What camcorder would be good for beginners and short films?

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Nick Masev

I'm looking for a camcorder that would be a good starter kind of thing. I want to be a director when i grow up, so I just want a good camcorder to practice with. I need a camcorder that has good altitude and depth. I just want something that would look legit, not some crappy version that makes the video look like it was filmed in the 80's. Please help. The highest I can go with the price is $300. Thanks guys.

Answer
I have a Flip mini HD. The video quality is great, and the sound is above average I'd say.

This video I posted in the web source section was made with my Flip camcorder.

It was a school project. There were no extra mics or anything so everything you see and hear are from the camera.
I recommend the Flip, but I would only get the HD version. They might be cheaper than what you are looking for though. An 8gb Mini HD will only run you about $140

What camcorder takes the best video in the dark?

C

I am trying to find a camcorder to buy for ghost hunting which requires being in the dark... What camera is the best quality dark shot?

Answer
Hi C!
I think its cool you're ghost hunting. It's been a passion of mine for the past 2 years. I work in an old school building that some suspect is haunted. I have taken some interesting video footage there and submitted it to some ghost video sites.
To get back to your question, I use the JVC GZ-HD300A Everio 60GB Hard Drive Camcorder. I've used other inferior cameras which are fine in the daylight but this cam has the best twilight and night mode out there.
Believe me, I know how it feels to miss a chance at filming something amazing because I don't have the right camera. You can find this camcorder at http://offto.net/onsalecom/ for a very competitive price.
Just search "camcorders" and click "JVC"
I got it from their site after shopping around. They shipped it quick and reliably and their customer service is excellent.
Good luck, and drop me a line and let me know if you catch anything paranormal on film.

All the best, Jimmy

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Does anyone know if the Flip Video Ultra Series is a good camera?

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Kelly Bell

Also I want to know if the package comes with the USB cords.

Answer
Customer Review
5 out of 5 stars
105 of 125 people found the following review helpful:
Easy to use, lots of memory, and the video looks nice, November 16, 2007

(from me)
The camera comes with a usb port in the camera you can look at the video that is below at souce, just click the url and your there

(review)


The Flip Video Ultra Camcorder is extremely handy. I have other camcorders, that give me greater flexibility in terms of settings, but none is more convenient. I literally carry my Flip around with me now everywhere I go -- so I never have a situation where I want to film something and don't have my camcorder with me.

For outdoors shots, or indoor shots with decent light, the image quality is even comparable with what I get on a much more expensive camcorder -- especially if I only plan to show it on a television or the web. Even the sound is pretty good.

This quick video review was made using the Flip Video Ultra Camcorder and the Web Cam that comes built in to my Mac Book Pro laptop, and then I edited the footage using iMovie. On my Mac I don't bother to use the built in software -- although there is built in software for Mac on the camcorder -- I just plug it in and the camcorder creates a hard drive icon on my desktop. I can import the MPEG-4 files that Flip Video Ultra creates directly on to my desktop or into a project on iMovie. It is as easy to use as a thumb drive: just flip it open and plug it in.

An ideal camcorder for:
1. Anyone. No purse should not have one of these, and it fits nicely in pockets.
2. Parents. No silly or stupid or endearing moment should go unrecorded.
3. Kids. This camera is so easy to use there is no excuse for your child not to aspire to Spielberg.
4. Amateur filmmakers. The way to learn to make movies is by making lots of them. No need to get bogged down in technical details with this one -- just learn to tell stories.
5. Writers and reporters. I bought a fairly expensive Olympus digital voice recorder for use in interviews a while back, and I can honestly say that this records voice at medium range better than that did. The price ($120) was almost the same. Record your thoughts, interview on the fly.
6. Documentary and independent filmmakers. With handy devices like this, you can be a guerrila filmmaker -- and go unnoticed by those who might shut down a more conspicuous shoot.
7. Did I say anybody? Enjoy!

How to pick a good memory card and camera?

Kat

So I think I'm going to buy either the Samsung SL30 or the Kodak EasyShare M1063,I still don't know which one to pick and I am so confused with all these types of memory cards that both can apparently take.
I just don't know the difference between a Multimedia Card,SD Memory Card,SD HC Memory Card and Multimedia CardPlus. I want to get something that can store a lot of photos and that could also hold some videos.
Any help?
Thank you!!!

Answer
Really it doesn't matter, truthfully SD cards are the most common next to CF (Compact Flash)

SD HC stands for HIGH capacity and i believe they are more than 2 gigs, but it might be the 4 or 8 gig range it changed over.

ANYHOW your camera will have a usb port and you won't ever pull out your card if its big enough to store all your photos.

I looked up your cameras and both use the same card. SD or SD HC

at 10 mega pixels on my NIKON d60 with the max settings (jpg format wise) i can have 1200 or more pictures on my 8gig card.

