Camcorder recommendation?

gsganzer · May 23, 2006

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good camcorder?

I'm wanting it for the regular family gathering stuff, but also for capturing hunting and outdoors stuff. What's the recommended media, digital, Hi8, DVD? I'm looking for something that'll set me back a max of about $600 (do I need to spend that much?). I thought something like this one on ebay looked pretty decent. I like that you can change the lense to a telephoto for some long photos. I'd like to set it up in the deer blind and film some animals and action. How about options like stabilization etc? I've never owned a camcorder, so I'm pretty clueless on what are good features to have.

Any help would be appreciated.

gsganzer · May 23, 2006

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good camcorder?

I'm wanting it for the regular family gathering stuff, but also for capturing hunting and outdoors stuff. What's the recommended media, digital, Hi8, DVD? I'm looking for something that'll set me back a max of about $600 (do I need to spend that much?). I thought something like this one on ebay looked pretty decent. I like that you can change the lense to a telephoto for some long photos. I'd like to set it up in the deer blind and film some animals and action. How about options like stabilization etc? I've never owned a camcorder, so I'm pretty clueless on what are good features to have.

Any help would be appreciated.

SkyPup · May 23, 2006

I've got a Sony DCRHC96 MiniDV Handycam, it is awesome!!!! Very small and portable.

Mini DV is muc better than the other direct DVD, mini DVD, 8mm, or hard drive options.

Takes 60-90 minute mini tapes and also have a 2GB memory stick for recording 480-240 pixels mini computer movies.

Resolution is better than the TV set >580 lines, the playback on the TV is professional.

Digital transfer to AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG4, etc. is all a piece of cake if you have the proper computer equipment, buring DVD's with films is easy too.

It has steady shoot, but really you'll need a tripod for professional work.

Also has infrared light emission and gathering too at night you can shoot with no light, just the emission of the deer's body's infrared with light it up. But don't take photos of women at night as the IR goes right through the outer garmets! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif And the ladies do not like that!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SkyPup · May 23, 2006

I've got a Sony DCRHC96 MiniDV Handycam, it is awesome!!!! Very small and portable.

Mini DV is muc better than the other direct DVD, mini DVD, 8mm, or hard drive options.

Takes 60-90 minute mini tapes and also have a 2GB memory stick for recording 480-240 pixels mini computer movies.

Resolution is better than the TV set >580 lines, the playback on the TV is professional.

Digital transfer to AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG4, etc. is all a piece of cake if you have the proper computer equipment, buring DVD's with films is easy too.

It has steady shoot, but really you'll need a tripod for professional work.

Also has infrared light emission and gathering too at night you can shoot with no light, just the emission of the deer's body's infrared with light it up. But don't take photos of women at night as the IR goes right through the outer garmets! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif And the ladies do not like that!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

fishman · May 23, 2006

A coworker bought one of the hard drive varieties and I played around with it a while. It was pretty darned cool. The advantage over my digital-8 Sony is clear. You can pull up an index of all of the clips on screen and pick the one you want to see. Additionally, they are easy to delete if you want to. Higher resolution to. It comes in various resolutions, with the least expensive about $600.

fishman · May 23, 2006

A coworker bought one of the hard drive varieties and I played around with it a while. It was pretty darned cool. The advantage over my digital-8 Sony is clear. You can pull up an index of all of the clips on screen and pick the one you want to see. Additionally, they are easy to delete if you want to. Higher resolution to. It comes in various resolutions, with the least expensive about $600.

MossRoad · May 23, 2006

I think the only reason you would want to go with digital 8 is if you had a bunch of hi-8 that you wanted to play back. That's what we did when our hi-8 unexpectedly quit. It would have cost too much to repair it.

I'd go for one of the DVD units or DV at the least.

MossRoad · May 23, 2006

I think the only reason you would want to go with digital 8 is if you had a bunch of hi-8 that you wanted to play back. That's what we did when our hi-8 unexpectedly quit. It would have cost too much to repair it.

I'd go for one of the DVD units or DV at the least.