I need camcorder suggestions!

[shelly3girls]

I am looking for a basic video camera to take video of the kids on a regular basis. I am very happy with the video my Sony camera takes so I am really just looking for something for DH to take to the park, etc. I want good quality but not worried about great quality. I do want to be able to take video inside. I have read through many reviews and see that Canon seems to make the best basic video cameras with image stabilization. I have found the Canon FS200 for $250 with bag and memory card which seems like a good price. To get a camera that has dual memory (8G) I would need to pay $80 more (FS20). Is it worth the money or will I be okay with just the SD card? Does anyone have experience with this camera that can give me a real review? TIA!

 

[Shasta]

I'm shopping for a new small HD camcorder and have a logistical question.

My home TV has a HDMI input but don't have an HD DVD player at home. My computer had a Phillips DVD+RW burner. When I off load a video form my camcorder, can I burn it to a DVD and play it on my DVD player?

I would like to start converting to HD but don't want to HAVE to have all components NOW.

I'm sure more questions may arise but that is the main one for now.

Thank you!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

First, you don't want an HD DVD player. That format died. Blu-ray is the format for playing high definition video.

You can copy the video files from your HD camcorder to your computer. How you do this depends on the camcorder. In some cases you connect a firewire cable, in others a USB cable, and in others you take out a memory card from the video camera and put it into your computers memory card reader. Make sure that you understand how to copy the video from the video camera to your computer before you buy the video camera. You may need to add a firewire card or memory card reader to your computer.

Once you have the video file on your computer, you'll need some software that converts the video file to the DVD format. There is cheap and simple software that does this and there is expensive and complicated software that does it. Once you've done that, it is easy to burn a DVD.

One question you'll want to ask yourself is whether you want to keep the HD files for the future when you have a Blu-ray player. The files an be larger, so if you shoot a lot of video, you'll be using a bunch of disk space.

 

[mabas9395]

Or you could just send all your stuff Mark's kids. I hear they have a side-business converting media files for people.

 

[Shasta]

Mark, thank you! First off, I want to say that I don't post here often but every time I do, I find you to be a willing, wealth of knowledge. Thank you!

I am considering buying one of those small Flip HD cameras because I find myself focusing more on my photos and leave my video behind. Since these are so small and cheap, I wanted to buy one for my wife and let her run it since it only have a few buttons!

I know the quality is going to be poor but better than nothing. It is good to know that there is a conversion program out there. I will look for it. I will keep the HD file around on an external drive for later use when I sell my soul to Blu-ray.

I can transfer via the USB outlet provided and save/convert to DVD with a program. Later I'll be able to burn a better copy.

Thank you again!

 

[seashoreCM]

Caution: If you buy a Flip, you must bring your laptop if you want to take more video than it holds.

Nobody can empty it onto other media for you and you cannot swap memory cards/chips on it. A "plain" external drive won't work.

Digital camera hints: http://www.cockam.com/digicam.htm

 

[Shasta]

Caution: If you buy a Flip, you must bring your laptop if you want to take more video than it holds.

Nobody can empty it onto other media for you and you cannot swap memory cards/chips on it. A "plain" external drive won't work.

Digital camera hints: http://www.cockam.com/digicam.htm

Thanks! I should have noted that my laptop goes where I go. I will off-load the video nightly to my little Simpletech 320g.

 

[Golf4food]

... when I sell my soul to Blu-ray.

Join us.... join us.... join us....

Seriously, once you go Blu you never go back.

If you have an HDTV and don't have a Bluray player you are missing out.