Top HD Camcorders under $500?

OutPut87

What are the top 2011 HD camcorders under $500?

Answer
The top HD camcorders for under $500 are all JUNK. It would take you in excess of $3500 to get a HD camcorder that could even compete withe video Quality of a $300 MiniDV tape camcorder.

consumer level HD camcorders have 3 issues. 1) Fuzzy, blurry, out of focus areas around people in the HD video. 2) Any movement in front of a recording HD camcorder shows up in the finished video with screen ghosts and artifacts following the movement, ruining the video. 3) Lack of record times. 1 hour, go home, no way to change storage or continue shooting. Some offer a whole whopping 30 minutes. What, record 1/3 of the event then put the camcorder away or leave.

You can get the Canon ZR960 for $250 or the ZR930 for about $300. Both of these camcorders are MiniDV tape based. Both camcorders have a Mic jack. Both of these camcorder can take better quality video and audio than any sub $3000 camcorder.

Best HD camcorder from $4-500?

BW

I'm looking for a new camcorder to shoot some of my product videos. I've been using a 5 year old handicam from Sony and it just isn't up to par on video quality. I've got a pair of hd flips for the close up ground level shots, but need something nicer for the overal vids. My camera is used mostly for my products, not really for shooting people. It'll also be used during the day outdoors. I'm trying to find the camera that best fits what I'll be using it for...without breaking the bank. Examples of my current and older vids can be found on YouTube username billet works.

Answer
Getting a HD camcorder is taking a step backward in Video Quality. HD camcorders Interpolate the video, which means of every 25 frames of video, 4 or 5 frames are taken by the lens assembly, the other frames in between these are filled in by the camcorder inner circuitry, thus giving you not true video. MiniDV tape camcorders give every frame of every shot and usually cost less.

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm

Consumer level HD camcorders have 4 problems. 1) Blurry, fuzzy, out of focus areas closely around people in videos taken by consumer level HD camcorders. 2) Any movement, even a wave or lifting an arm, while in front of a recording consumer level HD camcorder, results in screen ghosts and artifacts being left on the video track, following the movement. Makes for bad video, sports videos are unwatchable. 3) These Consumer level HD camcorders all have a habit of the transferred to computer files are something you need to convert, thus losing your HD quality, to work with your editing software. 4) Mandatory maximum record times - 1 hour, 30 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes â four different times advertised as maximum record time for some consumer level HD camcorders. No event I have ever been to is that short. Either take multiple camcorders or pack up with out getting the end of the event on video.

MiniDV is currently the most popular format for consumer digital camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are typically more affordable than their HDD and DVD counterparts. Each MiniDV tape will typically hold an hour of footage at normal recording speed and quality. MiniDV tapes are available for purchase at not only electronic and camera stores, but also at drugs stores and grocery stores, making them easy to find while your on vacation. There are literally hundreds of MiniDV camcorders available; both in standard and high-definition.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/camcorders/consumer_camcorders/zr960

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What is the best 3CCD Camcorder for Real Estate Video Tours?

Brett

Looking to purchase a 3ccd Camcorder. The camera would be used to film real estate video tours. I was a photojournalist for the news for about 10 years, so I know how to bring a bit of creativity when shooting. The technology in video cameras has evolved so much in recent years. I would not need mic inputs as this will only be used for video. 3CCD is a must. I will be mostly shooting in standard def at least to start, but experiment in high def and see how it goes. Most 3CCD camera are high def capable which is great. Video will be uploaded to video sharing sites as well as my website. I am thinking top of the line consumer camcorders should do the trick 500-1000 bucks maybe a bit higher. Needs to be good in artificial light.

Here are a couple a looked at
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-HDC-SX5-Definition-Camcorder-Stabilized/dp/B000TVSX0E/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1316800984&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/JVC-Definition-Camcorder-Optical-Stabilized/dp/B000TRBD3M/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1316795460&sr=8-20

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=3ccd+Camcorder&hl=en&cid=18434695480075298403&os=reviews&ei=Qc18TvKGA6T0xQXn2aSvBQ&ved=0CAcQ9AI


Opinions Suggestions? I love the yahoo answers community. You guys rock!

Answer
they are all good , the Panasonic HDC-SD5 Camcorder is the best one to work with .. but my opinion would be for you to spend a bit more and get a canon t2i or t3i rebel , and use the video from this , they have far superior depth of field , and quality , and being an ex photojourno you have all the skills to make it all look nice , even operate manually .. if it were me I would do that , additionally a quality dslr doesn't go astray for your real estate house photo advertising either

What's a really good camcorder for recording YouTube videos?

