What camera to buy..??

[NP11073]

Hi,

I'm looking at upgrading my Vid camera but am not sure what is a good little camera for weekend filming outdoors sort of thing, nothing too elaborate or expensive, something to play with. Problem free..

Thanks..

[SCDVD]

The Canon HV-30 is an excellent camcorder. It is rated #1 in its class by Camcorder Info. You can rad the review here http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Canon-HV30-Camcorder-Review-34401.htm#

[lordsmurf]

The HV-30 is on my short list of about 5 models. I want an HD camera, but I'm still not sure which one gives the best low-light performance, and I still want to learn more about HD vs HDV.

[Soopafresh]

HV30 is my recommendation as well

Works pretty well in lower light scenes. The best would be a camera with the Zeiss 50mm f/0.7 lens which Kubrick used on "Barry Lyndon", but short of having $200,000...

http://vimeo.com/1461299
http://vimeo.com/762054

[turk690]

The Sony HDR-FX7 will be $2000 (even lower street) when it's reintroduced means there's high definition (in the form of HDV) for those who mean business, and there's AVCHD for all else. To NP11073, anything except a DVD-based camcorder.

[SCDVD]

I'm not trying to say that the HV-30 is better than the Sony HDR-FX7 but it outperforms it as far as low light performance is concerned. The FX7 only has 1/4" sensors and it shows.

[ekatsim]

NP11073, I want you to list first the camcorders that fit your budget. Then, read on their corresponding reviews in order to see which one fits more to your requirements. And lastly, compare the camcorder ratings between these items. That should give you an idea which one has the best bang for your buck.

Good luck.

[NP11073]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the lead on the Canon HV30, I am seriously looking at that camera now, just a couple of questions, excuse my lack of knowledge on Video formats and the like but what format does this camera record to avi or something else and what is the frames per second..

Thanks,

Nick..

[edDV]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the lead on the Canon HV30, I am seriously looking at that camera now, just a couple of questions, excuse my lack of knowledge on Video formats and the like but what format does this camera record to avi or something else and what is the frames per second..

Thanks,

Nick..

The HV30 records to HDV format which is MPeg2 1440x1080i, 25Mb/s and is widely supported with editors and DVD authoring programs plus can be edited with moderate power computers. It will also hardware convert HDV to DV format for DV transfer over Firewire (IEEE-1394) so that older DV format editors/DVD author programs can be used. It can also be set to shoot in DV format and produce MiniDV format tapes. So the argument for this camcorder is it shoots great quality plus integrates easily into existing work flows.

You will also see AVCHD format camcorders. AVCHD uses h.264 at 8-15Mb/s and resolutions of 1440x1080i or 1920x1080i. These produce slightly to significantly reduced quality HD video that can be processed for direct playback in Blu-Ray format *but* requires a fast computer and all new software for editing or serious authoring.

You will also see variations of "MPeg4" or "H.264" formats. These suffer the same disadvantages of AVCHD plus generally lack off shelf software support. These are intended for simple file playback to an HDTV. You need to geek up to edit or process these files.

If you want to avoid all the high def issues, you can buy a quality standard def MiniDV format camcorder cheap. The Canon Z series are well regarded. See the camcorderinfo test reports.

[Soopafresh]

The new Canon HG20 and HG21 cameras can do 1920x1080 at 24Mb/s AVCHD. Too bad AVCHD is more difficult to work with than HDV. And the cameras are more expensive.

[edDV]

The new Canon HG20 and HG21 cameras can do 1920x1080 at 24Mb/s AVCHD. Too bad AVCHD is more difficult to work with than HDV. And the cameras are more expensive.

Yes those camcorders would have equal to maybe better first generation quality than HDV but they would need to be cut edited to preserve that quality. h.264 is designed to be decoded once at the display. If it needs to be decoded for editing or filtering, then recoded, there will be significant loss. There is a higher end pro format called AVC-Intra (50 or 100 Mb/s) that is designed for editing with low loss. At the consumer level, HDV has better editing performance than AVCHD.

[NP11073]

Thanks for the info, one other question does the camera support NTSC and PAL or is it only available in one and not both formats..

[NP11073]

Also, does anyone know of a reputable shop or online shop selling the Canon HV30 at a reasonable price..

[SCDVD]

Thanks for the info, one other question does the camera support NTSC and PAL or is it only available in one and not both formats..

There are two models of the HV-30; one supports PAL and the other NTSC.

[willgamby]

I'm look at getting this JVC MiniDV because it's only about $250 and weighs less than a pound. I want to replace an older sony that I have and needed cheap, portable, and light.

As for a reputable dealer I like to go with BH Photo and Video. They have a solid reputation. Their prices may be slightly higher but you pay for their reliability.

[willgamby]

I just checked BH and they do sell the Canon HV30 and they have both ntsc and pal.

[dun4cheap]

I had the Canon HV10, and I now have 2 HV20's. I do a lot of multi cam edits and I can tell you that I absolutely love my HV20's. I primaraly shoot live sporting events, Water Polo, Softball but every year I shoot a cheer competition for a small non profit group that is then distributed to over 150 families. I usually use 2-3 cameras for this event. I have also made a special camera mount for my youth softball team. One camera is mounted to the back of the backstop while the other is usually on a tripod or being held by one of my team parents.

Anyhow, from the low light Water Polo stadiums (High School pools at night, to the florescent lighting of the cox arena to the night shots on a lights softball field, the video quality is superb.

I do all of my editing with Avid Liquid 7 which handles HDV naitively. I edit and export from an HD timeline, whether I am exporting to DVD or other format.

The bigger question you need to ask yourself is what medium do you want to use. While capturing from Tape may seem cumbersom, I have found DV tape to be an inexepensive archival medium and highly reliable. The cheer even I shot is a 9 hour shoot with 2 manned cameras with tape. I also usually put an unmanned floor cam down which I record straight to a hard drive and access it remotely via my laptop.

If you have any questions let me know.

[jackdup]

Has anyone dealt with 86 Street Photo and Video?

They show the HV30 at 419.99 plus shipping.

If they are legit, that is a pretty decent price.

Thank you

[Zen of Encoding]

Has anyone dealth with 86 Street Photo and Video?

They show the HV30 at 419.99 plus shipping.

If they are legit, that is a pretty decent price.

Thank you

Never have I seen such a low rating. Stay away..... Stay FAR away:

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/86th_Street_Photo_Video

[SCDVD]

B&H Photo Video is widely regarded as highly reputable.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/B_H_Photo_Video_Pro_Audio

[jackdup]

Yikes, thanks for the link to the reviews of this company. I can't imagine how they are still in business.