Digital camcorder selection help...

[mueng]

I am looking to blow some cash on a digital camcorder, miniDV format. I am looking to spend at most 1000 dollars. I am not a professional by any means, I just want a good quality camcorder to record memories. I also am going to be an assistant track coach, so I might use to record people long jumping or whatnot so I can look at their form.

In any case, I am considering a Sony or Canon, but I don't really know whats good. I'm just wondering if anyone has suggestions on a good model or a brand.

Right now I'm looking at the DCR--TRV25 or DCR-TRV27 by Sony or Elura 40MC or ZR50MC by Canon.

Thanks!

[GeeYouEye]

sony is always good, but if you want a light, small, camcorder go with the ZR-50. Whatever you get, make sure it has lots of Optical Zoom. Digital zoom doesn't really matter.

[ChicagoMac]

I agree about the zoom. Sony gets better ratings than Canon from consumer reports. I use the Sony TRV 740 (digital 8) and it works great. They say that the picture quality of digital 8 is just as good as minidv, but the minidv models are obviously smaller and the minidv cassettes are more expensive. The only thing I don't like about the Sony model is that you have to remove the camera from the tripod to replace the tape since the tape goes in underneath. I'm waiting for a dvd-ram version with fire wire output. Hitachi makes one without firwire, but I know it has to come eventually.

[solvs]

Yeah, I'd go with the Sony DCR-TRV840. It's Digital 8. Go to http://www.bhphotovideo.com/ for some really good prices and service. And cheap shipping. If you click on "e-mail me a better price" it's only $700. With the leftover money you can buy a better battery and mic. The tapes are cheaper and still great quality (not to mention the backwards compatibility with 8 and Hi8). Go to http://www.allelectronics.com/ for some good prices on used, but good quality tapes.

That's what I was gonna do before my film lost funding.

[ChicagoMac]

But the only difference, besides price, between the trv740 and the trv840 is that the 840 has a bigger lcd screen which means the camera itself is bigger and it's more expensive. Also, Sony does have a $100 rebate right now for many of it's digital camcorders.

[solvs]

Pretty much. 740 has a 2.5 LCD. I like the 3.5 though. I saw a 4 inch LCD on an old camcorder, that was cool. If you don't care about LCD size, the 740 would be perfect.

http://www03.bhphoto.com/item/IC=blSODCRTRV740J014-REG-0___SID=F2A0A31EE00

$640. $110 for the extended battery. $90 mic. $40 tripod. $22 shipping. ~ $900 total.

Knowing you have a kick-a** setup, priceless.

Edit: yeah, there's a rebate too.

[kiwi_the_iwik]

I went for a Sony PC-100E with FireWire in/out, Analog in/out and a memory stick - which has since been superceded by the 115 model (with built-in flash and USB), and by the 120 (with bluetooth support added)

It's got a Carl Zeiss lens with a decent optical zoom, and has a maximum still image quality of 1152x864 - so you get the best of both worlds: a great little video camera with the added bonus of an adequate stills unit.

It's also nice and small - and was touted as the world's first megapixel camera.

Its only fault is that it has only one CCD - you're better to have three, but for the size and quality, you can't really do better...

By now, you could pick one up for under $1000.

Good luck!

;)