One that has HD, and zooms in and out. I'm sorry I really don't know much about camcorders :)

Answer
Sony DCR-VX2100 3CCD MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom is just the right size when it comes to handheld filming. Most of the weight of the camera is towards the front, but is perfectly balanced from the top handle. The camera is also not too long, allowing you to get closer to the subject when using a fisheye and allowing you to manipulate the camera in tight quarters.

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Calling all Top Contributors, need ur camcorder opinion (recommendation)...?

Kilroy Was

I've been reading reviews on camcorders and I've filtered my selection to these three: Sony HDR-SR12, Sony HDR-HC9 and Canon HV30.

Which of these 3 would you recommend, plus ur review that would give me all these qualities:
1. very good video quality;
2. good picture even on low lighting;
3. easy to operate (specially on downloading and editing for movie making) for beginners like me.

I've got only a month to decide so really need ur replies. Thanks in advance.

Answer
HV30: Uses MiniDV tape; imports DV or HDV using Firewire (IEEE1394a, i.Link - all the same thing). Tape IS the archive (do not reuse tapes). Can do 24p. Has mic-in jack and full manual audio control.

HC9: Uses MiniDV tape; imports DV or HDV using Firewire (IEEE1394a, i.Link - all the same thing). Tape IS the archive (do not reuse tapes). Has "Smooth slow record" slow motion feature and can do zero light with built-in infrared emitter, but reciorded video is monochromatic (green/white). Has mic-in jack and full manual audio control.

SR12: In it's current implementation, I wouldn't touch anything that uses AVCHD for video compression at the point of video capture. It compresses too much and not all video editors can handle all camcorder manufacturer's AVCHD implementations. Please do not confuse "ease" with speed. Downloading video from a hard drive (or flash memory) based camcorder might be faster than importing from miniDV tape, but that does not make it easier. If you follow all the steps, the first thing you do after downloading the video to your computer is copy the files to an external drive or to optical disc. All that "saved" time, just went int making your archive/backup. In the miniDV tape world, the tape you shot is the archive backup. Then, when the project is complete, with a miniDV tape based camcorder, export the project back to the camcorder. Want to watch in high-def? connect the high-def camcorder and use it as a deck - can't do that with a hard drive (or flash memory) based camcorder.

There's lots more reasons, but take the hint from the pros:
http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBusiness/markets/10014/hdv.shtml?&navid=hdv_products
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=172
http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/cat_camcorders.asp
http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/category.jsp?productId=PRO1.1

No internal hard drives using AVCHD (with the exception iof a single incorrectly categorized Panasonic)... The pros use external hard drives like those from Firestore
http://firestore.com/solutions/catalog.asp?id=3
which save video in DV and HDV format... just like miniDV tape.

You might not be a pro, but miniDV tape has been around for a couple of years and it works, is stable, affordable and the video editing applications that say they handle HDV can handle it from any camcorder.

You may need to add a firewire 400 port to your computer - Apple Macintosh computers have had them for many years. Using the DV port on the camcorder, connect to the Firewire 400 port on the computer with a firewire (IEEE1394, i.Link) cable. Launch the video editing application. The camcorder needs to be in "Play/Edit" mode. Import or capture.

Top 5-10 digital camcorders???

camel2575

I'm having a difficult time looking for this, so if you can find one that is good and not really expensive (at least $150), you get the best answer!

Answer
Greetings,

The best camcorder for the cheapest price in the world is the Canon ZR-900. It's running about $215 USD. It even includes a Mic input! (Mini DV, standard def.)

The best consumer camcorder in general, I believe would be the HV30 (or HV20, slightly older). (Mini DV, High Def, true mpeg2 recording.) It's running around $800.

Also, worth looking at also would be the Sanyo Xacti HD1000. This interesting tiny camcorder is HD in the H.264 format (AVCHD) and records to a SD card! The price is around $680.

There are tons of other camcorders. There really is not one answer to your question - that is why you asked about the top five or ten. These are my top three.

My favorite professional camcorder right now is the Sony HVR-Z7U. It costs big bucks but if money was no object... See the review link.

Hope that helps...

Jeff
Seattle, WA

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Camcorders?

Lindsay

With a camcorder, would I be able to record videos and than download them onto the internet?

Answer
The short answer is, yes.

The ease of this depends on what kind of camcorder you have. Analog formats such as VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, and Hi8 require extra equipment to convert the video to a digital format.

Digital formats such as MiniDV, Digital-8, DVD, and hard drives are easier. DVD and hard drives use video formats that are not as widely compatible with editing programs, and the video uses a different compression standard to make the files smaller, therefore sacrificing some quality. MiniDV is the highest-quality format of those I listed above.

