Help please - new camcorder - should I go for SD or HD?

[SHABOY]

I own a Sony DCR-HC27E mini-DV tape camcorder. It has served me brilliantly and I cannot fault it at all, but it's a little worse for wear and needs to be replaced.

I mainly make youtube clips from football games. Here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPCI0oHyP5k I would like at least the same picture quality in my next camera. And I would like it to be easy enough to load the footage to PC and edit it using Adobe Premiere Elements 10.

I assumed that an HD camera would be the logical choice but I keep reading about how time-consuming/CPU power-consuming it is to edit HD footage. That puts me off right away.

Should I be looking at something like the Sony Handycam DCR-SX21? Or am I silly to be thinking SD when the rest of the world is going HD?

My budget is £200 / $300. Any advice would be massively appreciated.

[edDV]

Here we go again. What was that thread? I'll find it. I will.

Maybe tomorrow.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ma%C3%B1ana

[SHABOY]

Here we go again. What was that thread? I'll find it. I will.

Maybe tomorrow.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ma%C3%B1ana

[SHABOY]

The following errors occurred with your search

1. The following words are either very common, too long, or too short and were not included in your search:
   SD, HD

Nice job. Thanks for the help.

[2Bdecided]

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/338711-How-much-better-is-a-HD-camcorder-vs-a-Standard-camcorder

As you found, search won't work with small words (though there are ways around that), but you can just look down the list of discussions in this camcorder forum where you've posted to find plenty of similar threads.

YouTube has offered widescreen and 720p for several years now.

HDV is quick enough to edit.

Whether that will make your videos any better, or other people appreciate them more - I'm sure you're the best judge of that. Your existing camcorder seems to do pretty well in challenging lighting conditions.

Cheers,
David.

[SHABOY]

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/338711-How-much-better-is-a-HD-camcorder-vs-a-Standard-camcorder

As you found, search won't work with small words (though there are ways around that), but you can just look down the list of discussions in this camcorder forum where you've posted to find plenty of similar threads.

YouTube has offered widescreen and 720p for several years now.

HDV is quick enough to edit.

Whether that will make your videos any better, or other people appreciate them more - I'm sure you're the best judge of that. Your existing camcorder seems to do pretty well in challenging lighting conditions.

Cheers,
David.

Thank you, David.

My PC details: Pentium Dual-Core E5400 @ 2.7 GHz, 3GB RAM

^ Is this powerful enough to handle hours of HD footage and edit it in Premiere Elements?

Also, if I continue to output videos that are DVD-quality MPEGs (a 10-min video is about 500MB), will the benefits of HD footage still be recognisable?

[Khaver]

If you want fast preview while editing I would go with an HDV camcorder. I know the tech is a little old but you can't beat the performance while editing. And if you're cheap like me, you can even re-use your mini-DV tapes. A Canon HV40 is a good choice, though only 10x zoom, which is a little short for sports shoots.

[edDV]

Pentium Dual-Core E5400 @ 2.7 GHz, 3GB RAM

Not adequate for AVCHD.

Some other similar theads. The first was the one I was trying to find.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/334386-In-search-of-a-new-video-camcorder?
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/338074-HD-cam-under-800?
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/340780-Bought-a-Sony-AVCHD-camcorder-now-what?
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/339664-Best-HD-camcorder-that-can-record-onto-tape?

Ask your new questions here.

[SHABOY]

Would a standard def camera be any worse in quality than my miniDV camera?

Also, can all HD cameras record in SD? If so, would the best option simply be to get an HD camera and record in SD until a later stage when I have a more powerful computer?

[SHABOY]

If you want fast preview while editing I would go with an HDV camcorder. I know the tech is a little old but you can't beat the performance while editing. And if you're cheap like me, you can even re-use your mini-DV tapes. A Canon HV40 is a good choice, though only 10x zoom, which is a little short for sports shoots.

Out of my price range unfortunately.

[edDV]

Would a standard def camera be any worse in quality than my miniDV camera?

Also, can all HD cameras record in SD? If so, would the best option simply be to get an HD camera and record in SD until a later stage when I have a more powerful computer?

HDV camcorders also record SD DV format just like your Sony but add high quality 16:9. If you read the threads you would also know you can record in HD but output SD DV format.

