other stores have.

 

[Anewman]

Frys Mon-Tues ad.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Low bid usualy brings the lowest quality. Maybe that is why they always break. But $400+ does not seem like the lowest price.
sorry to hear about your problems though...
Mikeeee

 

[Kelly Grannell]

$400 in Canada will get you an entry level camcorder that tend to break more easily than a $1,000 plus camcorder. This is not always the case, of course. However, this is mostly true.

I bought my first DVD player back in March 1997 for about $1,000 and to this day it still plays any DVD I feed into it. The same goes with another DVD player that cost $1,500. My sub $300 DVD players tend to die after about 1.5 years my $500 DVD players tend to die around 2.5 years (we collectively have about 7 DVD players at any given time)

 

[ROEDISNEY]

get it checked out they might charge a small fee for checking it out which would be applied to the cost of fixing it. also, keep it off the intense rides: space mt, runaway train, things like that that can shake up the components inside. have a great trip.

 

[donaldduck1967]

I went to look at Costco yesterday... cheapest one is $299 for a Panasonic with 30X optical and 1000X digital zoom plus image stabilization. Was temped to buy on spot, but I couldn't pull trigger. I went online to do research but found hardly any info about that model number (still too new, I guess).

Any idea how much it would cost to fix? If it's over $100, probably not worth it...

Whats the model #. Its probably a special package for costco with the pv-gs35 camcorder.
I have that model and love it

 

[donaldduck1967]

The only model listed on Costcos web site is for 325.99 and its the gs36

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...rogram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702

 

[Carolc]

The only model listed on Costcos web site is for 325.99 and its the gs36

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...rogram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702

That's exactly the model, except in the store it is now $299.99 (the rep mentioned that the price dropped recently).

Do you think it is similar to yours?

Thanks!

 

[donaldduck1967]

That's exactly the model, except in the store it is now $299.99 (the rep mentioned that the price dropped recently).

Do you think it is similar to yours?

Thanks!

All the specs look the same. Here are the specs for the gs35

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...&surfCategory=Camcorders with SD&displayTab=S

 

[Kelly Grannell]

get it checked out they might charge a small fee for checking it out which would be applied to the cost of fixing it. also, keep it off the intense rides: space mt, runaway train, things like that that can shake up the components inside. have a great trip.

Shouldn't be a problem. I carry my camcorder without the bag and take it on every single ride. No problem whatsoever.

Seriously, I don't mean to knock anybody, you really get what you pay for... at least most of the time.

 

[0bli0]

Carol - i'm really sorry your camcorder died. if i was out there you could borrow mine. does Kathy have one?
although Canon just announced their CMOS based hard drive camcorder which should come out next month, that obviously won't help your trip in 2 weeks. looking at the one that was linked, it would certainly work well for your trip and the kid's games, etc.

 

[Carolc]

Carol - i'm really sorry your camcorder died. if i was out there you could borrow mine. does Kathy have one?
although Canon just announced their CMOS based hard drive camcorder which should come out next month, that obviously won't help your trip in 2 weeks. looking at the one that was linked, it would certainly work well for your trip and the kid's games, etc.

The hard drive looks interesting, but I can't (and don't want to) spend that much. I'm sure the price on those will come down in a few years. I doubt Kathy has one.

So, get this... I came home and tried again to use the Sony, and this time, it worked (both in player and camera mode). So the next question is, do I trust it??

 

[0bli0]

i'd give it a lot of use this weekend. if it gives you grief at all, i wouldnt trust it. but how much video do you think you will do do at the park vs photography?

 

[Carolc]

i'd give it a lot of use this weekend. if it gives you grief at all, i wouldnt trust it. but how much video do you think you will do do at the park vs photography?

I won't be doing much filming, myself, since I will be shooting a lot of pics with the dslr.

DD(11) is in charge of the camcorder
DS(9) is in charge of the Casio

Both have been practicing how to use... I'm not expecting high quality nor much footage, but considering it's better than the alternative (nothing!), I'm sure I will be happy with whatever they do shoot. DS is worried about 'wasting pictures'.. I keep trying to tell him - 'dude, it's digital! take as much as you want!' They took a lot with some disposables I bought them last WDW trip (which we never totally developed). I think it was more fun for them to take the pics than to see what the results actually looked like.