Don't waist money on a super fast memmory card, that is for the big daddy camera's and camcorders, just go for above the bottom of the barrel card. in numbers i'd go with 66x or so speed (i use around there and haven't had problems with my nikon d60 which shoots 3fps for ever) (speeds are from 33x to 66x to 80x to 133x to 200x) the only thing this will effect is how long it takes to load the pictures from your cam to your computer, and you won't care anyhow just set it to store and go get a snack for 3 mins, and come back

the kodak camera has 2 advantages in my view,
1. easyshare has a nice little docking station printer thing which is neat
2. the kodak has a 1fps burst mode(up to 3 pictures) which is faster than the Samsung which has no burst mode, this means you can rapid fire a couple pictures of your kids playing and will not miss the moment correctly

if those don't matter save money and get the samsung. (otherwise amazon a few review's and see if people hate either one consistently) thats how i judge what i want to buy


If you can afford it go with a Nikon d40. you will never look back. but they are 4-500 dollars. (they are in a class named "DSLR")
they are a tad bigger than point and shoots, but you will never regret buying one.

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How do I improve my sound quality for my drumming videos?

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Justin

I have a Polaroid Camcorder and the sound quality in my drumming videos is awful. How do
I improve my sound quality without purchasing a new camera? Is there anything I could put against my camera or anything that may help? Thanks!!!

Answer
maybe if you get the camera farther away it could help. i know it's not fun but playing quieter could help. maybe have the camera in a different room to record the audio

What would be the best Camcorder to film a webshow, That can upload to youtube?

Me and my friend have a webshow, We got this camcorder, but the sound on it is terrible. Im willing to go up to 100$.I alos need Best Audio and Video?

Answer
The PSeye works pretty good, but on some computers it doesn't work as people hope it will.

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How is the sanyo xacti hd 10000 camcorder?

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Q. Yeah, i'm planning to get a camcorder under a budget under 1,300 dollars & like to know how is the Sanyo Xacti Hd 10000 camcorder is?

Thanks.

Answer
amazing, i bought one. it is the best ive ever bought.

What Camera or Camcorder is best for really good youtube videos?

I'm not

What kind of digital camera or camcorder would be best to use to cut,edit, and has a really good picture to make and post vids on youtube???

Answer
I typically like the Sanyo Xacti CA9 camcorder
You can look at a review of it at:
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorders/sanyo-xacti-vpc-ca9/4505-6500_7-33741789.html

OR go to:
http://reviews.cnet.com/camcorders/?tag=TOCleftColumn.0

...for a review of almost any camera you're interested in

Hope this helps : )

http://www.youtube.com/user/KLxTV

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Can you dub a disc from a Hard Drive or Flash Card Camcorder?

best camcorder golf swing image

Ronald

I need to recommend a new camera for my coach to use. He likes to dub the video from the camera to a DVD. I'm pretty sure he does this by hooking up the camera to the TV or DVD recorder and then playing back the video. Our current camera uses mini discs. Can a camera that uses a Hard Drive or Flash Cards do the same thing? And if so, what kind of ports does it need?

Answer
Hi Ronald:

The short answer to your Question is "yes": HDD and Flash Card video files can be copied to DVD for review & archiving.

The downside is that most consumer HDD and SD Card storage camcorders use high-compression of the video information (to save space), so individual frame detail is lost in the process. And for fast pans (following a football) and quick-action footage, compressed-video can have annoying "motion artifacts" where the frame-to-frame detail is "interpolated" (mathematically guessed-at).

These 2 types of camcorders typically use USB ports to connect to a computer for transfer & editing. MiniDV tape-based camcorders use lower-compression (more frame & pixel detail is stored), but transfers have to be in "real-time", so a 2-hour game takes 2-hours to transfer. MiniDV camcorders require a FireWire port on the computer or DVD recorder. Digital video files (from HDD and cards) can be just "dragged & dropped" to copy. The files are huge, so it still takes some time (especially over USB), but it's quicker than tape transfer.

I shoot a lot of "sports combine" review videos (like on Yahoo!Sports' Rivals.com), as well as live game action; and coaches & scouts almost exclusively want MiniDV-based footage because of the motion capture quality.

There are pro-level and "prosumer" (semi-pro) cameras & camcorders that use high-speed CF-cards and/or FireWire based external hard drives (FireWire is faster than USB) as well as tape storage. These typically run (new) in the $1500-$3000+ price range, but are ruggedly built (Sony HVR-Z1 thru Z7 series are a good example).

Having the option of "solid state" memory or HDD external storage gives you the speed of quick file transfers & editing for review. The TV pros call this "DTE" for Direct-To-Edit workflow.

If your coach has a lower budget (his mini-DVD camcorder was originally around $1000 or less, like the $1100 Sony HCR-DVD300), he'll need to make a compromise between frame-detail (especially when reviewing in slo-mo or still-frame) and price. Features to shop for include variable shutter-speed, Slo-Mo "burst" record mode (for things like gymnastics or golf-swings), and pre-record mode (actually captures the video just-before you hit Record, so you get all the action).

Feel free to update your Question with exactly what sport or sports your coach deals with, which can make a difference in feature choices, and what his price range is (which makes a big difference in model selection).

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

How many megapixels do i need on a digital video camera for a DVD movie without flaws showing through?

Some1

Please help me fast! I'm shopping for one!