AVCHD camcorders have no SD spec, so each may include some sort of SD recording in a non-standard format.

Explain please why your current Sony DV camcorder is inadequate for your needs. Why spend anything?

The DCR-SX27E is a Euro model but you say you are in the USA?

[SHABOY]

If you read the threads you would also know you can record in HD but output SD DV format.

I read every thread fully and it is not clear that EVERY HD camera can record in SD.

Explain please why your current Sony DV camcorder is inadequate for your needs. Why spend anything?

If you read my 1st post you would know that it is "worse for wear." Specifically, the Firewire socket is broken, the lens is scratched, and the LCD screen only comes on 50% of the time.

The DCR-SX27E is a Euro model but you say you are in the USA?

Yes dear, I was in the USA when I opened my account several years ago and I am now in Birmingham, England. Apologies for not updating that.

[edDV]

For £200 / $300 your options are limited.

Best bet is a good used MiniDV model.

[SHABOY]

For £200 / $300 your options are limited.

Best best is a good used MiniDV model.

Not worth the hassle to use an HD camera to output in non-standard SD in your opinion?

Is MiniDV quality noticeably better than SD? It would probably not be such a bad thing to not have to deal with real-time tape transfers for a change.

[Arch3type]

As edDV said, a good HD camcorder for about $300 is a bit tough, especially if you want something brand new.

If you intend to purchase an HD camera at that price, many basic point and click cameras offer HD video as per this example but these cameras video modes tend to lack a good sound quality so I don't know how tinny it would sound when surrounded by cheering football fans.
Hope that helps

[edDV]

For £200 / $300 your options are limited.

Best best is a good used MiniDV model.

Not worth the hassle to use an HD camera to output in non-standard SD in your opinion?

Is MiniDV quality noticeably better than SD? It would probably not be such a bad thing to not have to deal with real-time tape transfers for a change.

First you can't afford an HD cam. Second you can't record HD and digitally output SD on an AVCHD cam.

For your budget, the DCR-SX21E will record 720x576 DVD ready MPeg2 to a Memory Stick. The record quality will be nearly as good as MiniDV. The camera section is probably better than what you have.

[NJRoadfan]

Modern SD flash cameras usually record in DVD compliant MPEG-2 video with 384k AC3 audio. Some also offer MPEG-4 formats. DV is technically the best for editing since its an intermediate format, but your only storage option for that is tapes.

[SHABOY]

For £200 / $300 your options are limited.

Best best is a good used MiniDV model.

Not worth the hassle to use an HD camera to output in non-standard SD in your opinion?

Is MiniDV quality noticeably better than SD? It would probably not be such a bad thing to not have to deal with real-time tape transfers for a change.

First you can't afford an HD cam. Second you can't record HD and digitally output SD on an AVCHD cam.

For your budget, the DCR-SX21E will record 720x576 DVD ready MPeg2 to a Memory Stick. The record quality will be nearly as good as MiniDV. The camera section is probably better than what you have.

Cheers. I'll go for SD.

Re: affording an HD cam, there seem to be several on the market in my price range, e.g. http://www.dixons.co.uk/gbuk/panasonic-hdc-sd41-full-hd-camcorder-gunmetal-09609851-pdt.html

[2Bdecided]

Also, if I continue to output videos that are DVD-quality MPEGs (a 10-min video is about 500MB), will the benefits of HD footage still be recognisable?

No. But at the same bitrate (500MB/10mins = about 6Mbps?) you could produce perfectly good H.264 1280x720p25 HD video ready for uploading to YouTube which would look far better (assuming the camera itself was good).

Re: affording an HD cam, there seem to be several on the market in my price range, e.g. http://www.dixons.co.uk/gbuk/panasonic-hdc-sd41-full-hd-camcorder-gunmetal-09609851-pdt.html

Some of the cheap HD camcorders almost like toys, and just produce smeary grainy noisy pictures in low-ish light. Don't know about this specific one, though google found...
http://www.avforums.com/forums/camcorders-video-editing/1488621-ive-been-sold-full-hd-...y-full-hd.html
...which suggests it only gets 1920x1080 by upscaling from a lower resolution sensor.

Cheers,
David.