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Upgrading my Camera

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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
Right now, I have a pretty basic MiniDV video camera, and am not pleased with the picture quality. Ive been looking around, and notice that the HDD cameras have really come down in price. Im wondering what size HDD camera would be best. There have been a few I have been interested in that were 30GB. It doesnt need to be the greatest camera, but I would really like a decent quality picture.

Should I post some links to the cameras im interested so I can get some better advice? I know absolutely nothing about cameras.

Thanks

-Lyndon
Nov 4 2007 6:40PM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
Here is one that I am pretty intersted in:
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10084615&catid=
Nov 4 2007 6:41PM
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CJHski
Posts: 2384 - Karma: 126
SO MANY CAMERA THREADS

-i wouldent get a hard drive camera
-i wouldent get a HD camera like that
-i would try to find a miniDV, 3ccd camera
Nov 4 2007 8:17PM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
Yeah, I have read a fair amount of them, but as I said, none of it makes sense to me.

So I shouldnt bother with hard drive?
Nov 4 2007 9:16PM
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nauseA
Posts: 448 - Karma: 10
MiniDV is what you need for making DVDs, and such. MiniDV puts out 720x480 movies, wich is the TV standard. Unless you want to do HD DVD stuff you wont need HD. For now HD is useless, and if you burn it on a regular DVD, the quality will go down to 720x480. Sure the picture will be a bit better, but its not worth the investment.

3CCDs MiniDV is the better and cheapest way around. If you want good quality, never compress the videos you edit with (quicktime uncompressed for example), and just do color corrections. Color corrections is the best thing you can do for any movie you will do, its hard the first time, but you'll learn fast.
Nov 4 2007 9:42PM
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jeff3617
Posts: 208 - Karma: 102
I would go with a solid 3CCD camera, the quality from the three chips are nicer than any fake HD camera.
Nov 4 2007 9:47PM
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CJHski
Posts: 2384 - Karma: 126
correct
Nov 4 2007 9:48PM
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leckett1
Posts: 6476 - Karma: 294
One more thing with hard drive cameras. When they are captured, they aren't captured to a format readable by your computer, so you need a program to convert every single goddamn video you take to be playable on your PC. Hard drive cameras gets my thumbs down.
Nov 5 2007 9:32AM
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miroz
Posts: 10333 - Karma: 3,945
right now, hard drive cameras are pretty much harder to use than miniDV.  That camera above isn't bad, but you could probably do better.  There is no manual focus, and a firewire port is usually better.  I think even within hard drive cameras you could find better than that.  I do support miniDV cameras though, theyre just easier and seemingly better at this point than hard drive.

as for the HD thing, cheap HD isn't good at all, so go 3CCD until you can afford real HD
Nov 5 2007 11:31AM
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ArmadaSkisUK
Posts: 184 - Karma: 679
The compression ratio used on a lot of HDD camcorders at the moment means that it makes fast moving images jitter a little bit... now I wouldn't want a jitter in my perfectly balanced POW shot! I have the HV20 sick camera for the money... If you want to upload footage to the internet HD is the way forward as it doesn't loose as much quality when it compresses. https://www.newschoolers.com/web/content/videos/id/146078/cat/all/search_string/pre+season/

check that
Nov 5 2007 11:47AM
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horner
Posts: 2439 - Karma: 1,578
get an HV20, for $1000 it's probably the best consumer camera you can get right now.
Nov 5 2007 12:26PM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
UPDATE

I went out tonight, and checked out this camera. Seemed great, super sharp picture, light weight, nice and small.

Its a 30GB HDD camera. What im concerned about is I cant tell if it uses firewire. Also, what format will the footage be in once I put it on my computer? I would like it to be wmv., but Ive read its mov.

Is there any reason I shouldnt get this? Im trying to get away from MiniDV, or should I just get a 3ccd MiniDV camera?

here is the cam im looking at
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10084004&catid=
Nov 12 2007 10:01PM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
"Other features include 30GB hard drive with up to 37 hours capacity, 34x optical/800x digital zoom, sliding lens cover, Auto Illumi light, built-in DVD control, MPEG-2 recording, USB 2.0 high-speed interface, Stick Controller, auto and manual focus and......."

What I bolded, does that mean the video will be in like Quicktime format??
Nov 12 2007 10:08PM
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nauseA
Posts: 448 - Karma: 10
.mov is a trillion times better than wmv. Personaly, I'd go with MiniDV. MiniDV cameras (vx's, gl's)is a loooooooooong way ahead in technology, durabilty vs. HDD cams. And I don't think you'll be making super video premieres on HD projectors... anyway, MiniDV is the way to go if you aint got too much cash.
Nov 12 2007 10:12PM
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nauseA
Posts: 448 - Karma: 10
^^ agrrrreeeeeed.

and if you get a VX or something like that, buy a really cheap miniDV cams to transfer on your computer, so your heads and motors in the cam last longer.
Nov 13 2007 12:14AM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
Ohhhhhh, k i see.

K guys, one last model. This is a MiniDV 3ccd camera. Thoughts?

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10085380&catid=#
Nov 13 2007 4:59PM
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miroz
Posts: 10333 - Karma: 3,945
I was going to get this, but at the last second I decided to go with the next step higher, the GS500.  I'm pretty happy with my choice, but that is a solid camera...If your budget allows, try and do the GS500...

But - the site that you are looking at has that camera overpriced.  Unless it is some sort of new model or something, I think it should be $499.99, like it is on the Panasonic website
Nov 13 2007 6:06PM
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ILoveOhio
Posts: 1793 - Karma: 253
Do NOT pay 600 bucks for a GS320.  They go for way less in your local circuit city or Best Buy.  The GS500 is better because it has 1/4.7" CCD's while the GS320 has 1/6" CCD's.
Nov 13 2007 7:34PM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
Its selling for 599 at Bestbuy, and we dont have a CircuitCity in Canada.

Im going to keep my eye out to see if it goes on sale at some point soon.
Nov 13 2007 8:54PM
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Schoening
Posts: 14332 - Karma: 1,268
Before you order any camera online make sure you check the site with

www.resellratings.com      there are soooo many scams out there. This site will help let you know if the site your about to order from is legit or not
Nov 13 2007 9:11PM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
Thanks, but Futureshop is a department store, about 7 minutes from my house. I wont be buying online, Ill be purchasing from a stor in my city.
Nov 13 2007 9:24PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
smart, but online prices are usually cheaper
Nov 13 2007 10:17PM
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ILoveOhio
Posts: 1793 - Karma: 253
Are you sure you are talking about the GS320?  It is under $400 USD from Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000M4LXIW/ref=dp_olp_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1195013306&sr=8-1

I'm getting a used GS500 for $550 USD plus shipping.  I'm happy if I can get the money.
Nov 13 2007 11:11PM
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ILoveOhio
Posts: 1793 - Karma: 253
Also, here's the shipping rates to canada from Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=596192&#StandardInternationalShipping
Nov 13 2007 11:13PM
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ILoveOhio
Posts: 1793 - Karma: 253
I don't want to triple post.  Newschoolers needs an edit button.  Anyways, I was reading more about the GS320 on amazon and it says it cannot be shipped to Canada.  There are other stores on Amazon that will ship to Canada I belive.
Nov 13 2007 11:21PM
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