Answer
Uhm... I didn't see anything about resolution or megapixels on the Digital Camcorders I looked at, so probably any MiniDV camecorder will be just fine. You'll get what you pay for so stick to name brands and don't go too cheap... last years models of top brands are often a good place to go. You can find articles and reviews on them plus they are on close out so you can save some cash. Of course if you are intent on converting to DVD you might consider one of the models that writes directly to that format, but I don't know as much about them and they don't appear to be as popular. It may not be formatted for your every day DVD player either by default.

Now, if you meant digital camera with movie recording capabilities, well, good luck my friend. As far as I know the highest resolution any such camera records video in is 640 x 480 @ 30 fps. progressive. This is close to achieving modern DVD standards, but HD-DVD, Blue-Ray, and 1080p/i are on the way which will dramatically increase the amount of information necessary to produce such a large image. My suggestion would be not to ignore this requirement of yours but to focus more on features as it's unlikely you'll be making a collection of dozens of DVD movies anyway.

My personal favorite in the camera that doubles as a camcorder is the Canon Digital Elph series. I just broke mine and may replace it with a SD600 or SD630. The SD700IS (I believe that is the right model) is kind of cool as it will auto-crop your images to widescreen 16 x 9, but really it's just a macro that is costing you resolution, so no big deal.

To conclude on this category, video on the camera has nothing to do with the number of megapixels. A 1 MP camera could probably do 640 x 480 @ 30 fps just fine. The resolution really only kicks in on the pictures. The memory and speed required to record larger resolutions in the megapixel range would be extraordinary. Effectively your camera would be taking 30 Megapixel photos per second which is impossible as they have trouble taking them within a second of each other without over-running the buffer.

Anyway, read the reference source which should provide you most of the information you need. Wikipedia is awesome... shop at newegg and local shops.

Before I go, another nice thing about the canons that doesn't appeal to everybody is that they will take 320 resolution clips at 60 fps for capturing sports action. This is excelent for analyzing things like golf swings and the like, plus it's very affordable as such a tool. I personally use it to analyze foosball shots that are practically unseeable by the naked eye.

Good luck!

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What's the difference between different HD camcorders?

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nerris121

Say there are 10 digital camcorders (not DSLRs) side by side, each with full high definition.
They range from $300-$3,000. How can I tell what the difference in image quality is going to be with each one?
Or are they all going to be the same?

Answer
This is a great camcorder. Did a lot of research on the camcorders and this was the newer version of another great camcorder. Do not need a memory card as all info can be saved to the hard drive then transferred to your computer. Another great feature is it has a usb cord in the hand strap so you can easily connect to your computer to download or charge the battery.

Any Camcorders that stream directly to YouTube while filming?

Kira

If so, what camcorders.

I want to get a camcorder that will stream directly to YouTube without having to plug it into a computer first. I would like to do it during the filming process. Make it live.

Answer
Not a chance. Nearest your going to get is a MiniDV tape camcorder, hoked by firewire to a computer's IEEE1394 port. The computer is running a a Video NLE program, import screen open, recording. The you open a browser, browse on over to YouTube, sign in and upload your video. Any thing else would require huge costs and license restrictions to run a broadcast type thing. Got a couple hundred million dollars available, thought not, dream on , Have Fun.

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Should I get a nikon d7000 or a camcorder?

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BeNikon

So, in a few months i will receive some cash (around 500-600 pound) and decided i would spend it on updating my photography and videography equipment. I currently own a nikon d70 which i bought second hand in 2010 and a 720p 24fps samsung camcorder which cost about £180 back in 2011. I own a few lenses for my dslr and am happy with how it is. BUT i am definately feeling the limitations of an almost fully auto camcorder. In addition it also has a low quality built in microphone with no options to do pretty much anything.

So basically, should i get a mid range camcorder...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-V700-1080p-Ready-Camcorder/dp/B006T9JHZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358019741&sr=8-1

and external microphone...

... or get a nikon d7000, with many of the same video options and a headphone jack. I do feel the d7000 is the better option as my d70 is almost 8 years old and the bigger range of manual control, accessories and higher spec all round may produce more quality video.

http://www.digitalrev.com/product/nikon-d7000-dslr-digital-camera/OTk0NQ_A_A

But the frame rate, zoom and overall professional look of a camcorder for video are getting to me.

Also, i could maybe hang on for a while before making videos and get a good microphone for a d7000, but, i dont know. Thanks in advance!

Answer
You can make some stunning videos on a DSLR, while keeping the benefits (against a 3 sensor camcorder) of Shallow DOF from the large sensor, reduced noise and cost. I can't comment much on Nikon, I'm a Canon user, but if you have some good lenses that you like I'd go for a body upgrade.

For audio, I use Zoom H1s - dirt cheap and very reliable. I often mount one on the tripod mount and attach it to my audio in with a short cable, or use a clapper board and sync them later. Most dialogue on films I record with a boom mic and sync.

Sony Vegas Pro 10 won't accept my camstudio videos... Quality is very bad?

tiit t

I make computer tutorials with my camstudio and recently I got Sony Vegas Pro 10 and I wanted to change a few things in my video but the quality changed a lot when importing it. And when i render it it still stays like that. What should i do, how can i fix this problem??
I use ffdshow codec for my camstudio
I use ffdshow codec for my camstudio

Answer
Fast Editing with no Rendering on Mac - AVCHD HDV to Apple ProRes AIC

Face problem when trying to import and edit AVCHD and HDV camcorder videos on Mac? For the first week of 2011, Aunsoft Studio announced the updated of Aunsoft Video Converter for Mac with Apple ProRes and AIC for Mac users who would like to edit camcorder videos with sony vegas ,iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express with highest quality.

