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Posts: 4266
| Well, I finally shot my last roll of film....except at my daughter's hockey games where I can shoot 800 speed film without a flash on the sport/action setting and shoot one frame every 2 seconds.
The video recorder that we bought when she was born, though very nice at that time, is out of date and I can't see spending almost 60 bucks on a battery. Maybe I can rig it up to my deep cycles.
Anyway, it's time to go digital on the camcorder side too.
I'm looking for input from people who understand that I'm not about to drop $500 on a new camera.
I want something decent. Easy to download to my computer. Something that my wife and daughter could use.
I saw the ones with 20X zoom...(I wish.) I've already got a very nice HP digital camera, and it blows away some cameras that cost 3 times as much. It's easy to use and download, and with the 1GB card, I'm good for almost 200 pictures.....could be that many on one 52"er. 
Anyway, looking for a good digital camcorder that won't break the bank and doesn't need all of the bells and whistles.
Thanks.
Beav | |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | If I were buying that camera, it would be a JVC Mini DV from Overstock.com. I bought one for the morning shoots when I really don't plan on shooting video, but might need to covering the PWT and FLW Walleye tours. Super easy to transfer the video to the computer via firewire and a simple to use program, and one can KEEP the mini DV tape and play in on the home TV or other video source with the video in wire that comes with the camera. Here's the link, sir. The first one's a good one for sure at just under $200.00.
http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=849785
http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1548911
Here's some video shot with that camera:
http://walleye.outdoorsfirst.com/play_flash.asp?clip=520
I was walking along the with Doc Samson as he was moving in line to launch on the final day of the PWT SUper Pro in Minnesota a couple weeks back( he won, by the way) during a morning rain. | |
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | Mr. Steve,
I have that same one. Did you get the software to transfer it to your computer? do you need software? if you need it, how did you get it?
Rob | |
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Posts: 4266
| I have a very nice HP that I got for a gift, after somebody at the hideout ran over the original one I had but let it slip out of my pocket. What are the chances of finding it a half an hour later, with tire tracks right over it. At least the memory card was still in tact so all thos e special pictures that I had on there were OK. Still felt like crap because it was a gift, but got twice the camera and it looks exactly the same, so nobody is any wiser.
So, for Fathers Day, my daughter bought me a DXG camcorder, still picture, MP3, audio recorder that has been noting but a pain. Directions in 5 languages, but you can't read any of them because they are so small, and they leave out the most important part....trouble shooting. Like why it won't load. Why my computer won't recognize it. Why I can view the videos on the viewfinder, but can't download them or even wathc them on the TV or my daughters DVD player, though they include the directions for that part.
It's going back tomorrow, because I have a still camera that I love and is easy to use, so all I want to come back with is a camcorder for all of those special moments...like walking in Cass Lake with a 49"er by the tail in knee-deep water while she regained her composure and then swam away after my 5 year old daughetr got to walk with her and pet her. She thought that it was waaay cooler than petting the stingrays at the Mall of America.
Something small that I can use with regular batteries instead of a special battery pak.
I've laid down the gauntlet with their support people, and told them that if they don't have cures for me by 10 AM CST tomorrow, it's going back and I'm getting on-line with a poison pen.
I hate it when stuff doesn't work the way that it is supposed to. My other cameras...insert disc...install and away you go.
This is like trying to difuse a bomb!!!!!
If anybody has experience with the camera that I have, let me know if you know any tricks.
Thanks,
Beav | |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | XP has a Windows Movie program to load the video from the camera. The program will feature a 'capture' mode, etc., and offer several formats for the capture depending on what you intend to do with the file. We upload it in AVI to an FTP folder, and Zach edits, encodes, and puts it up on the site. For clips like Beav and most others want, MP3 works just fine and requires a MUCH smaller file size. You can edit the clips, and burn them to a DVD or CD really easily.
There are lots of programs out there; several are freeware. If you are running XP you should be able to simply plug the camera in to a firewire plug on the 'puter (can get a card for that if you don't have it on your 'puter) and XP will recognize the camera and begin the process.
If you have a very small hard drive of 20 gig or less, I'd buy an external 80 gig at the smallest, especially if you intend to store some of your video files for a time. The 'puter will ask where you want to stroe the video, so you can select a file on the external hard drive. | |
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Posts: 4266
| That's the problem...XP won't or doesn't recognize the camera, even tough it lists it. | |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Per recomendations from people on this board last year, my wife and I bought a mini dv format recorder, and absolutely love it. We went with a Sony dcr hc21, and neither of us can beleive the quality of the footage. Since Sony is now hooked up with the company, they all have Carl Zeiss lenses and that was one reason we went with it. I think we paid 399 a year ago with charger, and software. I'd buy it again. | |
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| Bought a Panasonic PV-GS39 today.
Camera, case, 3 60 minute tapes, battery and charger...minus the credit for the piece of crap that I had, I walked out of the door spending less than 3 bills.
Take stills in the record mode, kind of a neat feature.
Was looking at the ones with the Zeiss lens, but it has an interactice touch screen operation.
Seems counter productive to me. I'd rather keep the screen clean instead of greasy from fingerprints and the screen on the Panasonic was larger and clearer. 30X zoom, I could read the price tags on boxes from one side of the store from the other...about 25 yards or more.
I'm set for cameras now. Now I just need something to photograph.
Beav | |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Sounds like a real nice unit and I am sure you'll love it for years to come. To clarify on the Sony screen, one can use the camera with or without the touch screen, and the touch is only operable in playback mode on mine, which I rarely use. I have a transparent disposable lens cover on mine to eliminate the potential for any fingerprints which is nice too. Good luck, Panisonic/Magnivox makes some nice stuff for price paid. 30X optical zoom is very nice, and you'll use it often.
Hope to see some Perkette footage taken with it soon!
Edited by Reef Hawg 7/4/2006 3:16 PM
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Digital Camcorder