fahhkinahh
I'm looking for a compact camcorder (nothing larger than a MiniDV camcorder) that records really good high definition video, even in situations where there is very low light. I'm not looking for something that can actually see stars in the sky (although that would be great) but I'm looking for something that offers the clearest picture.
Sound is also a major issue here. I was thinking about getting the Zoom Q3HD and using just that, but I was also thinking that maybe I'd be better off with using a much better camcorder and connecting the Zoom to the line-in port of the other camcorder (if possible) that way I have the perfect mix of great picture quality and great sound quality.
What do you think my best approach is? I'm looking for something that would be good with recording during concerts and situations where the volume can be very loud. Most cameras distort horribly. Do you think the Zoom Q3HD would be sufficient even for low-light situations? I think the majority of video quality is dedicated mostly to the audio and not so much the video, although 1080p is really good.
Answer
The "best camcorder" for good low light video capture is one with LARGE lenses and LARGE imaging chip system. There is no pocket cam or consumer cam that has these.
The large lenses let light in to get to the imaging chip, the imaging chip processes and digitizes the image. 60mm lens filter diameter and 1/4" 3CCD (or 3CMOS) imaging chip system would be minimums. The Sony HDR-FX7 meets these criteria, but will not do well in darkness (as opposed to "very low light"). The HDR-FX1000 will do better.
The lens diameter on the Zoom Q3HD is smaller than 30mm and the single imaging chip is smaller than 1/6". It is designed to do well with audio (manual audio gain control) - and video capture capability is a convenience feature for decent lighting conditions. Since you are looking for good concert capture, your approach on the audio is good - but generally, stage lighting is good so low-light behavior of the camcorder is not so important... in which case the Q3HD should be fine.
The "best camcorder" for good low light video capture is one with LARGE lenses and LARGE imaging chip system. There is no pocket cam or consumer cam that has these.
The large lenses let light in to get to the imaging chip, the imaging chip processes and digitizes the image. 60mm lens filter diameter and 1/4" 3CCD (or 3CMOS) imaging chip system would be minimums. The Sony HDR-FX7 meets these criteria, but will not do well in darkness (as opposed to "very low light"). The HDR-FX1000 will do better.
The lens diameter on the Zoom Q3HD is smaller than 30mm and the single imaging chip is smaller than 1/6". It is designed to do well with audio (manual audio gain control) - and video capture capability is a convenience feature for decent lighting conditions. Since you are looking for good concert capture, your approach on the audio is good - but generally, stage lighting is good so low-light behavior of the camcorder is not so important... in which case the Q3HD should be fine.
What is a cheap way to get a low light camcorder?
joe h
I am a college student and i dont have a lot of money. My friends and i like to go out at night and i want to record some of our adventures. The quality doesnt have to be super. I have a fair experience with electronics so hacking a camcorder is not such a big deal. but i would rather buy
Answer
Camcorders have hardware chips built into the board of the unit that enables them to have a variety of features, including low light sensitivity. It is not cost effective to replace the chips that are built into the board, and not possible without reverse engineering the board itself.
You may look at the LUX rating of a camcorder, whether you have control over the F-Stop of the lens, Gain settings and/or shutter settings - all of which adjust how much light is let through the lens.
I shot some stuff on a Sony VX2000 a few years back - pretty good low light capabilities. The Canon XL2 wasn't as good for low light as it had a slower lens. The Panasonic DVX100 has a good low end.
When you shoot low light, make your shutter speed as open as possible (1/24, 1/40, etc), make your F-stop open as much as possible (1.8, 2, etc), and crank your Gain settings up all the way. If the camera doesn't label the above settings chances are there's comperable settings to get you what you want. Just open up everything all the way.
I just bought the Sony HC-1 and it has terrific low light capabilities - even a night vision mode that works at close range!
I'd hit up craigslist for someone with an old DV camcorder. Make sure you test it and make sure it'll give you the low light quality you want.
Camcorders have hardware chips built into the board of the unit that enables them to have a variety of features, including low light sensitivity. It is not cost effective to replace the chips that are built into the board, and not possible without reverse engineering the board itself.
You may look at the LUX rating of a camcorder, whether you have control over the F-Stop of the lens, Gain settings and/or shutter settings - all of which adjust how much light is let through the lens.
I shot some stuff on a Sony VX2000 a few years back - pretty good low light capabilities. The Canon XL2 wasn't as good for low light as it had a slower lens. The Panasonic DVX100 has a good low end.
When you shoot low light, make your shutter speed as open as possible (1/24, 1/40, etc), make your F-stop open as much as possible (1.8, 2, etc), and crank your Gain settings up all the way. If the camera doesn't label the above settings chances are there's comperable settings to get you what you want. Just open up everything all the way.
I just bought the Sony HC-1 and it has terrific low light capabilities - even a night vision mode that works at close range!
I'd hit up craigslist for someone with an old DV camcorder. Make sure you test it and make sure it'll give you the low light quality you want.
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