What's new in Aunsoft Video Converter for Mac?
1. Added output profile like Apple ProRes, DVCPRO HD, HDV series format for FCP/FCE users.
You will find Apple ProRes 422, ProRes(HQ) 422, ProRes(LT) 422, ProRes(Proxy) 422, ProRes 4444, DVCPRO HD 1080p, DVCPRO HD 1080i, DVCPRO HD 720p, HDV 1080i, HDV 1080p, HDV 720p as options for exporting the right format according to your videos.

2. Added output profile like Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC), DV-PAL/NTSC, DVCPRO-PAL/NTSC, DVCPRO50-PAL/NTSC for iMovie as Mac QuickTime formats.

3. Added output profile like Avid DNxHD (*.mov) for Avid editing software users.

http://www.aunsoft.com/video-converter-mac/

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What is the difference between digital camera and Camcorder in the context of still picture issue?

best camcorders that take pictures image

Robin

Actually i want better still picture + better video quality. but i m confused about that things. i want 2 buy camcorder bcoz its provide both feature. so which one is useful for me digital camers or Camcorder in still picture issue. is this the same quality between camcorder and digital cam.

Answer
No its not the same quality. Buy a digital camera, not a digital camcorder. Still frames of camcorders are horrible quality and only look good when played with other frames. What I would do is buy a camcorder and a digital camera. If you just want video then buy a camcorder, but for pictures, the camera is the best thing!

why does my fisheye lens make my camcorder picture blurry?

troy

I bought an new opteka .3x fisheye lens. It fits on fine, but when i look at the screen which displays the picture, it never focuses and is constantly blurry. My old fisheye works just fine and does not make the picture blurry.

Answer
Try manually adjusting the focus.

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What is a good USB camcorder for a macbook?

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Q. I have a current generation macbook, not macbook pro. I have no firewire but i want to get high quality video onto my mac. I'm not talking a Flip video camera, I'm talking a real camcorder that I can fit a fisheye lens onto. I can't spend thousands of dollars, so being told about a professional video camera won't help me

Answer
You can buy a real camcorder under $500 in the market. To transfer high quality video onto your
Mac, there is no alternative to firewire.

You can buy a firewire PCMCIA adapter for your Macbook to use it with firewire camcorder. Detail instruction goes here http://www.firewirecamera.org/2011/01/firewire-pcmcia-adapter.html

What are the differences between the 3 HD flip cameras?

dudewithda

Hey guys, I am interested in buying a new camera/camcorder when I stumbled across the Hd flip cameras.
I was wondering what were the differences between the MinoHD 3, the Ultra HD3, and the SlideHD. Also which one is the best out of all, and where I can buy them.
Can you please tell me their resolution, other features, and such. Thanks!

Answer
http://mashable.com/2011/04/12/rip-flip-camera/

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My flip camcorder wont work with Imovie 09?

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zippopat

Hello i use a flip video camcorder for my mac and recently bought ilife 09 and it won't let me import movies from my camcorder into imovie 09 to edit them. Does anyone know what the problem could be? When i try to import it, a message says failed to import the video file can't be found.. Please help! :]

Answer
Are you trying to import directly into iMovie, if so this is a common problem. What you first need to do is to copy the files from the flip camera to a directory on your Mac and then import that directory into iMovie. The flip is fully compatible with iMovie no conversion of files is needed. If the video still doesn't work then you have an issue with your codecs on iMovie. Message me if you have a problem.

Is a flip ultra camcorder compatible with mac and iMovie 09?

ThrashMani

I'm thinking about getting one, but i just need to know if it's compatible with mac, and if the video will be able to be edited in iMovie 09.

Answer
iMovie has different versions, each version has more or less difference, the video formats they can support has its limitation, it supports mov, dv, hdv,MPEG4, etc.
http://www.flip-converter.com/article-flip-mac/Importing-flip-video-to-iMovie/

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What's the best video camera on the market right now for business purposes?

best camcorders for wedding videography image

Q. I need to buy a video camera for wedding videography purposes... what's the best brand and camera on the market right now?

Answer
THIS ONE IS BEST AMONG ALL
Sony HDR-CX550V 64GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder
Technical Details

* 1920x1080 Full HD Recording w/12MP still image
* 64GB1 embedded Flash memory
* 1/2.88" 6MP back-illuminated "Exmor R" CMOS sensor
* Optical SteadyShot image stabilization w/ Active Mode
* Wide Angle G-Lens (26.3mm) with 10x Optical zoom
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-HDR-CX550V-Definition-Handycam-Camcorder/dp/B0031RGL1G/?tag=bdd-linking-005-20

$$$

What video camera is best for wedding videography?

