looking for a budget camcorder

[rum beverage]

I'm in the market for a fairly reasonably priced camcorder but also would like some quality. Keep in mind I'm definitely on a budget so I really wouldn't like replies for 'great deals'. I'm looking for something that I can use while out with friends over the summer. Any help would be appreciated.

[Brpod]

Buy SONY - always buy SONY

Have fun

[AarontheRipper]

I'd go with either a D8 or mini DV. Anything else would either be too old, or out of your price range. I have a sony mini DV and am very happy with it. The D8 are bulkier, but are cheaper and generally offer better options (zoom, etc.) for your buck. The mini DV is very compact, and is more or less the current standard for consumer camcorders. Both are digital and I can't tell a difference between the two as far as quality is concerned (my dad has a sony D8 ).

[rum beverage]

thanks you guys...there's a few i'm looking at on futureshop.ca. i'm wodering if somebody could post some specific things that would be good to look for when checking these out.

edit- also if someone could explain i.LINK to me it would be appreciated...is it like a USB, 1394 type of connection?

is this a decent cam?
http://ww2.onecall.com/PID_22304.htm#FID_1728

[rum beverage]

bump

[Deekkeed]

Well it looks like the Sony TRV460 has plenty of the most wanted features; my only concern would be the, 1/6" CCD imager with only 290K (effective) pixels. I think 290K pixels would be somewhat limited on resolution. The touch screen is a future I like very much (Spot focus, Spot metering) (I have the Sony TRV-33). Best thing is to go to circuit city and look it over. They have a nice 15 day, no restocking fee, return policy.

[rum beverage]

well i'm from canada and i'm fairly certain there are no circuit city's here. the closest thing we have is futureshop and i was checking out their site and they've got a fair bit of selection but not very many sony. i'm really impressed with that camera...not sure if i should be but i am...i just wish the battery life on these things was a little longer...i'm kind of reluctant to shell out like 150 US for a battery with a decent life on it.

edit-also i'm not that worried about the snapshot mode...i have another digital camera so if push came to shove i could always just use that

[macleod]

I recently purchased the Sony TV250 model. It has been a great camera. Bought it at circuit city for $299.00. The ONLY bad thing about it that I learned was that it will NOT play 8mm tape that was recorded on another camera (I had the Hi8 sony camera before this). It will record on those older tapes though. Some people had complained that the recording sound from the dv tape was loud. When I tested it I noticed it (because I was told about it), but it doesnt appear on the final track.

What I get with the sony model:

8mm or dv recording
still cam (doesnt have a mem stick)
S-video connection for dv pass through
night "vision"
stabilizer
basically, all the things I've come to expect from sony

My thoughts are that for $300, it is a great camcorder.

[AarontheRipper]

the i.Link is just Sony's term for firewire. Faster than USB

[firefoxx]

I was looking at the same model. The prices have gone down a lot lately... My old Digital8 (second generation) cost twice as much, but still works well.

The touchscreen is cool in for spot focus and whatnot, but the bad thing is that many functions are now recessed waaay into the menus. Things like manual focus (i.e. using the focus ring), tape deck functions (like recording). Having to access the LCD constantly also means that the battery life suffers. The supplied remote helps remedy this a bit.

The nice thing is that it's now about half as big as the older Digital8 camcorders, on par with mini-dv.

[Royor]

I got the TRV460 and it's a hell of a deal for $399.
You do need a second (bigger) battery and a protective lens filter, but other then that, you're rocking.
It has a remote control, 20x optical lens (who cares about the 990 digital one anyway), excellent touch screen, easy operating mode or more complicated one, super night mode (works with infra-red and it really sees in the dark), plays all older 8 and Hi8 tapes, doesn't need expensive tape to record on, can be used as A/D converter (in between unit), has iLink (Firewire), USB2 and S-video, Memory stick slot, you can even use bluescreen and change the background of your video afterwards. Has titling capability, some good digital effects, interval recording on tape or memory stick, overlap recordings, 6 AE modes + automatic, spot meter, spot focus, self timer, 16:9 wide picture shooting, manual exposure, steadyshot...
I mean, what more do you want from a step-in digital camcorder at that price ??

Yes, like all brands, it might break down or it might give you years of joy, it's a gamble like anything else we buy these days, but at least this model is still "made in Japan" and not Malaysia or Mexico for that matter.

And with now-a-days prices for repairs, I don't want anything more expensive, I rather throw it out and buy another one than pay a lot for repairs and have something else broken in the process.

The only minus for this model is the underside tape loading, a pain if you work a lot on a tripod, you have to unscrew it again. The battery that comes with it is good for half an hour real use (not the 2 hours they make you believe), but again, at that price, you can't expect them to give you the 10 hour one do you.

