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  1. Member
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    Hello all,
    I'm looking for a 3cmos 1080P camcorder ..never used a camcorder before btw..never was interested either till recently. It's just something I think I should have.

    Things i'm looking for are:
    -High quality video capture- I realize I shouldn't expect a $2K dollar cc performance.
    -output jack for external mic and mount for external light.
    -charging while using CC
    -high MP still photo capture - I need some info on this as I don't understand much about this. I loooed at JVC panasonic and sony websites and noticed 1 camera showed 4-5MP the other 14, the other 3xwhateverMP..are they using interpolated rez specs? What's the highest MP camera out there currently?
    -32GB internal flash memory..not that big an issue. I can just add a class6 card inside..32gb is more than enough for me.
    -big touchscreen
    -good low light capability
    -manual focus/white balance
    -24/30/60 fps..I don't know anything about this..but whatever is best..

    -I live overseas and have some concerns. There's an added premium (around $300) for getting a pal version, so obviously i'd like to get the NTSC version. My questions:
    -when editing on the pc, is it easy to convert to PAL?
    -does it ruin the quality of the video?
    -What other issues I may have?

    Should I just not get a camcorder and wait for a good DSLR with video? I'm not interested in the nikon 3100/5000/7000. If a D90 replacement came or a D400/D800 I might consider going that route.
    Any suggestions/opinions will be most appreciated.
    Last edited by rocketman122; 24th Aug 2010 at 19:07.
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  2. Member
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    is it always a ghost town in this area?
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  3. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Let's start with line #1

    A "3cmos 1080P camcorder" will set you back ~$2,795.
    JVC GY-HM100U, the cheapest one.
    http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/category.jsp?productId=PRO1.1

    Better would be the Sony PMW-EX1 or PMW-EX1R ... >$7000 new.
    Last edited by edDV; 25th Aug 2010 at 22:41.
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  4. Member edDV's Avatar
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    -when editing on the pc, is it easy to convert to PAL? NO, not if quality matters.
    -does it ruin the quality of the video? Not if you do it right.

    Please explain what you are trying to do and what is your current computer spec and software budget?
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  5. Member
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    Originally Posted by rocketman122 View Post
    is it always a ghost town in this area?
    No, honestly, it's not. I sure many people read your post, but like me, most chose to ignore it; but not because we don't like you or anything personal. It's just that your list of features are unrealistic for your budget (as edDV noted), and since you are unwilling to pay an extra $300 for a PAL version, it's hard for us to help you with a solution for the inevitable difficulties you're going to face if your NTSC footage ever needs to be incorporated into a PAL presentation.

    Additionally, since you want everything on a tight budget, you will definitely not like the extra hardware and software expenditures required to edit the 1080P footage. You seem to have absolutely no idea what you're getting into, in terms of post-production and distribution.

    Our hands are tied. We cannot provide advice within the parameters you set. Sorry.
    Last edited by filmboss80; 26th Aug 2010 at 10:18. Reason: Grammar.
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  6. Member
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    @edDV
    Aren't there 3 cmos sensors in the new Panasonic 700 series? They capture at 1080P as well.. they also cost less than $1000..
    I spoke to a youtuber who recommends the HDCTM700K. It actually has everything I asked for except charging while using it I think..

    @filmboss80
    I don't want to purchase a pal version as I only watch movies on my monitors..never tv. The question is what situations do I really need pal over ntsc..? I just have no experience whatsoever with video. As far as editing video I'm sure there are a lot of free software out there that will suit my needs. I'm not going to edit for presentation. Mainly clean parts I don't need and save as a file and burn. I did say I know nothing about video. Frankly I never used a CC before.
    I think your replies are a bit cold though..maybe you could offer suggestions instead of criticize why i'm cheap..not nice for a newcomer..

    I currently have:
    Q6600 TRUE120
    EVGA 780IFTW
    EVGA 9800GTX SLI
    4GB KINGSTON HYPERX 8500
    WINDOWS XP HOME

    I'm still waiting for more info on the sandy bridge chips but for now a new pc in a month or 2:
    I7 950
    Asus Rampage3Extreme
    6GB ram
    GTX 460SLI unless a GTX 450 will be announced.
    WinXP. won't upgrade to W7. Will jump to W8 when that arrives.
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  7. Member
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    Not being mind readers, we did not know from your first post that this was a PC-viewing only endeavor. In that case, PAL/NTSC issues become irrelevant, and you should not worry about conversions. The issue only becomes a little sticky when displaying on home TVs.

    The camcorder you noted is the AVCHD format. While your current system will most likely choke on it, your new computer appears be able to handle it (you will need a separate harddrive for your video files). However, you will be hard-pressed to find free editing software that will touch this format.

    For your level of experience, and your PC/web target output, I advise you to consider something much less complex and demanding, like one of those new Flip series HD cameras.

    ...And try to focus on the information we provide, not the tone. Sometimes a splash of cold water in the face will help prevent a person from making an expensive mistake. I'm just trying to help you, and I can see you are blind to a number of potential traps and snares. Try not to take it as a personal affront.
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  8. Member
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    Thank you for the help I appreciate you taking the time and helping out.
    I plan on having 2 HD's and and 2 SSD's. I think Panasonic gives you some software to work with the files. I will have to verify what exactly is on the disks I saw they include.
    I don't think I'll be happy with the quality of the flip type cameras but I'll read reviews on it before I make a final decision. I'm waiting for Nikon's announcement at photokina. Maybe an option is to get a DSLR with video capture..we'll see.
    What else would you change in my pc build to make it handle AVCHD files?

    again, thank you for the time you invested in helping me. I really appreciate it.
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