Angelique

I am trying to get a videography business in Chicago started and wanted to know from people with experiance or who know a bit about cameras which one of these cameras would be best to use, or if you have a better one that would work for a small business. I am looking for something with great quality, easy to manuver around with, high proficiency, and nice looking. Any other advice would be great! Thank you

Answer
I agree with iridflare and lare... before you jump in, we hope you realize that the video capture is a part of the "system". You will likely also want to add to your list:

1) More than one camera. Three is a good start.

2) Tripods and other "steadying" devices. Since capturing handheld is not a good idea, then some sort of shoulder mount or a vest system with articulated, counterbalanced arm - like a Steadycam system. I know a few who use camera cranes. I like Kessler cranes on their Hercules head + K-Pod tripod.

3) Lighting. This will be both ways: camera-mounted LED lights are very useful - and for those poorly lit venues, a couple of light trees and a bunch of PAR56 cans (LEDs are preferred, but incandescent lights still work (they get hot - they are usually for stage lighting) with dimmers or DMX controllers. Perhaps a couple of large LED panels on stands. LitePanels are good. PAR cans, light trees, trusses and lighting controls are available from GuitarCenter and several other places.

3) Power supplies - if you want portability, then high capacity batteries from the camcorder manufacturer or battery belts for the cameras/lights.

4) Cases. Pelican makes great gear to protect the expensive electronics. Anvil makes great wood cases for the lighting and other stuff.

5) Cables for power and audio. And storage boxes cases for transport. Lots of gaffer's tape. DO NOT use duct tape as it can leave a gummy residue that will cost you LOTS of money to pay out for cleaning/repair.

6) Mics: There is no single "best" mic. Use a good wireless lavalier for vows - Sennheiser, Audio Technica, Sony (pro), EV and a few others... the systems with a portable base station to mount to a camera or take up small space when connected to a standalone audio recorder. If more than two mics are used, then a small mixer will be needed. A couple of good handheld mics for "toasts" and other speeches. These can be wired or wireless. You can get wireless modules that turn the (formerly) wired mic into a wireless mic. My Sennheiser G2 and G3 systems have them. A couple of of shotgun mics with fuzzies or blimps for windy outdoor ceremonies...

7) A separate audio recorder. Depending on the requirement, this can be as simple as a Zoom H2n or H4n or a Fostex field recorder... or as complex as a ProTools rig front-ending a computer for multi-track audio. A 4-8 channel Mackie mixer is handy to have around.

8) Other accessories: Headphones for monitoring the audio during capture (one per camera - you don't want to shake the camera plugging-in/unplugging); on-camera monitors; if multiple people are staffing the cameras, then a wireless intercom communications system so everyone can communicate is *really* useful. Good cameras have a wired LANC port - use of LANC units are strongly recommended - these can control power, zoom, focus... so the camera does not shake when these adjustments are made. The LANC attaches to a tripod handle or can be handheld.

There's more, but this is a good starting point... And we haven't gotten to the computer(s), editing applications, DVD authoring applications, printer capable of printing on to the DVD (no stickers), archiving the video...

And don't even think about using a dSLR - unless you have several. Anything under about $1,800 will overheat after about 20 minutes of continuous video capture (so while one is in use, the others are cooling down). dSLRs are great for still image capture and b-roll video capture.

If you have already thought through the above and this really is about video capture only, suggested devices (remember, more than one):
Entry level: Sony HDR-FX1000, Sony NEX-EA50UH; Blackmagic Design pocket cinema cam
Step up: Sony HVR-Z5; Canon XF300
Step up: Canon EOS Cinema Cam C500; Panasonic AG-AF100; Blackmagic Design cinema cam. There are LOTS of others that are equally good - even better.

I do not understand what a camcorder has to do with "high proficiency" - it is up to the camera operator to be proficient. A"nice looking" camcorder has zero to do with video capture/edit video quality.

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I have a mac - will it support a firewire cable? I'm trying to connect my Canon SR900 to edit videos Thanks!?

top camcorders of 2009 image

Kathleen

Hi - thank you so much for your response. It was really helpful! The camera is a Canon SR900 - I just checked. Any more info would be helpful

Answer
I searched "Canon SR 900". There is none. There's a Canon SD 900 - that is a digital still camera that happens to take very highly compressed video as a convenience. It does not have a firewire port so there is no reason for you to look for a firewire cable for this camera to import video to the computer.

You will want to download and install MPEG StreamClip:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/mpegstreamclip.html

To get the video from this camera (not a camcorder) to your Mac:

1) Get a card reader. This connects with a USB cable.
2) Take the memory card out of the camera and put it in the card reader.
3) Locate the video files (the directory structure and fil location is described in the camera's manual).
4) Copy the filed from the card to the Mac.
5) Launch MPEG StreamClip and convert that video file to a MOV or MP4 files. Quit MPEG StreamClip.
6) Launch iMovie. Drag the converted file to the iMovie Capture area - or the Clips pane - then drag to the timeline and edit.

IF the camcorder is a Canon ZR900, then you need a firewire cable. The ZR900 is a miniDV tape based camcorder. You will connect the camcorder's DV port to the Mac's firewire port.

