camcorder....

[pompey_spud]

hey guys, for my birthday in a month ill be getting a camcorder. its the first time anyone in my family has had one, so i cant get any help from there, but i need all u camcorder owners help!!!!

 

 

 

if u have one, can u plz go here.....http://www.argos.co.uk and go to the photography section.

 

from there, i need you to tell me which is a decent camcorder, by which i mean something with a good picture quality and battery life.

 

 

 

the price range is really around ÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâã300, so thats a guideline, and any help would be very very appreciated =P

 

 

 

thanks, PJ

[pompey_spud]

6 views and no replies??? come on some on you must know ur camcorder specs.....

[sjiskebab5]

This looks the best, really buy one that records on dvd :)

 

 

 

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5632428/Trail/C%24cip%3D42463.Photography%3EC%24cip%3D42477.Camcorders.htm

[pompey_spud]

you're very kind, thank you.

 

 

 

edit - ive 'ad a look, what does that record onto? how much film will i be able to store on its memory card and then transfer to the computer?

[cadburys_egg]

you're very kind, thank you.

 

 

 

edit - ive 'ad a look, what does that record onto? how much film will i be able to store on its memory card and then transfer to the computer?

 

 

 

Apparently it records direct to DVD, which is fine if you have no software to convert film to CD/DVD, but isn't really necessary if you have a computer and RW software.

 

 

 

One thing you must check with products such as cameras/camcorders is the optical zoom and digital zoom. 1200x digital zoom sounds all manner of awesomeness, but is very different to optical zoom. Optical zoom increases image size, like you'd expect it to, but doesn't lower quality. Digital zoom allows to pinpoint certain things, but lowers video quality as it zooms in.

 

 

 

LCD screen size shouldn't matter, using the screen for recording (and well, anything) drains the battery very quickly. You can view the video and stills through the eye piece as with the LCD screen, but with lesser power use.

 

 

 

Having extra digital effects and exposure modes will make the camera seem better, but you need to stop and think. Will you use these? If so, will they be put to good use? Really, you should do some quick research to what these exposure modes etc. do. Just getting the camera and saying "wow, that exposure is good. Let's use it for everything!" doesn't teach you much. Know your market before you buy into it.

 

 

 

Measure your hands and compare (roughly) with the size of the camera. You don't want something so small and fiddley you'll be constanly having to move the camera or your hands to push a certain button. You may lose the moment or if you're recording, the focus or direction. Then again, you don't want something you need to hands to hold up. Allow for something slightly bigger than you're hand.

 

 

 

 

 

Personally, i'd go for the Panasonic NVGS27B. It's much cheaper than the one sjiskebab5 posted, it's got very similiar features aswell. Overall, it's very similiar to that one, except it doesn't record direct to DVD. I'm not sure whether the other one has a guarantee (it hasn't said so), but this comes with a 1 year guarantee. It lists much more features than the other one, although i'm sure many of them are pointless frills. Take the "one touch navigation joystick" and "soft skin detail" for examples.

[pompey_spud]

wow thats awesome, but will that panasonic you suggested be suitable for a novice? i mean like will i be able to get the recordings onto my computer easily what with all that DV nonsense.

 

will i need to buy extra tapes etc, or will i only need the camera, the lead, and my computer?

 

also, im a 14 year old boy(well, practically 15) and have average size hands, so that shouldnt be a problem

[cadburys_egg]

wow thats awesome, but will that panasonic you suggested be suitable for a novice? i mean like will i be able to get the recordings onto my computer easily what with all that DV nonsense.

 

will i need to buy extra tapes etc, or will i only need the camera, the lead, and my computer?

 

also, im a 14 year old boy(well, practically 15) and have average size hands, so that shouldnt be a problem

 

 

 

Generally, the camcorder will come with a CD which installs the software required to put the video onto the computer. The camcorder should also come with a cable required to transfer to computer, this is usually a fairly average cable - an official one, with Panasonic etc. printed on it. If you want faster transits, I recommend getting a Firewire cable, although the only one sold on Argos.co.uk is only compatible with Apple and Sony products. PC world, Dixons and computer shops like that should sell a universal one.

 

 

 

Really, any camcorder these days are made user-friendly. I'm sure you will be able to find/buy professional know-what-you're-doing kit at the specific manufaturers or even at proper photographical shops/sites.

 

 

 

You can run it direct from camera to computer, atleast you can with mine. If not, you need not buy extra tapes, you can record for as long as the tape lasts (~3 hours), put it onto the computer and then over-write the tape. If you don't want to over-write things, then yes you will need to buy extra tapes.

 

 

 

One thing I do recommend if you will be going out (when I say out, I mean far from electrics etc.) get hold of an extra battery. Argos may sell extra batteries or you can order one from Panasonic direct. You never know when a battery will run out and it always happens at the most inconvenient moment, right? ;) What I do is keep one battery in the camera and one with me in the bag, then when I get back I just re-charge the battery if it ran out and put the other in.

 

 

 

One thing to remember if you want maximum life from your battery; never charge it unless it is dead. Batteries don't take well to be constantly on charge, or being charged when un needed. If it's nearly dead, just put it into the camera and wait until it dies. They won't stay perfect all of their lives, this just helps it last longer.

 

 

 

 

 

Hope i've helped, and if you do get a camera: Have fun. :)

[pompey_spud]

uve been such a great help, thanks. Ill note down somewhere to get a few spare tapes and an extra battery, coz from what uve been saying i will need them (a week long trip in russia with my mates)

 

thank you very very much and im sure my parents will love you for saving them a hundred quid \

[Doomster]

Jessops http://www.jessops.com/Store/c170/1-170 ... tails.aspx and Pixmania are probably worth a look too

 

 

 

There are 3 basic formats to choose from:

 

 

 

1. Memory card - in the cheaper category of camera, but mead costs increase dramatically with capacity, unless you can offload to a laptop or standalon media card to hard drive unit.

 

 

 

This format connects by USB2 or putting the card into a reader.

 

 

 

2. Tape - the "traditional" format, but avoid "microMV" as it has poor compatibility with anything other than the rather lame software with it - MiniDV is more common.

 

 

 

Generally, will need an IEEE1394 (aka. "Firewire") connection, which may require fitting a card if the computer does not already have it.

 

 

 

3. DVD (normally 3")

 

 

 

The big advantage of direct to DVD recording is that no connection is needed. The result can normally play directly in a DVD-Player, or can be ripped to computer for further editing. Given the price of small format DVD media, using RW media and transferring / re-using would be better.

[pompey_spud]

well can uyou please find me a camera which is one of them dvd ones?