Camcorder for a numpty
Discussion
Hi, I know,another "What Camcorder" post, but I hav been through the "Search Posts" route and am as confused as before. I am looking for a basic camcorder that will do family/holiday/general type work that is simple and easy to use, won't be out of date in 6 months and to be honest, I haven't the first idea about what I need or want regarding spec. Do I go DVD or what ever came before it, direct to TV, can I edit on the camera or do I need to go to a PC first etc etc. What would you guys recommend? Sorry but I can't help being behind the times...only just gone digital from 35mm in the last few months.
For a beginner I recommend:
Sony DCR-HC36 (New. It will be out soon.)
Why?
1. Nice and small:
2. Uses MiniDV tapes (everyone says that they don't want to edit their movies until they see the first DVD full of cack that they take. Trust me. You'll want to edit.)
3. Nice price point (about $400US)
===
For editing - if you have Windows XP and a firewire connection, start of with learning with Windows Movie Maker. Use Nero or Sonic to burn your finished masterpieces. When you are ready to move on, try Adobe Premier Elements, Sony Vegas Movie Studio plus DVD, or Pinnacle Studio. All about the same price point ($100US) and all feature built in DVD burning.
When you are ready to jump to Premier Pro, you will also be ready for a new camcorder. Small tip, however - NEVER sell your old camcorders. There is nothing like the feeling of cobbling together a home movie with a multicamera video mix. I'm working on our Christmas video right now and I have three cameras shooting concurrent video and the editing process, while challenging, is quite rewarding...
Hope this helps
ErnestM
>> Edited by ErnestM on Monday 16th January 02:40
Sony DCR-HC36 (New. It will be out soon.)
Why?
1. Nice and small:
2. Uses MiniDV tapes (everyone says that they don't want to edit their movies until they see the first DVD full of cack that they take. Trust me. You'll want to edit.)
3. Nice price point (about $400US)
===
For editing - if you have Windows XP and a firewire connection, start of with learning with Windows Movie Maker. Use Nero or Sonic to burn your finished masterpieces. When you are ready to move on, try Adobe Premier Elements, Sony Vegas Movie Studio plus DVD, or Pinnacle Studio. All about the same price point ($100US) and all feature built in DVD burning.
When you are ready to jump to Premier Pro, you will also be ready for a new camcorder. Small tip, however - NEVER sell your old camcorders. There is nothing like the feeling of cobbling together a home movie with a multicamera video mix. I'm working on our Christmas video right now and I have three cameras shooting concurrent video and the editing process, while challenging, is quite rewarding...
Hope this helps
ErnestM
>> Edited by ErnestM on Monday 16th January 02:40
Can't find the "36" listed for sale, anywhere.
Steve, in a previous thread you recommend the "42". Been looking at that one, on the internet, and it gets good reviews elsewhere. What would that normally come with and what will I need to get the photos down from camera to PC to TV. Do I need the memory sticks and the other stuff the various retailers list or is that just extra stuff I won't use in the usual day to day use. Read about fire wires or something etc!?!
Said I knew nowt didn't I.
Thanks for the help
Tony H
Steve, in a previous thread you recommend the "42". Been looking at that one, on the internet, and it gets good reviews elsewhere. What would that normally come with and what will I need to get the photos down from camera to PC to TV. Do I need the memory sticks and the other stuff the various retailers list or is that just extra stuff I won't use in the usual day to day use. Read about fire wires or something etc!?!
Said I knew nowt didn't I.
Thanks for the help
Tony H
The 42 is good, but the new 36 might be a little better (and IIRC will be a little less expensive) for the newbie.*
In a nutshell:
1. Memory sticks should be used for still photos only with the camcorder. They are notoriously poor quality. The USB connection on the camera is strictly for getting items off the memory stick.
2. To get the stream (playback) off of the tape, you will need IEEE1394 (firewire). You CANNOT stream your tape movie through USB.
3, You will need capture software as well. That's where Windows Movie Maker comes in. I'd disregard any "free" software that comes with the camera.
You will want to capture in full AVI (BIG HUGE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS - I would recommend a 400GB drive JUST FOR CAPTURING AND SAVING FOOTAGE) in order to pull in the videos for quality editing.