If your Mac is a MacBook made between October 2008 and June 2009, there is no firewire port and no way to add one. If your Mac is a MacBook Air there is no firewire port and no way to add one. If your MacBook was made before October 2008 or after June 2009, or any other Macintosh made in the last 10+ years, it has a firewire port. Older Macs use a 6-pin firewire 400 connection - newer ones use a 9-pin firewire 800 connection.

To know which your Mac has (assuming it has a firewire port), under the Apple (top left corner), select "About this Mac". Click on "More Info". The "System Profiler window will appear. On the left, under Hardware, click on Firewire... it will show "up to 400 Mb/sec" or "up to 800 Mb/sec"... then you know which connector you need - the camcorder's DV port is always a 4-pin...

Are Orion Subwoofers a good brand? If not what are some good brands?

John B

Answer
Orion Electric Co., Ltd. (ãªãªãªã³é»æ©æ ªå¼ä¼ç¤¾, Orion Denki Kabushiki-gaisha?) was established in 1958 in Osaka, Japan, and it is currently based in the city of Echizen, Fukui Prefecture. The products manufactured were transistor radios, radio cassette recorders, car stereos, and music centers. In 1967, Orion Electric moved to Fukui prefecture in Japan, where it still has its head office today. One of the world's largest OEM television and video manufacturers, Orion produces well over six million televisions and twelve million VCRs, DVD players, and combo units each year. Orion is a highly-valued supplier to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) customers.

The Orion Group employs in excess of 9,000 workers. It has factories and offices on four continents, including Japan, Thailand, United Kingdom, Poland and United States. Its flagship Thailand factories are especially proud of their achievement as being one of the top exporters in this country, and have been recognized with an award from the Thai Government for their contribution.

Over the years, Orion has established and expanded its manufacturing facilities to develop and produce large and small screen color TVs (CRT, LCD, plasma), TV combos, VCRs, camcorders (VHS-C), DVD players, and DVD/VCR combos for the U.S., European, and Australian markets. Orion is the originator of the televideo concept.

Orion manufactures products for eleven of the world's top electronic brands. Its primary, long-time brands are Broksonic, Durabrand, Memorex, Orion, and Sansui. Orion used to manufacture many TV/VCR combos and VCRs for Emerson Radio during the 80s and 90s for 10 years, but Emerson Radio went bankrupt and was brought up by Funai in 2000. Then, Orion manufactured televisions and DVD/VCR combos for Toshiba until 2009. Currently, Orion specializes in LCD/LED combo televisions with Blu-Ray/DVD built-in, and manufactures exclusively for Hitachi, JVC, Sanyo, and Sharp based on each company's OEM order. Orion also operates Orion Sales, headquartered in Olney, Illinois, for the North American market, under its Sansui brand. Prior to 2001, Orion was the exclusive supplier for Wal-Mart of discounted Orion-branded televisions and VCRs during the 90's.


others good ones are pioneer, kenwood, luxman, sony, jbl, wharfdale, yamaha, marantz

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What's the best camcorder for a concert?

top rated camcorders 2011 image

Alex

Something hand held/small, that can handle the audio and lights.
Image isn't as important as audio but HD camcorder would be preferred.
-Thanks in advanced :)

Answer
Check out the top rated and affordable camcorders that work best for a concert: http://lovetosharethis.blogspot.com/2011/06/top-best-hd-and-digital-camcorders-can.html

What microphone should I buy?

Ethan

I'm a high school student interested in film. I want to make application videos for colleges and other short films on the side.

I'm planning on getting the Canon Vixia G30 but I want good audio quality as well. What's the best optiob? I have sort of a low budget; I am in high school, after all.
Well most of the budget is going to the camera. I have some experience with filmmaking and I'm definitely going to use the wide range of features the G30 has. The camera's microphone would obviously not be good enough...I'm looking for advice on any certain brands or models of (shotgun) mics that are good quality. Preferably less than $200. If possible, within $100?

Answer
My son's high school film club recently picked up some Rode mics, suggested by parents who are in the industry and donated the cash to purchase them and new cameras. You should be able to find one in your budget, probably close to $200. Google to look for reviews.

Film programs, even the top one, USC SCA Film & TV Production, don't care so much about the technical side of things in application films, they care more about story. USC Film & TV major is now a BFA, and they're really focused on story, I know the alums who were involved in the changes. (Great program, starts off in freshman year, not sophomore as in the past.) Many of the application films of admitted students that I've seen are quite simple, filmed on their mom's camcorder, etc, but they have great story. They are actually more what many applicants might think that CalArts would be looking for as far as style. Several from this past year didn't even have dialogue. There are plenty of kids in my area (LA) with access to professional equipment (parents VIPs in the industry), but their very professionally done films don't get them admitted if they don't have the story (they had the GPA and SAT scores). Too often fancy equipment replaces story. A too technically good film can be a turn off to admissions, it's like the filmmaker has their style already set, and college is about learning.

Top film programs are very competitive, USC SCA, UCLA (junior level transfer only), NYU Tisch have about a 4% admit rate to their film/tv production programs. They use their amazing film programs to bring in top students, so GPA and SAT are important. They can find plenty of top students with talent to fill the spaces, so a great portfolio without good GPA/SAT typically won't do it if you want to be admitted to a good film program.

