Camcorders

[Jordy]

I have a Sony Handycam (Mini DV), have had no problems atall, even when it was....erm....dropped.....from.....erm.....the top of a tripod

It also came with a remote that can control the zoom, I think all Sony Handycams do!

Jordy

 

[RJ]

Brilliant, thanks for the advice everyone . I'll do a bit more digging but I think I'll end up getting one of the Sony Handycams.

 

[Craig]

I used to use one of these beasts in my last job, it might be a bit of an overkill for your needs though

Sony is probably the best make to go for, so I'm another vote for Handycam.

 

[antharro]

MiniDV all the way here. Just bought myself a HandyCam (DCR-HC47E). Sony kit is really quite good, but I took the extended warranty as almost EVERY piece of Sony kit (camcorders especially) have broken/died just outside the warranty...

DVD camcorders - 30 mins on a single side, you gotta be joking.

HDD camcorders - drop it, just once while that hard drive is spinning, and game over.

I'm that for both the HDD and DVD - the quality isn't as good as MiniDV. And if you want something really excellent, go for broadcast miniDV, but watch the price!

 

[class 313]

I'm that for the HDD - the quality isn't as good as MiniDV.

Ermm Correct me if I'm wrong but you can get HD with HDD Camcorders...

 

[RJ]

Ok, I've pretty much decided on what I'm going to get. Only real issue is that my computer does not have Firewire. Apparently if you use a USB cable to transfer a video from a DV tape to a computer, there will be a loss of quality due to the insufficient write speed.

Can Firewire be added to a PC?

 

[Daniel]

Yes, you can get a PCI card for it.

 

[Jordy]

I had to have a firewire added when I got my latest Camcorder, it only cost around £10

 

[class 313]

But if your case might not have space for it so may need a new case.