Hope This Helps
ErnestM
*-I also read the review of the 36 just prior to your question...
In a nutshell:
1. Memory sticks should be used for still photos only with the camcorder. They are notoriously poor quality. The USB connection on the camera is strictly for getting items off the memory stick.
2. To get the stream (playback) off of the tape, you will need IEEE1394 (firewire). You CANNOT stream your tape movie through USB.
3, You will need capture software as well. That's where Windows Movie Maker comes in. I'd disregard any "free" software that comes with the camera.
You will want to capture in full AVI (BIG HUGE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS - I would recommend a 400GB drive JUST FOR CAPTURING AND SAVING FOOTAGE) in order to pull in the videos for quality editing.
Hope This Helps
ErnestM
*-I also read the review of the 36 just prior to your question...
GarryM said:
This thread has been very useful for me too. Thanks. How many GB would be needed for downloading a 45min miniDV tape?
Just doing the christmas videos so I have some frame of reference here:
I have a full (60 minute) DV-AVI from one tape and it is 13.5GB
I have another tape of only 39 minutes and it is 8.5GB
So, 45 minutes is probably somewhere in between.
ErnestM
GarryM said:
This thread has been very useful for me too. Thanks. How many GB would be needed for downloading a 45min miniDV tape?
AVI works out roughly 1 gb for 4 mins - so: about 10- 12 gb per tape.
edited to add... Ernest beat me to it again
>> Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 17th January 12:57
As an additional bit of advice as a fellow Camcorder newbie - do be very sure that your PC is up to the job and not go for the "oh I'm sure it'll be OK" as I did.
I've had to have extra memory and a new graphics card and the software (Studio 10)still runs badly on the machine as the processor is too slow!! So I've now got to have a new processor as well!!
I've had to have extra memory and a new graphics card and the software (Studio 10)still runs badly on the machine as the processor is too slow!! So I've now got to have a new processor as well!!
Recommended System for VEWF (Video Editing Without Frustration):
Intel (or AMD) Dual Core CPU (Pentium D 840 is perfect)
1066mhz FSB
2GB RAM
2 SATA II hard drives (300mps) in RAID 0 for capture (500GB or better)
1 SATA II system drive
About a terrabyte of external drives for a "holding bin" (either USB 2 or SATAlink - latter preferred)
PCI-E x16 graphics card (NVIDIA GForce 6800 Ultra as a reference)
IEEE1394 FireWire For Capture
Available USB port (just so that you can not read the manual and then post on PH with a query of why your video isn't getting into your system from the USB
)
Oh, and 1 state of the art DVD burner. Pioneer make some really good ones. Internal seems to work better. Be sure and get one with DL and ability to use all media. If you plan to make multiple copies of your DVD master piece, get a second DVD-ROM as it is easier (and a lot faster) to make one master DVD and then use DVD copy software to burn additional copies.
That should do it...
ErnestM
PS: We will save discussion on the merits of good DVD media and why you should NEVER USE LABELS ON DVDs BUT GET THE PRINTABLE MEDIA for another discussion
Intel (or AMD) Dual Core CPU (Pentium D 840 is perfect)
1066mhz FSB
2GB RAM
2 SATA II hard drives (300mps) in RAID 0 for capture (500GB or better)
1 SATA II system drive
About a terrabyte of external drives for a "holding bin" (either USB 2 or SATAlink - latter preferred)
PCI-E x16 graphics card (NVIDIA GForce 6800 Ultra as a reference)
IEEE1394 FireWire For Capture
Available USB port (just so that you can not read the manual and then post on PH with a query of why your video isn't getting into your system from the USB
) Oh, and 1 state of the art DVD burner. Pioneer make some really good ones. Internal seems to work better. Be sure and get one with DL and ability to use all media. If you plan to make multiple copies of your DVD master piece, get a second DVD-ROM as it is easier (and a lot faster) to make one master DVD and then use DVD copy software to burn additional copies.
That should do it...
