OT: Camcorder Inquiry

[T-Bone]

Having a 19 month old daughter, my wife and I decided to get ourselves a camcorder for Christmas. I do have an old JVC Compact 8, but with todays technology, I'd like to get something that I can record little events or whatnot, and then just plug the camcorder into the computer and transfer the files off of it and have them ready to go. Is this possible? I know in the past you'd need some type of conversion video program to turn the files into avi or mpg files, but do any of the newer camdcorders record into this format and can I just transfer the files from the camcorder and have them already for me to turn into VCD's or whatever?

I'm mostly looking into the hard drive or Flash memory type camcorders. I've read both positive and negative reviews on many brands such as JVC, Panasonic, Sony and Canon. I was wondering what some of you use and how easy it is to transfer these files without needing umpteen programs to do so.


I'll probably purchase one online from either ebay or Newegg, but I'm using a real store for references first. They're always overpriced, but at least I get a hands-on of each item before purchasing.

I'd also like to stay within the $500 range

Flash Memory

Hard Drive




Thanks in advance for any advice or references

[Rick]

Having a 19 month old daughter, my wife and I decided to get ourselves a camcorder for Christmas. I do have an old JVC Compact 8, but with todays technology, I'd like to get something that I can record little events or whatnot, and then just plug the camcorder into the computer and transfer the files off of it and have them ready to go. Is this possible? I know in the past you'd need some type of conversion video program to turn the files into avi or mpg files, but do any of the newer camdcorders record into this format and can I just transfer the files from the camcorder and have them already for me to turn into VCD's or whatever?

I'm mostly looking into the hard drive or Flash memory type camcorders. I've read both positive and negative reviews on many brands such as JVC, Panasonic, Sony and Canon. I was wondering what some of you use and how easy it is to transfer these files without needing umpteen programs to do so.


I'll probably purchase one online from either ebay or Newegg, but I'm using a real store for references first. They're always overpriced, but at least I get a hands-on of each item before purchasing.

I'd also like to stay within the $500 range

Flash Memory

Hard Drive




Thanks in advance for any advice or references

You can get a nice one in that price range with a 30 gig hard drive. The majority, if not all of them, record in the .mov format, which is uploadable to Youtube, and will play on your computer with Quicktime.

See here.

[T-Bone]

I was kind of hoping to stick with the AVI or MPG type formats so I wouldn't need the Quicktime crap. I hate that program.

[geminix]

Hey T. I purchased a fantastic SD camcorder back in May for my Father's Day present
It's a Panasonic. It's about $220 at Circuit City but you can get it anywhere I guess. Here is the link for it at CC.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panasoni ... tDetail.do


It takes great vids AND pics. You will not be disappointed.

[Rip Rokken]

T-Bone -- I wanted to do the same as you, get away from tape completely, and purchased a Sony Handicam DCR-SR45 with an internal 30GB hard drive.



I paid over $500 for mine earlier this year, but Best Buy shows to have them on sale for $349.00 right now.

It pretty much stayed in the box for months, until recently when I started playing around with Windows Movie Maker first, then Adobe Premier Elements, and it's EASY to make nice movies with it. You can transfer the movie clips directly to your PC, and mine saves them in MPG format. Using something like Premier Elements, you just import the clips and chop them up however you wish, then add titles, transitions, effects and audio -- very easy to learn. I'm only a few days into it without reading any instructions...

Since I'm just a beginner, I stuck to using the smaller videos I recorded with my digital camera at first because I wasn't sure how to trim back the size of those made with my Handicam... Now I know... programs like Windows Movie Maker and Premier Elements let you compile the video in any size, and even in some formats preset for things like YouTube -- you can even upload to YouTube directly from Premier Elements.

I'm about to upload a new YouTube video within an hour that I put more time into than any other -- added music and Kung Fu sound effects... But here is a simple one I just finished the other day, and again pardon the video quality -- I recorded these using lower-res video on my digital camera, not my Handicam:

Mini-Pea Rokken Loves Steve Augeri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwX0TcYJFi8

PM me if I can help further.

[Triple S]

Rip, that is so adorable! - she's quite the little entertainer .

WMM is fun to use - I spent hours one day setting various music clips to a video of my 2 dogs playing and chasing each other all over the place.

[Arianddu]

Awww - I'm sure you don't need me to tell you, Rip, but she's the cutest baby Wiggler!

Hey - how're the adventures with durian going?

[Rick]

Awww - I'm sure you don't need me to tell you, Rip, but she's the cutest baby Wiggler!

Hey - how're the adventures with durian going?

The Durian video was great, but there's a video of him eating Balut at Arnels site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbdDILwEL70

[Luvsaugeri]

Rip she is too cute!!! Another proud Augerihead!! The girls got great taste!!

[Don]

I've got a Sony DCR-DVD810 which records to mini Dvd and memory stick. 400 dollars at Bestbuy, I love it. The auto adjustment for the lighting works great, really a no hassle camera.

[Rip Rokken]

Rip she is too cute!!! Another proud Augerihead!! The girls got great taste!!

Thank ya! She has a few videos up... www.youtube.com/riprokken

[Rip Rokken]

Awww - I'm sure you don't need me to tell you, Rip, but she's the cutest baby Wiggler!

Hey - how're the adventures with durian going?

The Durian video was great, but there's a video of him eating Balut at Arnels site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbdDILwEL70

LOL... there are now two balut vids up, and as of today.... BIG DURIAN ADVENTURE II !!! (less than two weeks into tinkering with this stuff.... haha!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVLikf2AgHk

[T-Bone]

I went with the Panasonic SDR-H40 after talking with a salsman. He said it's been a great seller, user friendly and very east to transfer the videos off of and onto the pc

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 7074853731

Although.... I did tell him I was going to talk it over with the wife, and then went home and got it on ebay for $264 rather than pay $399 for it in the store

Cheap bastard am I....

[Rick]

I went with the Panasonic SDR-H40 after talking with a salsman. He said it's been a great seller, user friendly and very east to transfer the videos off of and onto the pc

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... 7074853731

Although.... I did tell him I was going to talk it over with the wife, and then went home and got it on ebay for $264 rather than pay $399 for it in the store

Cheap bastard am I....

Smart, not cheap. You saved $135, you can spend that on the kiddo.

[T-Bone]

Indeedy... She's getting spoiled for Christmas

[Jeremey]

Panasonic's models are pretty typically regarded as having the image quality, so you've made a good choice! A year ago I got two GS320's, which are still mini-DV based, but I didn't want the extra compression that sometimes affects image quality on the HDD or removable media cameras. They look great and are very easy to use, so good luck!

[cinkidd]

I recently purchased this for my daughter and her husband who are expecting their first baby in late January. I have done lots of research on it and found that it has an above average rating and gets good or better reviews from several magazines. Got it at Newegg.com

Good luck.



Canon FS100 Moonstone Silver 2.7"123K LCD 37X Optical Zoom Flash Memory Digital Camcorder
Item #: N82E16830120243

$299.00

Rich the Purchased Guy