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Comparing camcorders

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electronicsfreak

electronicsfreak

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Ok, im wanting to learn more about shopping when it comes to camcorders. Like what to look at and what to ignore on all the hype. Here are a couple of camcorders im looking at. It will be next summer before I buy one but im looking around right now. Learning what I can and getting more ideas.

Here are a few camcorders that im looking at.




Also is the high definiton cameras better than the cannon xl1 or vice versa?

Anyway im looking for something $1300 or below.

There is a point in wisdom and knowledge that when you reach it, you exceed what is considered possible - Jason Schoon
 
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I can't answer your question but I can point you towards It's a great forum for all audio/video-related kit. It tends to be mainly UK from what I've seen but apart from minor differences you tend to get the same kit in the US when it comes to camcorders.

Nelviticus
 
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I posted on there lol. They need to allow more characters as I had to shrink my name lol. Anyway thanks, we will see how it goes.

There is a point in wisdom and knowledge that when you reach it, you exceed what is considered possible - Jason Schoon
 
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I used to sell cameras and video cameras part time for Fry's Electronics a few years ago. I can tell ya the last one you don't want. The biggest reason is it shoots to a memory card. A 4 gig Memory Stick Duo on the cheap side is around $50 or more. Not sure how much video you can hold on a 4 gig card but I bet its not a lot, an hour at most. So you'll have to buy a bunch of them. Imagine going on a weeks vacation, now you have to carry a laptop with you to download your video. Pass. I am a geek. True and true, but the last thing I want to take on vacation any more is a laptop.

The other Sony, the HDR-UX7 uses both memory and DV tape. If you can shoot to HD-DV tape great, but if it only shoots HD to memory than I'd pass for the reasons above.

The XL1S is really a semi-professional/professional camera. To be honest, I think you'd wind up with about the same quality of picture. The mini HD cameras have small CMOS sensors and they are pretty good especially if they do 720p or 1080i but I think the 3 CCD on the Canon and the MUCH better lens more than makes up for it not being HD. I mean, the Sony has Zeiss lens but they are kind of small where as you get a nice big lens (that can be changed out to use different types of lenses) on the Canon that's much better.

Then, ok, when you're done. Where ya gonna put your movie? Do you have a Blu-Ray DVD burner? If not add that $400+ to your cost if you buy the Sony otherwise the only way to output to a true HD is to play it from the camera itself or your PC. If you want to share it, you're going to have to burn it to a regular DVD and then you lose the HD resolution anyway.

For the money I don't think you'll go wrong with either of them as far as quality but if I were buying I'd go with the Canon for now. Once the Blu-ray/HD war settles down and the cost of burners (and the disks) come down than it might be worth it. But by then newer, better cameras will have come out and by then you might be in the market for a new camera anyway. Just my 3 cents.

Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!
 
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I know about what I need when it comes to burning and stuff lol. Yeah blue ray is expensive, right now im just getting something good quality. Im seriously thinking about the cannon xl1 as I have wanted that for a while now. Either way it depends on if its still hanging around when I get my money in as they have an xl2 out right now that is out of my price range.

There is a point in wisdom and knowledge that when you reach it, you exceed what is considered possible - Jason Schoon
 
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I can fit 22 minutes of 640x480x24 30fps video with stereo audio on my 2 gig SD card.


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 
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Ah yes, but with what compression? An uncompressed 640x480 24-bit frame takes up 900k. At 30 frames a second that's 26MB per second, so 22 minutes would be about 34GB (taking 1GB as 1,024MB). Your camera is compressing that into 2GB which is a very high compression ratio of 17:1 and unlikely to be very suitable for editing.

Nelviticus
 
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It's an mpg.


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 
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