Video Camera PLEASE HELP!!

[kurtisb]

hi there,
i have been saving up for a new video camera for a while now, i finally have the money but i need help chosing a camera. What is the best video camera to film surfing i.e. 1) needs long zoom 2)good quality footage 3)needs to be able to be hooked up to computer easy to transfer footage etc. etc. The price range that im looking at is $300 - $700 +- a little bit.
any help would be greatly appreciated!!
thanks heaps

[daryl]

I went for a used NEC 3CCD in that price range, it has been beaut all year. Downloads vids over to pc, just follow the instructions word for word. I got an extra 2X zoom to double up the magnification on the standard 10X so it has plenty of zoom. That lens I'm told that I got ripped off, try Gracies re the extra zoom lens, altho 10X is plenty, IMHO.

[cousteau]

personally at that price range try and find a second hand sony vx2000

A great robust camera that was semi professional a couple of years back
has built in ND filters to help you get a better picture in daylight and has a decent optical zoom rather than a digital zoom that just expands pixels.

As it's a little bigger than a lot of cameras it will be less wobbly on a tripod and just generally be smoother all round.

These cameras were used as back up cameras by a lot of production companies in the early 2000's and have been pretty much super seeded by HDV cameras today so there should be a few about.

Other than that a general rule would be if buying new go for the newest and best model you can afford, camera technology moves so quickly these days and make sure you have an ND filter built in and optical zoom.

Good luck

[Revolution]

Try save a lil more and get one of those HD JVC ones for just under $2k.

[cousteau]

Try save a lil more and get one of those HD JVC ones for just under $2k.

If that's one of those hard disc recording cameras you need to be careful about what format it records in. Worked with a company not so long ago that bought 10 of them only to find out the format was not compatible with FCP ... expensive mistake!

[Revolution]

Nar one of those high definition (1900 - 1080) camera's.

Ridiculously cheap, but yes you would want to check all compatibility, If your computer can handle uploading the data (video card or some shit..) etc.

[kurtisb]

yer at the moment im looking at a 'JVC GZ-MG135 Everio G Camcorder' price around $850 odd dollars anythoughts?

[Revolution]

Not to sure on anything about camera's .. just know the JVC high deff ones are great value (no i dont work for them )

But go to www.shopbot.com.au and type in your model I reackon you could wipe $100 at least off your price, also check some reviews just google it. see if its on Cnet etc. What they have to say.

[daryl]

yer at the moment im looking at a 'JVC GZ-MG135 Everio G Camcorder' price around $850 odd dollars anythoughts?

My is an Everio GZ it has a HD and a card, it has optical zoom.

The zoom toggle is touchy to operate, being very small. Hold the camera firmly with both hands .

hijack
taken with the JVC GZ MC500 it's handy for taking pics too



Be good to have a mate, or someone who'd use it when I'm in the water without filming me changing into my wettie swearing fugorf, making disparaging comments when I'm out, on a big moving volume of water kind of day. Then moved onto film everything else that moved on the beach.

[CRACKERS]

Id suggest any of the later model Panasonics, you could pick up one for around 700 on sale if your lucky....im using a older model Nv-gs120,its about 4yrs old.
pansonic are your best bet if you want a 3ccd cam (which you do if you can get it.) if you want a sony 3ccd you have to double the price at least.they are comparatively small also.
if you can help it dont get a camera with harddrive....they have compatability problems and its good to have a hard copy (tape) of your footage.....you always lose files,delete etc plus you can transfer tapes between cameras no problems eg if you camera breaks you just put your tapes in the next camera or in a mates to capture them.

take into account that you can always add a zoom lens..you can get them really cheap 70buck i think so if theres a huge price difference for more zoom, remember you might beable to spend less on the cam plus get a lens and still have money left over.
and forget about gimmicky still cameras ...your looking for a video camera first so look for quality in that...your never going to get the same still pics with a video camera...well not yet anyway.

hope it helps.
CRACKERS

http://www.youtube.com/user/loosealliance
all of these are shot on the cam i mentioned above....crappy youtube quality though.

[kurtisb]

yer the old panasonics are the go i think