ErnestM
PS: We will save discussion on the merits of good DVD media and why you should NEVER USE LABELS ON DVDs BUT GET THE PRINTABLE MEDIA for another discussion
ErnestM said:
Intel (or AMD) Dual Core CPU (Pentium D 840 is perfect)
1066mhz FSB
2GB RAM
2 SATA II hard drives (300mps) in RAID 0 for capture (500GB or better)
1 SATA II system drive
About a terrabyte of external drives for a "holding bin" (either USB 2 or SATAlink - latter preferred)
PCI-E x16 graphics card (NVIDIA GForce 6800 Ultra as a reference)
IEEE1394 FireWire For Capture
Available USB port (just so that you can not read the manual and then post on PH with a query of why your video isn't getting into your system from the USB
About £30 - by the checkout in Tescos.
ErnestM said:
Recommended System for VEWF (Video Editing Without Frustration):
Intel (or AMD) Dual Core CPU (Pentium D 840 is perfect)
1066mhz FSB
2GB RAM
2 SATA II hard drives (300mps) in RAID 0 for capture (500GB or better)
1 SATA II system drive
About a terrabyte of external drives for a "holding bin" (either USB 2 or SATAlink - latter preferred)
PCI-E x16 graphics card (NVIDIA GForce 6800 Ultra as a reference)
IEEE1394 FireWire For Capture
Available USB port (just so that you can not read the manual and then post on PH with a query of why your video isn't getting into your system from the USB
Oh, and 1 state of the art DVD burner. Pioneer make some really good ones. Internal seems to work better. Be sure and get one with DL and ability to use all media. If you plan to make multiple copies of your DVD master piece, get a second DVD-ROM as it is easier (and a lot faster) to make one master DVD and then use DVD copy software to burn additional copies.
That should do it...
ErnestM
Gulp!
Whats this ad by the side of this thread for a video editor. Any good?
That's the Pinnacle Studio software. Not bad. It's the next step after learning the basics through Windows Movie Maker, etc:
Beginner - Windows Movie Maker
Casual/intermediate - Pinnacle, etc
Enthusiast - Premier Pro (recommended), Sony Vegas (full version), Avid Liquid, etc.
ErnestM
Beginner - Windows Movie Maker
Casual/intermediate - Pinnacle, etc
Enthusiast - Premier Pro (recommended), Sony Vegas (full version), Avid Liquid, etc.
ErnestM
skyedriver said:
About £30 - by the checkout in Tescos.
???
Sorry Tony - my point was that this is NOT the sort of computer one picks up from somewhere like PC world or Tescos (Even the huge Tescos in Inverness
). To do video editing one is best off with the fastest computer one can get and LOTS of both ram and disk space. You CAN do it on slow computers, but they really stress. I remember'rendering' (don't ask) a large video about 10 years ago, and the computer tried for about 5 hours then crashed. If your computer is three of four years old, you may still find it suffers under the strain of large files and streaming video. Similarly, the cheap compuers one picks up on the high street may look like a bargain, but as with all things in life it's the weakest link that will cause the problems.... either the lack of ram, the clock speed or the space left on your hard disk etc.
Steve
oh bu66er it.
I'll take a load of stills, stack them on top of each other and flick through them quickly....
actually, think i'll keep looking for that Sony "36" and take it from there. It's just the wee bairn is growing up so fast, we wanted a bit of footage of him as a babe in arms, pulling funny faces etc.
Cheers for all the help, will keep looking for the 36, no doubt it will be out shortly and if my computer is a bit slow well i'll get it upgraded.
I'll take a load of stills, stack them on top of each other and flick through them quickly....
actually, think i'll keep looking for that Sony "36" and take it from there. It's just the wee bairn is growing up so fast, we wanted a bit of footage of him as a babe in arms, pulling funny faces etc.
Cheers for all the help, will keep looking for the 36, no doubt it will be out shortly and if my computer is a bit slow well i'll get it upgraded.
Sony also make some special "baby footage" miniDV tapes. They are powder yellow, pink and blue in colour. If you can't find them, let me know. I might be able to pick up a few here for you...
ErnestM
PS: Of course, by the time the mail gets from the US to you, the bairn will be first year in University...
ErnestM
PS: Of course, by the time the mail gets from the US to you, the bairn will be first year in University...
Looks like it may be called the DCR HC35e in the UK:
click here
...and if so, it is available now I believe.
ErnestM
click here
...and if so, it is available now I believe.
ErnestM
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