Digital Camcorder or Digital Camera?

[MitchT]

I want some type of affordable device that will enable me to capture video footage. My digital camera has a video mode but it only allows the user to shoot a maximum of 13 two minute long films and the resolution is a bit low too. I could do with something that allows me to shoot longer films than my Digital Camera can and has a decent resolution. Initially it would be for making stuff to put on the internet, but it would be useful to be able to produce films which can be burned to DVD and watched on a TV without there being an apparent lack of image quality as I'd like to move in this direction after initially making stuff for the internet.

Should I be looking at a Digital Camera with a better video facility than that of my current camera or should I buy a Digital Camcorder? Someone I once spoke to briefly mentioned tapes - Why would a digital camcorder need tapes - Am I missing something - Wouldn't it just save the movie in AVI/Mpeg/etc. format? As you can see I currently know nothing!

Can my requirements be satisfied for an outlay in the region of £500?

[Olf]

£500 will buy you a fully featured camcorder of any kind and if you buy carefully it will even get you a high definition camcorder.

If you wanted a small digital camera to out put standard definition most high end compact digital stills cameras will do this for you now but obviously focusing on the fly can be ropey, sound quality is crapy and file sizes are large.

But you could do that for £200 easily.

[MitchT]

I think I'll push towards a HD camcorder then. My current digfital camera will just about stretch to doing YouTube quality clips which I could edit together and dub music onto, so if I'm going to spend some money it would make more sense to buy something that's leagues ahead of what I currently have and is reasonably 'future proof'.

A few more questions...
Can anyone give me examples of specific HD Digital Camcorders for £500ish that are worth buying?
How is the film stored in these cameras? Do they use tapes or hard/flash drives?
Will veideo-editing software like iMove enable me to export my finished HD film at a lower resolution for putting on the internet?

[Olf]

MitchT said:

I think I'll push towards a HD camcorder then. My current digfital camera will just about stretch to doing YouTube quality clips which I could edit together and dub music onto, so if I'm going to spend some money it would make more sense to buy something that's leagues ahead of what I currently have and is reasonably 'future proof'.

A few more questions...
Can anyone give me examples of specific HD Digital Camcorders for £500ish that are worth buying?
How is the film stored in these cameras? Do they use tapes or hard/flash drives?
Will veideo-editing software like iMove enable me to export my finished HD film at a lower resolution for putting on the internet?

Okay, you've hit me at the right time. After being bitten with my previous purchase which was a direct to DVD camcorder (uneditable ) I've upgraded (waiting for delivery) of a Canon HV20 which is £540 to 60 ish and is a HD 1080i camera capable of 25fps. Storage is to miniDV which I reckon is better for archiving, I couldn't quite face a Hard Disc Drive camera as I've had plenty of experience of HDD's dying and the DVD experience is well learnt now.

It's fully mac-tastic, compatible with iMovie and FinalCut Express.

iMovie will downscale to any format you want. Use the export screen and choose away for different quality/purpose, everything from HD to DVD to web to podcast is covered.

Here is the gen:

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cam...

3 versions - DVD/MiniDV/HDD.

[RVVUNM]

I have been using an HD JVC camcorder for nearly a year now and have only just mastered the editing. My camcorder is very good but my mates Sony is better.Also,if you go for HD, make sure you buy a decent editing suite ie Sony Vegas platinum edition(£45). Trust me its very frustrating to start with, but when it all comes together its worth it.

[MitchT]

Thanks Olf - Looks like it could be exactly what I want! I think I'll research that one further. I'm not in a rush to puchase at the moment so I might hang-on and see what comments you have to make about yours when you've got started with it. Cheers!

[Olf]

I can only urge you not to go near Sony. Contrary to the guys advice above Sony and Mac are unhappy bed mates. Check out the apple store, they only sell canon stuff.

[MitchT]

I have to say I have only ever had good experiences with Canon stuff where Macs are concerned. The only printer that I have ever had work consistently and reliably with a Mac was a Canon one. I probably will buy this Camcorder but the first project that I will use it for is not ready for the visual aspect to be worked on yet, and won't be for some time, so I might as well do some more research on the unit and buy one when I'm ready rather than rush out and buy one tomorrow and have it still sat in an unopened box two months from now!