camcorders

Looking to get a camcorder nothing to fancy or expensive, i know a lot of people on the forum have one going by the video postings.

Anyone recommend a good all rounder camcorder

Whats the best media type to get HDD, SD memory etc.

What would be the mimimun digital, optical zoom or other specs on the camera

Anything other info that would be useful in selecting a camcorder

Will mainly be using the camcoder for holidays, kids parties etc. but i would be guessing a few videos of fishtanks might soon be appearing:lol:


Thanks

GB

I use Canon 5d and Canon HV, selling Canon MD205(€150) and Panasonic SDR-SW20(€200) - underwater camera see here: www.irishfishkeepers.com/cms/component/o...w/catid,34/id,38454/

I had written a long reply with lots of advice and links but it has vanished. So if you want PM me your phone number.

My videos from the four cameras mentioned here:

www.youtube.com/user/DaraghOwens or here:

www.youtube.com/didims


Daragh

I'm more into still photography but some of the common traits are;

Resolution: This is not the be-all and end-all that manufacturers make it out to be. A 1080p HD TV has a resolution of 1920×1080, or 2,073,600 pixels ... 2 Megapixels ... My K800i camera phone ... 2 Megapixels

Storage: There's a bunch of different types available ... hard disks, memory cards, DVD's, Blueray, tapes! Hard disks are fast and big, both in capacity and bulk. Memory cards are small, physically and in capacity. You'll get about 40minutes on a 4GB card. DVD's, Blueray and tape will bulk up your camera and drain your battery more quickly because of the motor to spin them, but you can pop the discs straight into the DVD/blueray player.
My choice would be memory cards as they keep getting cheaper and more capacity and they're your smallest option.

Sensor: This is the part that actually sees the picture you're shooting ... effectively the camera's retina. It's a largely overlooked fact that the size of the sensor is important (lenght x width). That small area is broken down into 2 million little squares (pixels) for a 2 megapixel image. If the sensor is physically small (i.e. in a phone) then each pixel is microscopic on the sensor itself. The bigger the sensor the bigger each pixel on it will be and hence the more light it can capture. This actually makes an enormous difference to the quality of the image. If you can get details of the size of the sensors try to get something reasonably sized (compared to other camera's of the same level).

As I said I'm more into still photography and I recently enough got a Nikon D90. One of the nice features is that it can take video unlike other SLR cameras of the same level. It'll take HD 720p video in fact. If you'd get more use from an SLR camera it might be worth looking into that too.

I know its a lot reasonably technical crap but it might help.
All the best,
Rory

Rory, thanks for taking the time out such a detailed response, some good info there.

Gavin
What media does the canon take that you,re selling?


Thanks again lads

GB

gerryberry wrote:

...

Gavin
What media does the canon take that you,re selling?

GB

Are you talking to me?

Canon takes Digital Tape and Panasonic takes SD cards.



Daragh

Sorry Darragh long day at the office, can,t even see names now!!!!!Apolgies

Definitely looking for something digital so the tapes don,t really do it for me. Will have a look at the spec on the panasonic and if interested give you a shout back.

Thanks again Darragh

GB

No problem.

Just remember that the tapes are digital! (DAT, DCC etc) They record the exact same quality as card or hard discs. They have a major advantage in my mind too, they are much easier and cheaper to edit. When I upgraded to HD I deliberately chose a tape camera, the HV30 over DVD, hard disk and Card cameras.

The software required to edit a tape is free on your PC, Windows Movie Maker, once you go to SD cards etc you will need software to handle .mov files.

If going for HD which I highly recommend provided you have HD TV (not a HD ready TV) the files take up a huge amount of space on your PC and take a long long time to edit and convert.

I am not bothered about selling either camera, they have been hanging around for a few months already, so I am not trying to convert you to the two I have. Check out the Canon range online, you can decide on HD or not, format etc and see what models there are. I favour Canon for Still and Video. If you go with the suggestion of a still camera with video facility like the Nikon D90 or the Canon 5D I have, you really need to road test it - at the end of the day they are still cameras with a nice add-on, not video cameras!


Daragh

Cant really help with the later models,but get all my media,eg sdhc cards,from here www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=777
Got my EOS with 1gb card(when that was big!)and spare battery for about 650euro,when friend paid 1300 for 1 in Dublin.

As you can see Darragh i know F**k all about camcorders so need a steep learning curve:) but thanks for the advice and tips


Cheers Acara will checkout site, any hassle buying online. Myself, i am always a bit cautious buying BIG expensive items online, i know it is stupid with the amount of business now done online but had awful hassle with filters i got online and getting my cash back when they started to leak. Maybe i was just the unlucky one and maybe old age is making me a pessimist:S

Thanks lads

GB

I buy all my camera gear at Conns Cameras in town, not that more expensive for peace of mind and excellent service. The one exception I made was a Sigma 120-300 lens for £1800 online and €3500 here. The lens came from Hong Kong and was a dud. Eventually I got it sorted but it took months and cost me over €100 in postage - never again with big ticket hi-tech items, CDs DVDs fine after that no thanks, I don't need the grief. BTW a friend bought a 42" HD Sony TV online a few weeks ago, it fissled out the first night and it is still sitting in his hall awaiting collection!


Daragh

Wife works as a purchasing manger in electronic components and nearly everything is now manufactured or sourced thru asia, mainly China. There are some cracking deals to be had on electronic components ipods,docking stations, laptops etc. but you have to know who you are buying off cause its basically the wildwest out there with every Tom Dick or Harry selling goods out of their little wooden sheds. And by the way thats what they call themselves, Tom Dick Harry Sandy etc. Suppose with an emerging market and the amount of people looking for a quick buck its bound to happen but you have to be so cautious, there it goes again the pessimist in me!!!

Wife is now out of work, just about to deliverly a kid so will have to buy locally or become a optimist and buy online.

GB

I've personally had good success buying electronic stuff online. But then I've never really bought very far from home.
I bought a camera and lens for about €600 from Jessops and it arrived in perfect condition.
I've bought several hundred euros worth of computer stuff from Komplett who also sell cameras. They have a warehouse pick-up point in Blanchardstown if you want to save on postage, you can pick up on Saturdays.
I never buy anything really expensive on ebay, the most expensive thing I ever got there was an underwater housing for a small digital camera.
Amazon are now shipping electronics to Ireland since they've signed up to the WEEE agreement. (The website still says they're only shipping to the UK beside the products themselves but I've read it in the paper and gotten a newsletter from them saying they will).

A close friend of mine has bought lenses and camera equipment on Digital Wonder World without any problem. They're based in Germany I believe.

When I got the Nikon D90 (Nikon over Canon any day ) I went with Conns Cameras in town as they were about €100 more expensive than online but I had the after sales service which they give ... i.e. replacement camera if yours is in for repairs, free dry sensor cleans for the life of the camera and 1 free wet sensor clean.

I only buy media and small stuff on that site.I did get th DSLR from there though,no problems.
Agree with the buying locally for after sales service,if price is not much different.
As always and with anything,shop around.I got a Canon compact for the fiance 4 days before Xmas,I paid 150euro in Currys Newry,about 100-150 cheaepr than here on that day.2 days later it was 200 in PCWorld Jervis Centre,a week later in the SAME shop it was in the 'sales' for 300.Some sale that.It even has 'Aquarium' and 'Underwater' functions.