Need your $.02 on Camcorder advice

[reel fool]

I searched the site and found some good reading on choices of digital cameras & camcorders. However, much of it is now presumably out of date--6 months or older. I need to purchase a new camcorder.
Few basic questions
1) DV or harddrive model? (assuming the mini dvd version is still a PITA to edit)
2) Is the JVC Everio still the choice model?
3) Software--windows movie maker or Pinnacle?
4) I had a Sony & found it difficult to edit the footage--still true or does better software make it easier?

ANYTHING else you can add would be of great benefit to me & I am sure, many others on here.
Thank you

[offshore]

I searched the site and found some good reading on choices of digital cameras & camcorders. However, much of it is now presumably out of date--6 months or older. I need to purchase a new camcorder.
Few basic questions
1) DV or harddrive model? (assuming the mini dvd version is still a PITA to edit)
2) Is the JVC Everio still the choice model?
3) Software--windows movie maker or Pinnacle?
4) I had a Sony & found it difficult to edit the footage--still true or does better software make it easier?

ANYTHING else you can add would be of great benefit to me & I am sure, many others on here.
Thank you

I ended up getting a Cannon HV20 All I can say is it is a awesome camera. It can record in 24p Cinema mode standard and HDV. The 24p Cinema mode is breathtaking on a HD TV. I am new to this but after talking to everyone and for the money I wanted to spend it was my choice. It also has optical stabilizing which seems to be 100% better than my old soy with the regular stabilizing feature. I have only been able to use it once on the boat. But great quality video. It is not a hard drive camera but mini cassette but has a mini card for still photos.
I have Pinnacle and Ulead 11 and both work well....Mark

[gradywhite273]

first , i love my everio, but with it you have to manipulate what comes out, it will come out of the camera as a mod file, the file is quite large, probably cause it has great resolution, you can use the mod file with pinnacle, but you have to change the file to use it with movie maker. when you do your movie with pinnacle, when you make the movie it will save it in another format other than mod, and is not such a high definiton or huge size file.

[flatbottom]

I use a mini dv cam. It is an older hc-21 made by Sony. It has image stabilization, preset lighting modes such as, beach, indoors, low light (famous green). It also has stereo sound ...but no jack for external mic. The editing is widely accepted with all editing software when the cam video is captured by the computer, as raw data or (avi file). Raw date means no compression. Fancy zooms are not needed on a rolling boat. But are nice in use with a tri-pod or support device. The future is hard drive cams, or flash memory cams.....the older technology with mini dv tape is fine for me, as I have a dv tape for a back up. The newer technologies require a recording device such as a blue tooth dvd burner, or extra external hard drives to store the video. It is one or a half a dozen of the other in choices. Older technology is cheaper. Until I see a massive quality improvement in the newer technology......dv tape is what I will use.

Editing software is choice preference and learning curve for the user. All will get the job done efficiently.....

do not forget mac products. Admin, Kobey, Shoe use a mac with excelent results. Very easy plug and play system, I have heard.....flat

[reel fool]

Anyone else? Need some input here. Planning to buy a camcorder but want to hear your opinions on which models to select from and format, editing software, etc...

[Proheat]

I have to totally agree with Flatbottom. I have the Sony miniDV and use either Pinnacle or Nero to edit the movie.

No problems so far.

[gman]

here is my 2 cents ... There are several types - tape, DVD and Hard drive. Tape is old school and bulky and although mini dvd recorders are good they seem to be a pain to edit because its already in DVD format.

I went and invested in a Sony Hard drive camcorder. I can record 24 hours of digital video without any tapes, it has a small hard drive in it I have the SR300. It has all the ports for attaching more light, direct connect to TV's, CPU's. The batteries are great and last hours at a time and the video editing software is easy to use

When I bought mine 1 year ago they went for $900 the same model now is only about $700 but now they have a SR400 with even more memory not that you need it

Glenn

I love mine, one of my better purchases other than my Canon Digital Rebel XT camera

[parmentj]

Try the new Sanyo Exacti, IT'S WATERPROOF. Just picked got this thing a few weeks ago, has a hard drive but I use an 8G chip and can record 8hrs of video. Have already tested the waterproof capabilities off the coast of Costa rica last week, and believe me this thing works. You can pick it up on Amazon for about $300.00. Lets be honest, its gonna get wet, just my $.02. Good luck

[WAHOONBOX]

GMAN AND PARMENTJ....WHAT SIZE ARE YOUR HARD DRIVES?

EDITTING:..............I HAVE EDITTED MORE FOOTAGE IN PINNACLE STUDIO 11 PLUS THAN ANY MAN ALIVE

TIPS:

EDITTING PROBLEMS ARE NEVER THE CAMERAS FAULT.....

MOVIE MAKING IS NEVER THE CAMERAS FAULT

UNTIL I FINALLY BIT THE DUST AND FOUND A COMPUTER THAT CAN HANDLE THE NEW CAMERAS ...HI-DEF...BLU RAY....SPECIAL EFFECTS ...ETC ETC....I WASS SUCKIN HIND TITTY

IT'S ALL IN THE COMPUTER BOYS.....MOST COMPUTERS HAVE SO MUCH GARBAGE STORED BY YOU INSIDE THEM THAT IT CAN'T TAKE THE PRESSURE OF MAKING MOVIES

A VIDEO CARD IS THE PRIME EXAMPLE


MY NEW 1 TERA BYTE HARD DRIVE ....3 GB OF MEMORY... QUAD PROCESSOR ...ATI RADEON HD 24000XT GRAPHICS CARD....IS DA EL GRANDE PUPPY I TELL YA! ...I GOP PIP AND WATCH THE RACE AND PLAY ON SFC AT THE SAME TIME ON MY TV TUNER...OR JUST RECORD IT TO THE BUILT IN DVR


MY CAMERA IS ONLY 60 GB HARD DRIVE BUT THE SLO-MO FEATURE ...HI-DEF OR STANDARD FEATURE IS THE PAPA......7 HRS OF VIDEO STORAGE WITH AN ELEVEN HR BATTERY.......

[gman]

GMAN AND PARMENTJ....WHAT SIZE ARE YOUR HARD DRIVES?

BOX,

Its funny about technology, last year this little baby was the talk of the town, SR300 ... got to have it! now its selling for half becuause sony came out with the SR400 ha ha

It has a internal 30G hard drive that allows me to record up to 24 hours at the highest settings. I have every damn fishing excursion, every pop warner football game, every wrestling match and younger 4 year old activities on this thing and I still have a massive amount of space and we fish ALOT.

Great camcorder and I've tried them all, we take alot of pictures. I think last season I took 6,000 fishing photos