What company offers best deals on camcorders?

Techthisbu

I wanna know what retailer offers the best deals on camcorders like amazon ebay bestbuy or what?

Answer
HI Daniel:

You've asked about cheap camcorders a half-dozen times over the past week.

You've posted over 50 Y!A Questions, and Answered another hundred or more. So you obviously know how to use the Internet. Do a simple Yahoo!Search or Google with a camcorder model and the keyword "prices" and decide where you want to shop, whether it be online or at a "brick & mortar" store like Best Buy, Target, or WalMart.

Just decide on a brand & model and buy the darned thing!

Six months ago, you seemed to agonize over gaming video cards & processors for your PC (that was almost 3-dozen posts).

From my personal experience, Fry's Electronics and NewEgg have great sale prices, "open box" discounts (as well as "refurbished" bargains), and wide range of brands & models.

I also scour the "closeout" retail endcaps (that's the shelves on the back aisle ends) for one-of-a-kind bargains at Target and WalMart, who both do heavy discounting to clear out discontinued leftover models or some customer returns/torn boxes.

For the little money you want to spend ($100-$200, or less) you aren't going to find much quality or quantity. My advice would be to go to a pawn shop (or your local Craig's List) and check out used gear (just be sure to turn things on & test them to make sure they work). Almost everything in your price range will have a rechargeable battery, but show up with 4 fresh "AA" Alkaline penlight batteries in your pocket for the ones that need them. Don't buy anything that runs off "AAA" batteries - they're junk and the battery life sucks.

And if something is rechargeable battery pack-only & not charged, have the store owner charge it up overnight and come back the next day to test it out.

You missed-out on last month's Kodak Zx5 half-price sales at Best Buy and Office Depot ($79 instead of $179), but here's some other places still discounting it: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&rlz=1C1CHNY_enUS420US420&q=Kodak+Zx5+sale&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=705&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=11180404340041643938&sa=X&ei=d2DjT4DMI4ei2QW28PHHCw&ved=0CFkQ8wIwAQ The Zx5 is listed as the Top Selling pocket video camera by Google's database.

B+H Photo is the most reputable dealer on that list, and offers free shipping, so you'll spend under $90 and have a decent cheap camera to start out with.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

Good Inexpensive Flash Camcorder for Vlogging?

Sierra267

Sometime in the near future I want to start vlogging, and with my birthday coming up, I would like a flash camcorder. However, there are a few requirements I need. It needs to be around $50-$150 dollars, preferably under $150, good sound, picture, and needs to be able to have good lighting in the dark. Next summer I'm going to Disney World and I'd like to get the full experience, and with them having night shows and fireworks, I'd like to have it recorded on the camcorder and able to see it clearly without being a black fuzzy mess. It needs to be lightweight and small also, so I can maneuver it around easily. I've checked Amazon and Best Buy, but I can't seem to find one that fits my requirements. The price, good lighting, sound, and picture are basically the main things needed. This would be such a big help, since my regular digital camera has terrible sound, picture, lighting, and zoom, I think I need an upgrade. Thank you so much in advance!

Answer
Hi "Sierra":

We'll assume by "flash camcorder" you meant a "flash memory card" model, and not "flash strobe" which a still-photo camera would use.

Your $50-$150 budget is low for anything self-contained/portable with a good low-light capability.

You can't force the world into your low-budget requirements (which is why you aren't finding anything decent online or at Best Buy). You get what you pay for, when it comes to video & photography.

"Good lighting" is a result of just that: setting up lights, and careful aiming, like Hollywood & TV shows do. Great video doesn't "just happen". Even your typical news reporter standing in front of a building has about $2000 in TV lights shining on them (an Arri or Lowel light kit) that you don't see at home. And a professional TV news camera will look like a "black fuzzy mess" trying to shoot in the dark, with its gain boosted too far, if there's not enough lighting.

If your main interest is vlogging, invest about $80 in a good auto-focus webcam (Logitech's HD Webcam Pro C920 retails for that). Surprisingly, many of the top-rated (and most-viewed) YouTube vloggers use their webcams: Jenna Mourey ("JennaMarbles"), Hanna Hart ("My Drunk Kitchen"), Felix Kjellberg ("PewDiePie"). And Justine Ezarik ("iJustine") runs around with a $700 iPhone, not some $150 cheapie camcorder.

