Tell me what kind of Camcorder to buy...

[BC]

I have never had a camcorder, but am thinking of getting one. I just wanted to know which one is supposedly to best. I want something that is relatively easy to operate. If you all can share what kind you have, where you got it and the cost, I would appreciate it.

 

[montblanc]

I guess it depends on how much money you wish to spend. The most important aspect of a camcorder in my opinion is the image quality. This is driven by the optics, pixel count, optical sensor etc.
Also beware of marketing techniques used by companies who produce these. More megapixels and bigger zoom ratios are not always better and sometimes they sacrifice picture quality. One important factor is the lens. Try and get the largest aperture possible (f1.4, f1.8, f2) and a good lens make like Canon or Zeiss.

I have owned 4 camcorders and went from VHS-C (analog) to 8mm (analog) to DVD (digital) and finally Mini DV (digital). The analog formats are being phased out by manufacturers. I don't recommend the DVD camcorders, you get fairly limited taping time and the quality is not that impressive. My inclination would be to get a good Mini DV camcorder and if possible use one before you buy it.

By far the best camcorder I have used is the Canon GL2. It has 3 CCD's and really delivers true broadcast quality. Even though it is considered a semi-professional unit it is incredibly easy to operate and adjusts automatically for indoor lighting. It is expensive, will cost around $2,000 if you shop around, I bought mine by phone through Willoughbys in New York (very reputable dealer).

Manufacturers have rolled out newer models that work on memory cards but these record in lower quality right now (usually mpeg4). High definition models will be out in the near future but will probably be very expensive at first.

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1970 - Disneyland
1999 - All-Star Music
2003 - Port Orleans Riverside
2004 - Contemporary

 

[BarryHom]

I generally go to Sony camcorders, mainly for the Carl Zeiss lens. I had a DCR-TRV22 for about a year. It was a great camera and it fit nicely in my hand.

I have an old Panasonic PV-DV53 camcorder that's pretty good too. I think you can get it refurbished for about $300 on Overstock.com

 

[manning]

IMHO you won't go wrong with Sony or Canon.