In most cases with digital camcorders, be aware that your computer will need a Firewire (IEEE 1394) port to connect to the camcorder. USB does not necessarily work; in fact, in many cases, it just doesn't. So, if you have a Firewire port (4-pin OR 6-pin), you're fine. If not, you'll likely have to purchase and install a Firewire card on your computer, which isn't a very expensive venture these days anyway. Still, make sure you have the hardware to match up with your camcorder.

My recommendation if you like to edit is to go with MiniDV; it might take a little longer to get it onto your computer, and the file sizes may be bigger, and you need a Firewire port, but the quality is very good, it's compatible with just about every editing program out there, and tape is cheap and small.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

Camcorders???

Q. I have wanted to buy a new camcorder for a while now, but just recently started to actually shop around for one. I have been thinking about the sony handycam dcr sr42, but the reviews i read about it are not very promising. I do not know very much about cameras in general, so I was hoping someone could suggest a good camcorder that they have used before and really liked. I'll probably only use mine for stuff like home movies (vacations, recitals, etc.). I would like it to be a good size (not very large, easy to carry around) and take high quality footage that ca nbe easily transferred to a PC to be edited. I would also like to know which you think is more conveniant and easy to work with: tape, dvd, or hard drive based?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Answer
Hello! Nice to share my hobby with you.

I have evolve from using camera starting from Hi-8, Digital 8, MiniDV, DVD and now Hard Disc base and of more than 8 years using various model and brand.

SONY cameras and CANON are most my preferred brand. Most cameras have pro and cons. But I assume that you are just a hobbyist and not taking picture professionally. You will learn to adapt and familiarized and learn to master the camcorder.

Go for 3 CCD cameras or the CMOS camera. Donât even consider single CCD.

Go for High Definition Camcorder.

As for media, consider seriously Hard Disc Base camera. I have unpleasant experience using Tape and DVD. DVD base camera has a short recording time (about 20 Minutes per DVD). Hard Disc will have longer recording time and generally the hard disc camcorder is smaller in size.

As for Ease of editing, hard disc base Camcorder is the easiest. DVD second. Tape a bit of a hassle.

Only problem travelling with Hard Disc base Camcorder is that you need to have access to a PC on your journey as you need to download and save the clips captured on your camcorder hard disc to a PC or external hard storage before your hard disc space ran out.

As for my suggestion, get these accessories too. They are essential to you.
1. Additional Spare batteries
2. Desktop charger.
3. Good Carrying bag
4. Good Tripod
5. Lighting Accessories

Best Regards.

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Best High Definition 3D Camcorder under $700?

Marcelle J

I have now a nice HDTV 3D so I am looking for a great 3D video camera.
My budget is under $800 so I am looking for something cheap but decent. Thanks

Answer
I got for my daughter last week the new Panasonic HDC-SDT750K, High Definition 3D Camcorder. I got it at $734 which is about 47% discount(Original value :$1350). She is extremely pleased with it and the features of this camcorder are awesome. However be prepared for the learning curve! It is a professional equipment!!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XREDVE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=howtofigimp-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399353&creativeASIN=B003XREDVE

Panasonic sdt750 3D premier pro editing?

Q. Panasonic sdt750 3D premier pro editing?

I imported into premier pro but instead of 3D it is just showing up as two different screens im confuse what do i do this i for a school assignment!!! Any help is hugely appreciated!!!

Answer
Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D Camcorder
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/HDC-SDT750/Overview/5471597/index.html
Manuals , pdf viewer app,
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/HDC-SDT750/Manuals/5471673/index.html?trackInfo=true
check manual and software that comes with camera, instead of online.

Adobe Premier Pro
http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html

there are two perspective views from using 3D lens, you then have to decide what type of 3d visual you wanted, or recorded for, anaglyph, stereoscopic, or mesh as normal none 3d,


http://www.dvc.uk.com/acatalog/THE_DVC_GUIDE_TO_STEREOSCOPIC_EDITING.html
http://aefreemart.com/2010/07/28/new-video-tutorials-adobe-premiere-pro-3d-stereoscopic-realtime-editing-part-1-of-7-%E2%80%93-dave-helmly-adobe-premiere-pro-3d-stereoscopic-realtime-editing-part-2-of-7-%E2%80%93-dave-helmly-ado/

http://www.iorgsoft.com/article/avchd/panasonic-hdc-sdt750-avchd-3d-converter-mac/
http://forum.kernelnewbies.org/read.php?10,63811
..

