Looking for a good HD Video Camera

[mikeyPotg]

the HV20 (and I'm sure the same goes for the HV30) can print edited projects back to tape. This was my main reason in buying it before, so I could edit, print it to tape, then store it there until I get a bluray drive.

As far as VHS to computers... I'm not sure about that, but I'd highly recommend a Canopus 110.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...9_ADVC_110_Bidirectional_Media_Converter.html

I use this at school for my students all the time and it's just great.

 

[Chrispy]

the HV20 (and I'm sure the same goes for the HV30) can print edited projects back to tape. This was my main reason in buying it before, so I could edit, print it to tape, then store it there until I get a bluray drive.

As far as VHS to computers... I'm not sure about that, but I'd highly recommend a Canopus 110.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...9_ADVC_110_Bidirectional_Media_Converter.html

I use this at school for my students all the time and it's just great.

Awesome. Thanks for that info. My current Panasonic PV-GS180 will not print to tape as I cannot record in VR mode... kinda sucks

 

[celeste808]

what do you guys recommend for a good video camera in the $600-$800 range? Looking for an HD camera that can take some decent video, let me know what you guys think/recommend. Thanks

I'd recommend the Canon HG10 Harddisk Drive Camcorder and iMovie if your aim is to get some good movies out quickly and in quantity. Recording onto a harddrive makes the transfer to computer instantaneous and much more easy to edit.

With the Canon HV20, importing and logging and capturing its mini-dv footage is time-consuming and somewhat tedious! I'd suggest it (or the HV30) with some non-destructive non-linear editor if you're looking to invest some time and energy into making your movies into something of indie filmmaker quality. (And I don't recommend Final Cut Pro/Studio for you if you don't really want to spend at least a week teaching yourself a very complex software application).

 

[Courtaj]

With the Canon HV20, importing and logging and capturing its mini-dv footage is time-consuming and somewhat tedious!

As always, though, it's horses for courses. Clicking through unlogged files imported directly from a camcorder harddrive to find the shots you actually want to use can be pretty tedious, too. In my experience, the time spent importing and logging miniDV (in real time, so only an hour per tape, time during which you can draw up a record of timecode in-points and good shots) is time well spent because it makes the edit so much easier to plan and execute and you'll be much better acquainted with what you shot and where it is.

Add to that the fact that the video compression on harddrive camcorders reduces the quality (a little), and that tapes provide an instant archive of your work (and somewhere to archive your edited output, too)--though no archival method is absolutely failsafe--and I draw the conclusion that tape is still a great idea.

But my cup of tea may not be yours.