Best Video Camcorder with Hard Disc Format

[aptoklas]

I have a Power Mac G4 and I want to purchase a Camcorder that has a hard drive format. I was looking at the Sony's but I'm concerned they are not compatible and or do not want to go through the hassle of making them compatible.

What is the best Camcorder with a hard drive format that would be compatible with Mac? Thanks

 

[P-Worm]

From what I have heard, none of the HD camcorders are supported on Macs, but that is just hearsay. One question: why do you want an HD camcorder in the first place? Tapes can be quite convenient because you have a back up of everything and if you run out of space while shooting something (like your child's birthday party) you can just throw in another tape instead of deleting footage to make room for more.

P-Worm

 

[-DH]

Panasonic HVX200: http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/hvx200microsite/index.asp

Better than HD recorders - it's all solid sate.

-DH

 

[puckhead193]

I saw some JVC one today at bestbuy that had an 60 gig HD and 1080 with manual focus ring. I really like it but i don't think it will be happy with FCS

 

[stentor]

I just bought a Handycam with the idea that if it has a hard drive I could just transfer the files over without having to capture video in real time from a tape.

Very disapointed to find out that Macs aren't supported.

I was able to transfer the files over on USB abd they show up as .MPG files but won't open.

Any suggestions on how to make this work?

 

[zioxide]

Best camera that records to hard drive? RED. lol

There's really no good hard drive cameras that work with macs without transcoding the footage first, unfortunately.

 

[bigbossbmb]

you'll have to get a program like MPEGstreamclip and convert the mpg's to mov's (in the DV NTSC codec).

 

[stentor]

Will Quick Time Pro work?

I'm really not sure how the video compression programs work.

Does imovie use quicktime pro?

Why can I transfer the footage over usb but nothing will open them?

Thanks!

 

[bigbossbmb]

the mpg files that hard drive camcorders create aren't really mac friendly... you need to download MPEGstreamclip, open the video, go to export quicktime movie, change the codec to DV NTSC and 100% quality. then you'll have a file that can be brought into iMovie or whatever.

 

[cdarlington1]

Hvx-200

Panasonic HVX200 is supported by Mac...just finished a documentary and we shot on the HVX. Works great, and looks soooooo much better than any Sony HDV format...

 

[puckhead193]

I saw some JVC one today at bestbuy that had an 60 gig HD and 1080 with manual focus ring. I really like it but i don't think it will be happy with FCS

http://www.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL027875&pathId=141&page=2
It says it has plugin support for Macs...so who knows how well this works

 

[bmcgonag]

http://www.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL027875&pathId=141&page=2
It says it has plugin support for Macs...so who knows how well this works

I have a JVC, and the software for mac that comes with it is lacking at best. The person who wrote above to get MPEG Streamclip is right on the money. Much less frustration and hassle. Sad that a third party software is better than the software from the manufacturer of the hardware it was made for.