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what camcorder should i use to film high school football?

Christian

hello my mom is going to film my high school football games next year and we are trying 2 decide on a camcorder to buy the field we have is full of light so thats not problem but yeah i dont know what to buy so could you just tell me a few types and ill yeah look em up also if possible state the prices

Answer
Camcorder's that use a lot of compression are generally bad for recording sports, so your only real option is to get a MiniDV camcorder. But why are your games being videoed? If it's just for fun you can get any consumer level camcorder - Sony, Canon, JVC and Panasonic all make good ones. If it's for coaching purposes you'll need to give it more thought.

A good quality camcorder?

Somethinge

I want to make movies/ films with my friends. I need a nice clear camera,and one that is good with lighting. My budget is no more than $200. So a nice quality camcorder for shooting short films. HD. maybe. Also I need help working with a camera, so the lighting is good.
Thank you

Answer
Getting a HD camcorder is taking a step backward in Video Quality. HD camcorders Interpolate the video, which means of every 25 frames of video, 4 or 5 frames are taken by the lens assembly, the other frames in between these are filled in by the camcorder inner circuitry, thus giving you not true video. MiniDV tape camcorders give every frame of every shot and usually cost less.

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm

Consumer level HD camcorders have 4 problems. 1) Blurry, fuzzy, out of focus areas closely around people in videos taken by consumer level HD camcorders. 2) Any movement, even a wave or lifting an arm, while in front of a recording consumer level HD camcorder, results in screen ghosts and artifacts being left on the video track, following the movement. Makes for bad video, sports videos are unwatchable. 3) These Consumer level HD camcorders all have a habit of the transferred to computer files are something you need to convert, thus losing your HD quality, to work with your editing software. 4) Mandatory maximum record times - 1 hour, 30 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes â four different times advertised as maximum record time for some consumer level HD camcorders. No event I have ever been to is that short. Either take multiple camcorders or pack up with out getting the end of the event on video.

MiniDV is currently the most popular format for consumer digital camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are typically more affordable than their HDD and DVD counterparts. Each MiniDV tape will typically hold an hour of footage at normal recording speed and quality. MiniDV tapes are available for purchase at not only electronic and camera stores, but also at drugs stores and grocery stores, making them easy to find while your on vacation. There are literally hundreds of MiniDV camcorders available; both in standard and high-definition.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/camcorders/consumer_camcorders/zr960

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What do you think of this camcorder?

Zoey

is this an overall good camcorder:
http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Dr.-Tech-5MP-2.4-inch-Red-Digital-Camcorder/5258394/product.html
I need a nicer one. So tell me what you think

Answer
It is a no-name piece of crap. Whether or not it uses MiniDV tape (only one current consumer camera still does by the way) or not isn't the issue at all. Stick with quality name brands. Canon, Panasonic, JVC, Samsung, Sanyo and Sony come to mind. I can't think of any camcorder under $150 that quite frankly isn't a waste of money.
I got this for $119 a few weeks ago. Good luck still finding it.
http://www.samsung.com/us/photography/camcorders/SMX-F40SN/XAA
Right now you see the models that were introduced in 2010 having their prices slashed. New models often pop up after the Consumer Electronics Show of late January-early February. That's when the 2011 models were shown. Most hit the shelves 4-6 weeks later. 2010 models at bargain basement prices were common a week or so ago, but now pickings are slim. Good luck.

is a GE camera a good brand?

Katie Gree

Answer
These are the brands I would trust and recommend: Canon, JVC, Panasonic, Samsung, Sanyo and Sony. There are many low end junky cameras on the market. If the specs look too good to be true, there's probably something wrong. For example, there is no such thing as an HD camcorder for less than $200 worth buying. In fact, even under $250 is going to be marginal at best.
The accessories you buy are just as important. Tripod, lighting, microphone, etc are something you don't want to overlook. You will be hard pressed to find a camcorder for less than $500 with the ability to take an external microphone. At some point, even if you are only a little serious, you will regret not having a microphone jack. Take this advice, I have a nice Samsung HMX-H200 camcorder that is now discontinued. I paid $250 for it. A month ago It was down to $220. When it first came to market in 2010, it was around $300. What you look at today will be cheaper tomorrow. In a short period, it will be replaced. The replacement will cost more. It may or may not do more or do it better.
By the way, I REALLY regret not having an external microphone for this camera, other than that, I'm OK with it.
Whatever brand/model you are interested in, chances are good somebody on YouTube has uploaded sample, review or test video from it.

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good but relatively cheap brands of camcorders?

