catching up...Can you recommend a good camcorder?

[gts101]

my first post here...I'm new to this forum but have messed around with digital video editing for a while.
I'm looking for some advice really....

I'm trying to catch up with camcorder/digital video/editing technology... I've been out of the loop for a while since my son was born 3 years ago (I've been busy changing nappies and generally being his slave)

I have an old(ish) mini DV camcoder that I can link to Premiere Pro on my PC via firewire. I recently got it out the cupboard, dusted it off and was annoyed to find that it has developed a hot pixel right in the middle of the frame (on the sensor, not the screen). So I'm now thinking about moving with the times and getting a new camcorder.

I've been looking at flash based camcorders in the low(ish) end of the market (around the �150-�200 mark) but I'm a bit lost.

• How much footage fits on a 8Gb or 16Gb flash card? (assuming its HD 720 or 1080)
• Is it worth considering a HDD camcorder? I think my preference is for a Flash based one - less moving parts
• I have a 'HD ready' LCD TV that has a SD slot.. Can I watch my videos back by just plugging the card into the TV?
• How does video footage get transferred to the PC for editing? - Does the video data just get transferred as files direct from the card?
• Is the video in AVI format or does it depend on the camcorder?
• Is firewire old news?
• Can I edit HD video in Premier Pro v2?
• Can you recommend a good camcorder or a good place/website to source one?
• Anything else I should know?

I realise there's a lot of questions here....any and all advice much appreciated....

thanks

[guns1inger]

How much footage fits on a 8Gb or 16Gb flash card? (assuming its HD 720 or 1080)

Depends on the bitrate. Filesize = running time x bitrate. The higher the quality, the higher the bitrate required, therefore the less you will fit. Expect to get 60 - 90 minutes (or more) of 1080p AVC on an 8 GB card

Is it worth considering a HDD camcorder? I think my preference is for a Flash based one - less moving parts

Personally not a fan. Not only do you have the mechanics to worry about, but they suck power, and you can't quickly them change them out for more storage. It is easy to carry a couple of spare flash cards with you.

I have a 'HD ready' LCD TV that has a SD slot.. Can I watch my videos back by just plugging the card into the TV?

Maybe. You will have to consult your manual. HD Ready seems to imply that it a) may not actually be HD (and almost certainly not 1080), and that it is an older model that may only support still images and mp3s from the card slot. The manual will tell you what it can do, and what format you have to provide it in.

How does video footage get transferred to the PC for editing? - Does the video data just get transferred as files direct from the card?

If you have a card reader then it is just drag and drop. If not, you can usually just connect via USB and copy the files over. Very simple.

Is the video in AVI format or does it depend on the camcorder?

The file will not be AVI. It will probably be MTS or M2TS or MP4. The video will be compressed with H264 (AVC), and the audio could be AAC or AC3. If you go HDV then it will be mpeg-2 on DV tape.

Is firewire old news?

Not if you have HDV or mini-DV . . . .

Can I edit HD video in Premier Pro v2?

Maybe. If it does, it will probably struggle. AVC requires a lot of grunt, and few editors work well natively with it. Most prefer the footage be converted to a more friendly, lower impact intermediate format. NeoScene was one tool for doing this. Newer versions of the editors are getting better, as well as the machines getting faster, so HD isn't as painful as it was two years ago, or even 12 months ago. But it still in not a simple as DV.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents.

[redwudz]

gts101, in the future please use a more descriptive subject title in your posts to allow others to search for similar topics. I will change yours this time. From our rules:

Try to choose a subject that describes your topic.
Please do not use topic subjects like Help me!!! or Problems.

Thanks,
Moderator redwudz

[gts101]

sorry, didn't realise about the subject... thanks for changing it.

[budwzr]

The Kodak Playsport. BYO memory(SD).

Seriously! I just bought one, and did a test run with a Panavise suction cup mount on my car window. The footage is great. Used 720p60 mode, and it's REAL 60 fps!!!

Check it out.

[gts101]

huge thanks to gunsl1ngler for the fast and comprehensive response.

You mentoned that most editors 'prefer the footage be converted to a more friendly, lower impact intermediate format'.

Is this a regular part of people's workflow?
I'm guessing the must be loads of people here that regularly go from SD card based footage to an editor.
What do people here use to edit camcorder footage these days?

thanks again.

[gts101]

@budwzr...

I'm looking for something I can mount on a tripod with an optical zoom... sorry, should have said
something like this one maybe?

[budwzr]

Oh, sorry, I thought you wanted to "catch up".

I used to think that way too. I have several cameras, and take a lot of video, and the "Flip" type cameras I have get the most use. The times I have actually set up a tripod, and make all the adjustments, are far and few between.

Many places nowadays see you setting up a tripod and run you off, the pocket camcorders look like cell phones and you just blend in like a tourist. But the difference is you come away with good quality footage.

Forgive the rant, just trying to dispel some myths.

EDIT: Contrary to popular belief, Sony is the least desirable maker for consumer digicams. They "convolute" everything, calling it "Sony Style" which translates into "quirky", and use proprietary memory sticks. Sony throws a lot of bling-bling, but most of it is useless and confusing.

[edDV]

Your five year old Celeron something will struggle just to play these files. If you want to keep the old computer just acquire a good used MiniDV cam off Craigslist or eBay. Your Premiere Pro v2 will work fine with DV. It has no support for h.264 compressed video. If you get a native wide DV cam (e.g. the later Canon Z series), the upscaled result will be similar to DVD on your 16:9 HDTV.

Any of the h.264 based flash cams will require a new computer and new software for playback and editing. For editing consider a quad core the minimum.

[gts101]

thanks for your help guys... really appreciated.
Looks like I'm WAY behind!
things move pretty fast these days!