Absolute newb confusion. Buy a digital camera.

[Early Grace]

Hi guys/gals, new to the site and the world of video. TOTAL newbie.

I have some very basic questions that I can't seem to answer through my own research. I have never owned a digital video camera before, but I am about to buy one. My question is about the format these record in. (mpeg2/mpeg4/H.264 etc..) The camera I really want is the Samsung SMX-F40RN, it's a standard definition camcorder that records in H.264. I'm not ready for an HD setup yet.

I have been reading that this format is hard to edit.(whatever that means) All I want to do is record some digital video, do some basic editing like cutting/splicing and maybe add an audio track. Then I want to upload to YouTube to share with family or send it via e-mail. Is there something I will have to do to be able to edit this format? Convert it or something? Or should I get a camera that records in another format? If so, which format?

I am totally clueless. If you had this camera what would you use to edit, etc....? I am not looking to make feature movies, just special occasion and vacation videos. I just need the basics from capture all the way through to upload/E-mail.

Any info will be greatly appreciated and this looks like the place to get it. Thanks!!

[Early Grace]

Ok, how about this............

If I buy editing software that can handle H.264 (standard definition), could my PC handle it? If so, any software recommendations? (on the cheaper side)

Windows 7 64bit
AMD Athlon 64, tf-20 1.6GHz.
ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics
3-GB RAM
160 GB HDD

[aedipuss]

maybe simple cuts, but a quad core is really needed to do any decent editing. and that single hard drive is on the really small side.

[Early Grace]

maybe simple cuts, but a quad core is really needed to do any decent editing. and that single hard drive is on the really small side.

Thanks for the reply! So would I be better off with a camcorder that recorded in mpeg2? Is mpeg2 pretty easy to deal with compared to H.264?

I'm looking for something that's more advanced than recording on 8MM and sending the videos snail mail.

[Moontrash]

for mpeg2 that setup would be fine...don't expect speedy results though...but for 264, thats a different story...small HD and the processor is not exactly a barn burner

i recently had an athlon 3000xp die on me and it edited mpeg2 stuff for 5 years without and issue...there are plenty of mpeg2 cameras out there...if u wanna go HD/264..your gonna need a new pc i'm afraid

[aedipuss]

mpeg-2 is a little easier on the computer to edit. something like vegas movie studio might work for you. keep in mind though that 1 hour of HD video can take up to 30 GB each. and that's just to put the source file on the hard drive, more space is needed for editing.

[Early Grace]

for mpeg2 that setup would be fine...don't expect speedy results though...but for 264, thats a different story...small HD and the processor is not exactly a barn burner

i recently had an athlon 3000xp die on me and it edited mpeg2 stuff for 5 years without and issue...there are plenty of mpeg2 cameras out there...if u wanna go HD/264..your gonna need a new pc i'm afraid

mpeg-2 is a little easier on the computer to edit. something like vegas movie studio might work for you. keep in mind though that 1 hour of HD video can take up to 30 GB each. and that's just to put the source file on the hard drive, more space is needed for editing.

Guys, I really appreciate it! I am going to stick with mpeg-2 format camcorders then. I have been eye-balling this one... http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+Digital+Camcorder+with+2.7%22+LCD+Monitor+-+Blue/97...=1218164388037

I think I'm going to get that one. Thanks for all the advice and recommendations. I know that once I get a camcorder I'll have a ton more questions!