Emma K

i'm looking for a nice camcorder that's under or around $150 but will last a long time. and also i would prefer it to be something on the smaller side so that i can carry around with me everywhere.
thanks! :)

Answer
Hey Emma,

A pocket camcorder will work for you. If you can add a little more to your budget, check out the Kodak Zi8 and the Vado HD which are at the top of many reviews. There are also the Sony Bloggie and Sony Webbbie, as well as the Flips by Pure Digital.

Mandy

Does The Vivitar 805HD video camcorder have changeable AV settings?

Samantha

hey girls and dudes, I was wondering if anyone knew if the Vivitar 805HD video camcorder have AV settings that can be changed? like instead of TV Out it can be changed to TV in? where it might possibly record off the TV. thanks for your time and help peoples!! no rude answers please!

Answer
Hi Samantha, and welcome to Y!A Camcorders:

The short answer is "no". Even though Vivitar gave their pocket camcorder the oddly-misleading name of "Digital Video Recorder" (which is what set-top video recorders are also called) instead of "camcorder", it does not have any video-in or AV-in features.

Here's the full manual, with all the Video Capture-related menus on page 13: http://www.vivitar.com/files_products/625/DVR_805HD_Camera_Manual.pdf

Very few digital camcorders will work as "analog input VCRs", so don't feel too left-out.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

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Panasonic 3 CCD camcorder?

Dj Lab Rat

I'm lookin to buy a panasonic 3 ccd camcorder. can anyone recommend a good model. Preferably not priced very high. Also how would you rate the GS 500 vs. GS 400. And how would you rate the GS 180

Answer
I would recommend buying the PV-GS500, or PV-GS400, depending on what you plan to use it for.

Ratings-

PV-GS500: 7.5/10

PV-GS400: 8/10


I rated the 400 higher because it has more manual controls, and for me, that is really important. But if you don't plan on using manual controls as much, than the 500 would be better for you.

PV-GS400:

Pros: Excellent manual control for a consumer camcorder, 3CCD, great video, wireless remote, wired remote (with zoom button, mic, and record), Optical Image Stabilizer, pop up flash, 3'' LCD screen, Manual Focus/Zoom ring, top loading tape.

Cons- Low light filming, portability



PV-GS500:

Pros- Manual Zoom ring, flash, 3CCD, excellent video, true widescreen, Optical Image Stabilizer, top loading tape, wireless remote.

Cons: Small LCD screen for shooting 4:3, Low light filming, portability.



So here is where you make the decision. I would recommend the PV-GS400 if you what to have superior manual control and great video. But, i would recommend the PV-GS500 if you would rather have slightly better video quality. Also, the 400 is hard to find these days. You can get a 500 for as cheap as $449 online. The PV-GS400, however, is hard to find under $900. Either way, these camcorders are both fantastic and you would be happy with either of them.

P.S.

I would rate the PV-GS180: 6/10

Its video isn't as sharp as the previously discussed camcorders. It has no focus or zoom ring. However, it is a very good cam for its price.

How to get pro camcorder for cheap?

Zachary

Hello,
I am a 13 year old video enthusiast who dreams of one day becoming a director and want to try and buy a pro camcorder XH A1S for example. Problem is I don't have $4,000...is there a time of the year or a place to buy it cheaper. Thank you :)

Answer
The best way to get a great camcorder, cheap, is to look back a generation of cameras.

Yea, the XH is a great camera. You might be able to find a good one used for between $1000 and $2500. Myself, if I went this route I'd go the lower end, and then send it to Canon for a thorough cleaning and tune-up. Also, plan on nearly $100 for batteries and make sure you have the computer and software to deal with high quality video bitrates.

If this is still too high, consider standard def DV cameras like the GL or XL series. Both were top of the line for video quality and STILL GET A BETTER DATA RATE than any consumer HD camcorder. In fact, unless you have the ability to author Blu-ray disks, the XL and GLs will vastly surpass what you need to create a DVD.

GL and XLs are well under $1000 now. Many people got these for a single trip or event such as a wedding. As with the XH A1S, it would not be a bad idea to immediately send a camera off to Canon for cleaning and tuning. Even if nothing is wrong, simply using a different brand of MiniDv tapes than the previous owner can cause tape transport issues.

And keep in mind all these firewire cameras can fully avoid tapes with an external hard drive, or flash drive video recorder.

Fact of the matter, bluntly, is that if you can not create a good video with a GL, a better (newer) camera is not going to help.

Find a $500-$750 GL-2 and go nuts! Be smug in the fact you have a $2600 camera that remains a solid workhorse.

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