Start researching what you need for various college film applications now, the additional materials - films, writing, etc. You may have to shoot several films. Like USC wanted a film with a maximum of 5 minutes in length, NYU has been 10 minutes, and Chapman Dodge has wanted a 2 minute film about you without you in it. You could use a 5 minute film for both USC and NYU, but many applicants tend to want to go almost to the maximum allowed time. Interestingly, quite a few of admitted applicants had shorter films, like 2 to 3 minutes at USC. (Do not go over the maximum length.) Since it's so competitive to be admitted, you may have to do a lot of additional material applications, so the summer prior to your senior year could be very busy. Often the deadline for film program applications is earlier than the regular deadline because the time it takes to look at all the films, so keep that in mind. And don't overlook the writing, as that can be even more important than the film. Google: USC (Chapman, NYU, etc) admission films to get an idea.

Hollywood Reporter top film schools (some are grad school only)
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/best-film-schools-hollywood-reporter-595712

NY Times article, For Film Graduates, an Altered Job Picture
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/movies/film-school-graduates-job-prospects-at-usc-nyu-ucla.html?_r=0

Good luck!

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Does anyone know what camcorder I should get?

top rated camcorders under 300 image

Sexxylexi

I want to purchase a camcorder but I don't know what features I should look for. As far as the zoom, battery, DVD or hardrive, etc... any and all information with be helpful, please. I'm not looking for anything hitech...I just want to record family gatherings and my daughters steps in life. So something in the price range of $300.00. Thanks...

Answer
Here's a helpful camcorder buying guide that explains what features to look for:
http://www.easycamcorders.com/content/Beginners-Guide.htm

& a list of the top camcorders for 2006:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/CamInfo-Selects-2006.htm
where the Canon ZR400 was rated the best for the under $300 catagory - you should also look at the Canon Elura 100 (rated best of the year) as the street price is just a little over $300.

Researching for best video camera...Sony?

Brady's Mo

I'm looking for feedback on video cameras. We own everything Sony, so that would be our first guess, but not dead set on that brand. Will be using it for new baby and family. Would like to stay under $1000.00. Thanks for any feedback!
Oh yeah, we don't want one that records directly to a disc. We would like a memory stick or something.

Answer
Sony certainly makes some great camcorders... I have two HDV (tape-based high definition) camcorders, and one is a Sony... well over $1000, though, but times have changed.

For quite some time, tape has been the highest quality medium, but that's starting to change -- the most recent AVCHD camcorders rival, and sometimes exceed, the quality of HDV tape. Now, some people will probably rant and rave about the compression being higher, and while they are correct, they're also incorrect... flash and HDD based high-def camcorders pretty much all use AVC (eg, H.264, MPEG-4 Part 10, Advanced Video Coding) rather than MPEG-2 for compression. AVC offers a 2-3x improvement in coding efficiency over MPEG-2... that means at the same visual quality, an AVC video should be 1/2 to 1/3 the size of a similar MPEG-2 video.

With that said, there are some caveats. You are right to reject DVD based camcorders.. you get about 20 minutes per 8cm disc in recording time, and that's usually at slightly lower quality than you get on flash or HDD. I'm also nervous about HDD camcorders, simply because hard drives do fail, particularly when subject to being tossed about a bit, as one does from time to time with a camcorder.

Flash was a questionable-at-best solution two years ago when I bought my last camcorder... it was too small and too expensive. Mostly that's changed, though Sony camcorders will use their proprietary Memory Stick technology, which is a bit more expensive than the industry standard SD/SDHC. But other than that, there's nothing wrong with Memory Stick.

Anyway, Videomaker magazine just rated Sony's HDR-CX7 as their choice for the best flash-based camcorder. The CX7 lists at $1200, but it's already been replaced by the CX12, which offers a larger sensor, better lens, and higher top bitrate (the bitrate effectively determines the quality of the video, all else being equal... HDV and DV camcorders use a fixed rate of 25Mb/s). This is an excellent choice, offering a top quality rate of 16Mb/s, which should rival HDV quality.

You may see AVCHD camcorders claiming "full HD"... this is due to the fact that HDV models record video at 1440x1080 rather than the full 1920x1080. It's rare to actually care much about this, but that's what they're talking about.

Another great choice is the Canon HF11, which supports SD/SDHC memory recording, bitrates up to 24Mb/s, and alternate refresh rates at 30p and 24p as well as the nomal 60i (the number is "frames per second", the "i" indicated interlaces, "p" is progressive... most TV in HD is 1080/60i, while Blu-Ray film transfers are usually 1080/24p). 30p and 24p modes also help on quality in low light, by allowing a slower shutter speed. AVCHD at 24Mb/s generally outperforms HDV in quality.. Canon was first with this on the HF11.

And I'd had to add, I might also wait, right now... Canon just announced a new flash-based model, the HF S10, at the CES show, Panasonic has the TM-300... but some of these are a bit outside your price limit, I suspect.