Anyhow, it's my fourth camcorder, and being my first digital one, I'm blown away with the quality on tv and I found a whole new use for my PC when downloading my try-outs and cut and trim, re-arrange, play with sounds, FX effect and fader stuff and make something nice out of it! Through Firewire, the program even controls the camcorders play, rewinding and capture, everything! Piece a cake!

I use the Sony Movie Studio 3 software and it's amazing what it can do, really. Scrolling titles, transitions, FX... you got 3 film tracks and 3 sound tracks to mix with, all for less than a $100!

Just my 2 cents

[bobinga]

I like to look at the consumer reviews at amazon.com and circuit city .com when I buy electronics.
Sony makes a hellof a camcorder.
Does it load from top or bottom?
Ilink is firewire.
What is bump?

[awhitney]

I have the sony trv460 as well and the quality is pretty damn good!

Transferring my opld 8mm tapes to computer via dv look EXCELLENT!!

Great camera and features from what the poster said above.

Also great if your not into spending a fortune on a digital camcorder.

[likwid8]

thanks you guys...there's a few i'm looking at on futureshop.ca.

Budget and Futureshop dont go together

[rum beverage]

thanks you guys...there's a few i'm looking at on futureshop.ca.

Budget and Futureshop dont go together

well at least not budget price...quality maybe

[likwid8]

Futureshop does carry "some" uality cams, like the Canon GL1 but of course ur gonna get your balls chopped off if you buy it

[Bstansbury]

I have a Sony TRV -740 which is now about 1 1/2 years old. It is a Megapixel Camcorder with 690,000 effective pixels. The CCD is 3.8 mm as opposed to the 3.0 mm of the TRV-460. I just check my manual and it apprears that the new TRV-460 is the same as the older TRV-240/340,.. at least all the specs are the same. It looks like the package is different and more compact. There seems to be a big difference in the CCD pixel size even though the CCD is not that much smaller than mine. There is a really big difference in Quality when you compare 690,000 pixels to 290,000.

On the discussion of the batteries. Mine came with a lithium FM 50 battery and I've never had a problem with it. I've also never had to shoot more than an hour so I've never run out. I try to keep it full charged. I had so many problems with my old Canon Analog 8mm battery and camera, I take extra precautions. When I know I'm going to shoot something that is critical, I keep the unit plugged into power. When I out shooting, like on a golf course, I use the battery, but I don't use the LCD screen. I shoot trough the view finder. I bought a second battery when I purchase the camera, and would you believe,... it is still in the orginal package.

As far as being in Canada,... I don't understand the problem,... you have the Internet and you can get anything you want shipped to you. Search for bargains on the net. I know things have changed,... I paid over $500 for my camcorder in 2002. I don't know what the same quality sells for today. If I get time I will look them up at Sony and see what has replaced the TRV-740.

[lordsmurf]

I'd actually say avoid SONY.
Go for a JVC or CANON camera.

I've seen these at Fry's Electronics (outpost.com) for as low as $200-250 US for older, yet still decent, models.

[likwid8]

I'd actually say avoid SONY.
Go for a JVC or CANON camera.

I've seen these at Fry's Electronics (outpost.com) for as low as $200-250 US for older, yet still decent, models.

Avoid Canon too, the ZR65's are the worst models Iv seen. I own one and to be honest, a $200 H8 is better than this, in the dark u see more grains then a disconnected television. Its bad and the price is bad too $800 for this was a rip, dont forget the zoom, everytime you zoom u hear the stupid click of it shifting...err nuff said

[Manokat]

Check out sharp dv camcoders. They are cost effective with decent features.

[Bstansbury]

Lordsmurf; What is it that you have against Sony. If you take a close look at this forum, which I remember you though was a dumb idea, about 90% of the cameras discussed were Sony.

I have had 3 Camcorders over the last 20 years. Two of them were Canon, and I'll never buy another Canon. The first one didn't last a year and the head wore out and started slipping. After I spent 50% of the cost of the camera to get it fixed, it would not play my old 8 mm tapes.

The second 8mm camcorder was also Canon, and from the day I bought it I had all kinds of battery problems. The battery would loose connection with the camera during shooting. I've had the Sony for 1 1/2 years now and never had a problem with it. It is also great quality. Of course it is Digital and was bound to be much better than any Analog camera. Every feature of the camera is "Solid". Before I bought it I did a lot of searching on the Net and read dozens of reviews and never found one that didn't rate the Sony Camcorders among the best price for performance camcorders.

If you have some specifics I'm sure all of us would be interested.

[bobinga]

Love my sony's, trv 103, trv 740