And if your "regular digital camera" is a point-&-shoot snapshot camera with a "video mode", it's no wonder it has such "terrible sound, picture, etc., etc.". It's not a camcorder at all.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
 

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Which Pro Hd Camcorder?

sunit12345

Which camcorder should I get, the Sony Professional HVR-A1U or the Sony HDR-FX7? Which one has the best picture quality and other features? I'm using it for snowboarding.

Answer
The Sony HDR-A1U is actually a sibling to the consumer HDR-HC1. The A1U is in the Pro category because it was equipped (as an afterthought) with an XLR adapter that mounts to where the HC1 had a flash for stills. The ring around the lens barrel is shared by the manual zoom and manual focus capabilities. The tape mechanism is a bottom loader which makes it challenging to get the full tape out and a new tape in when the A1U is mounted to a tripod or a tripod quick release plate - unless you buy a special spacer or use some other work-around. The A1U has some firmware in the chips that allow some features additional to what the HC1 had. It has 10x optical zoom.

The Sony HDR-FX7 is a high-end consumer - some would call Prosumer - grade camcorder with a 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo mic jack that can use XLR mics by adding an XLR adapter from juicedLink or BeachTek. (Its pro sibling is the HVR-V1U). The manual zoom and manual focus rings are separate rings and there are more easily accessed manual controls on the outside of the camcorder when compared to the A1U/HC1. The tape mechanism is a top loader, so not issues when tripod mounted or a quick release plate is attached.

In good light, the video from both will be quite similar as they are both recording DV or HDV to miniDV tape (best available quality). If you are caturing daylight snowboarding, your bigger woory is keeping the camcorder from getting condensation and keeing the camcorder warm to continue operating properly. Electionics have operating environmental requirements - outside these environmentals and anything electronic can have issues - especially batteries keeping their electrical flow going.

The FX7 will do a lot better in low-light. The FX7 is a bigger camcorder than the A1U/HC1 because the lenses are bigger - that's why it does better in low light. The FX7 has a top handle that the A1U/HC1 does not have.

Between the two, I would suggest the A1U - even with all its faults - it is smaller and lighter than the FX7. I suggest that with the $ saved getting the A1U, invest in something like a PortaBrace Polar Mitten to keep the camera and battery warm and reduce the potential for internal condensation. Make every effort to use a tripod, monopod or other steadying device (table, chair, whatever...). Never (or very rarely) handheld. It is also small enough to mount to a helmet... You can take the XLR adapter off.

starting small film company interviewing models need a GREAT hd camcorder under $1000 with close up any ideas?

Juan

Im no professional but would like a camcorder with near professional features and quality i know there are many good ones but i'm on a budget of under $1000 ive been doing research and found a canon vixia hfs20 but it has mixed reviews and i truely want something GREAT thanks for the help

Answer
First, let's define professional camcorder:

Lens filter diameter 70mm or larger.
3CCD or 3CMOS imaging chip system - 1/4" or larger.
XLR audio-in connections.
Records to low compression (HDV, DVCPRO HD or XDCAM/HDCAM) video formats.

When you find a camcorder with the above, all the other stuff like separate manual focus and zoom rings, manual audio control and all the other manual controls on the outside of the camcorder will be included.

You already know that there is no "professional" camera made (new, anyway) that is under $1,000. Since you are doing interviews, I presume that means you get to control the environment - specifically, lighting.

Under good lighting conditions, ANY camcorder can provide good video. You just need to know what that camcorder's requirements are for "good lighting conditions". That leaves low compression applied to the digital video stream and audio.

Audio first. Consumer grade camcorders - if they even have a mic jack - use a 1/8", (3.5mm) stereo plug. Your mic selection will be a bit limited, but the NRG SA-568 and RODE video mic are worthy of investigation. Just because a consumer camcorder has a mic jack does not mean it has manual audio control - so be careful. Download the camcorder's manual form the manufacturer's web site to be sure.

Video compression: AVCHD is a LOT of compression to MTS files. This continues to be a large reason why professionals do not use AVCHD. This is a bigger deal if there is fast action. I can't imagine interviews with models being "fast action".

The Canon HF S series *should* be OK for you IF YOU TURN ON THE LIGHTS so they are bright enough to meet the camcorder's "good lighting" requirements. I prefer the HF S100. Learn about three point lighting and four point lighting. Learn about use of makeup in a HD video environment. high definition video sees EVERYTHING.

That said, given a choice, use of a miniDV tape based camcorder is preferred for a LOT of reasons... The Canon HV40 and Sony HDR-HC9 should be investigated - but only if your computer has a firewire port or you can add one (this is the only way to get the video from the camcorder to the computer for editing).

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