As for AVCHD and flash, there are some trade-offs vs. tape. Obviously, you need some memory cards, possibly more than one depending on how you shoot. I took an HDV camcorder on a two week backpacking trip and shot six 83 minute tapes.. that would have been some serious cash in memory cards, particularly in 2007. The advantage, of course, is that once you have the memory card, it's probably going to last for the life of the camera, or beyond. But you also don't have an automatic backup, as you do with tape.. you transfer this to your PC and do something with it, then erase the memory card. Of course, that transfer is at full USB 2.0 speeds, and there's no chance of transfer errors (which can happen with tape and Firewire, though they're rare if you use good tape).

Editing is also an issue... any old PC these days can edit standard definition DV video without breaking a sweat. For HDV editing (MPEG-2 at 1440x1080), you need a pretty good and fast PC. For AVCHD editing, you need one about four times faster than that. Also, since it's a new format, there are still some compatibility issues between cameras and tools, though this is starting to be resolved.

You can pretty directly take AVCHD files from such a camcorder and create AVCHD DVDs, which will play on pretty much any Blu-Ray player. DVDs obviously limit the file size to 4.7GB (single) or 8.5GB (double), but the nice thing here is that, for short videos, you can both archive your video and do so in a format that plays on a standard player.

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Best camcorder for under $400.....I'm sad, nobody is answering me :(?

top 10 camcorders under 400 image

Q. I am looking for a good camcorder between the $200-$400 range. I am getting up early to take advantage of the black Friday deals. Looking at all the millions of reviews and ratings on the millions of different types of camcorders is starting to give me a migraine. Two important functions I am looking for is decent recording time and easy to transfer to computer. All suggestions and opinions will be greatly appreciated! Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving

Answer
1. Canon ZR600 Digital Camcorder
This digital camcorder by Canon has a 25x optical and 800x digital zoom. The ZR600 has a large amount of pre-set shooting modes, a great lens, and built in digital camera with a SD/MMC slot for storing digital photos. This camcorder is great for video beginners and has enough features that more advanced camcorder users will be happy too.

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2. Sony DCR-HC36 Digital Camcorder
This digital camcorder by Sony has a 20x optical and 800x digital zoom as well as a 2.5â touch panel LCD screen. The DCR-HC36 has a professional quality Carl Zeiss lens and a variety of built in shooting modes. The infrared Super NightShot is one of the best night shots in the consumer market making this camcorder ideal for someone who will be shooting a lot of video in low light situations. Digital stills can be taken with this camcorder and saved onto a Memory Stick.
3. Panasonic PV-GS59 Digital Camcorder
This digital camcorder by Panasonic has a 30x optical and 1000x digital zoom. In addition to a large zoom the PV-GS59 also has a zoom microphone that zooms in on the sound while you zoom into the picture. This camcorder has a 2.7â LCD screen and a MMC/SD card slot for saving digital stills taken with the camcorder.
4. Canon ZR500 Digital Camcorder
This camcorder by Canon is the same as the ZR600, just without the digital still feature. If you donât plan on using your digital camcorder as a digital camera as well you can save money by purchasing the ZR500 instead of the ZR600.
5. Sony DCR-HC26 Digital Camcorder
The DCR-HC26 by Sony is the same camcorder as Sonyâs DCR- HC26 with the exception of the digital camera. If you are not going to use the digital camera feature on the camcorder then the DCR-HC26 can save you money.

I have a mac - will it support a firewire cable? I'm trying to connect my Canon SR900 to edit videos Thanks!?

Kathleen

Hi - thank you so much for your response. It was really helpful! The camera is a Canon SR900 - I just checked. Any more info would be helpful

Answer
I searched "Canon SR 900". There is none. There's a Canon SD 900 - that is a digital still camera that happens to take very highly compressed video as a convenience. It does not have a firewire port so there is no reason for you to look for a firewire cable for this camera to import video to the computer.

You will want to download and install MPEG StreamClip:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/mpegstreamclip.html

To get the video from this camera (not a camcorder) to your Mac:

1) Get a card reader. This connects with a USB cable.
2) Take the memory card out of the camera and put it in the card reader.
3) Locate the video files (the directory structure and fil location is described in the camera's manual).
4) Copy the filed from the card to the Mac.
5) Launch MPEG StreamClip and convert that video file to a MOV or MP4 files. Quit MPEG StreamClip.
6) Launch iMovie. Drag the converted file to the iMovie Capture area - or the Clips pane - then drag to the timeline and edit.

IF the camcorder is a Canon ZR900, then you need a firewire cable. The ZR900 is a miniDV tape based camcorder. You will connect the camcorder's DV port to the Mac's firewire port.

If your Mac is a MacBook made between October 2008 and June 2009, there is no firewire port and no way to add one. If your Mac is a MacBook Air there is no firewire port and no way to add one. If your MacBook was made before October 2008 or after June 2009, or any other Macintosh made in the last 10+ years, it has a firewire port. Older Macs use a 6-pin firewire 400 connection - newer ones use a 9-pin firewire 800 connection.

To know which your Mac has (assuming it has a firewire port), under the Apple (top left corner), select "About this Mac". Click on "More Info". The "System Profiler window will appear. On the left, under Hardware, click on Firewire... it will show "up to 400 Mb/sec" or "up to 800 Mb/sec"... then you know which connector you need - the camcorder's DV port is always a 4-pin...

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