[hokiefritz]

Anyone have a digital camcorder recommendations for my girl friend? She wants to use it mostly for interviews and reunions as she is the family historian. She's looking for an entry level one between $400 and $800.

Or if any of you have links to a digital camcorder forum I'd appreciate that too. Most google searches for camcorders just end up at a retailers site.

Thanks!

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Are you searching Google's newgroup search or web search?? I just did a group search and came up with tons of good info. Click HERE and enter something like best digital video camera, set to 100 messages, maybe set the message dates to within the last year or so, and voila!! You've got about 43.400 choices of thread to choose from.

Enjoy!!

 

[squirt]

Be sure to check out Steves Digicam web site...He reviews all sorts of digital imaging equipment including digital camcorders as well as digital cameras, printers, accesories etc...click on the link below...

Steves Digicam

 

[chadbang]

Go Sony. I own a TRV900. That's the MiniDV format. Very nice format. One of the finest pieces of equipment I've ever owned. I just think Sony wrote the book on quality consumer camcorders. A friend recently bought one of their palm sized model and it's an engineering marvel. He bought the DCR-PC120, but that's out of your friend's price range. But DCR-PC101 (also a "palm" model, she should check out if she finds one of those comfortable to hold first at a store) might be found within range. Do not buy a MICROMV recorder. That squashes the video down to a lossy mpeg. Just a bad format. I haven't played with Digital8, but that is an inexpensive formate and I'm also sure possesses very good quality. Go Sony.

 

[squirt]

I still use my trusty Sony DCR-PC1 Mini-DV Digital Camcorder...This is the camera that was the genesis of the ultra compact camcorders that still rages today...One great thing about these digital camcorders is the ability to download the video into a computer via fire wire board to do all the editing. I then upload the finished video back into the camcorder to store it on the Mini-DV tape...be aware that video takes up HUGE amounts of memory which is why i transfer the edited video back to tape then delete the file on computer...you can always download the video back into the comp for more editing if desired.

I always hear good things about the Canon Mini DV camcorders in reagrds to picture quality. Also note that many of these camcorders also allow you to take decent still pictures.

You will need a separate editing program to edit the raw video. I currently use Videowave 5 which is simple to use and gives you all sorts of fancy features you can add to your video.

Videowave 5

 

[hokiefritz]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

I was doing a google mainly for newsgroups. I ususally get the information I'm looking for in about 5 seconds, but I was getting hits on out-dated and unhelpful advice. I guess this is one case where doing a more advanced search is what is required. Thanks for the search tips ServinginEcuador.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

No problem, that's why we're here!!

 

[msjjr]

Check out CNET.COM. That's how I ended up getting the Canon Elura 40

 

[Gergor]

Quote:

Originally posted by msjjr Check out CNET.COM. That's how I ended up getting the Canon Elura 40

I have had a few bad experiences with cnet reviews (bought a few things based on the reviews that I don't really like). However, I'm interested in Canon Elura 40 (without reading the cnet review). What do you think of it?

 

[msjjr]

I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't really used it yet (too busy with headphones, I guess

 

[N@Z]

Quote:

Originally posted by squirt ... Steves Digicam

Ditto that, then get a mac