Topic: Help buying a new digital video camera

[BayTaynt3d]

The MiniDV-to-DVD workflow can be a major pain in the ass, especially for someone who doesn't know a thing about doing it.

[/quote]


For quick and dirty transfers to DVDs that I am sending out to relatives,
I just use a consumer DVD recorder with firewire input.
I have a Philips.
The DVD recorders are cheap nowadays,  you can get a Lite On at Costco for $130.00

I know the quality is not as good as capturing on your computer, as you are depending on the encoding of the DVD recorder,
but for those of us who are short on time, I think it's a good solution.

I also use the DVD recorder to transfer old VHS tapes, and the resolution is fine for that.


[/quote]

Not a bad solution, but let's be clear on what you're saying... The end result is it is still preferrable to own a MiniDV camera to start with, but then, you offer up a really simple and easy solution to get the MiniDV tape converted to DVD: use a dedicated consumer DVD recorder -- just plug in your camera to the recorder via firewire (or analog for that matter), and burn on-the-fly. That gives you an easy way to make a DVD while retaining the original MiniDV tapes in all of their full-res glory for use in editing or using at a later date. Nice suggestion!

[bossanova]

[/quote]

Not a bad solution, but let's be clear on what you're saying... The end result is it is still preferrable to own a MiniDV camera to start with, but then, you offer up a really simple and easy solution to get the MiniDV tape converted to DVD: use a dedicated consumer DVD recorder -- just plug in your camera to the recorder via firewire (or analog for that matter), and burn on-the-fly. That gives you an easy way to make a DVD while retaining the original MiniDV tapes in all of their full-res glory for use in editing or using at a later date. Nice suggestion!
[/quote]

Yes,  I still think MiniDV is the way to go.

Has anyone tried the new JVC 20GB and 30GB hard drive camcorders ?
I assume they also record in MPEG2 , similar to the DVD camcorders, so they would also be poorer quality than MiniDV.

[Mitchell (Jake and Sawyer's Dad)]

I am just worried I wont have the patience and smarts to do the whole D/L / edit process with the DV.  I am lazy enough as it is!

[SuperDave]

I am just worried I wont have the patience and smarts to do the whole D/L / edit process with the DV.  I am lazy enough as it is!

Trust me, get the dvcam.  You'll regret it later if you don't.

[guitard]

Mini-DV all the way (but you've probably already bought it by now...). 

Here's the deal: there is nothing difficult about creating a nicely authored DVD sourced from a mini-DV tape.  The problem is that most guys (myself included - probably most of them out there that know how to do this stuff) learned it on their own by trial and error.  People have only been doing this stuff on PCs for around the last five years or so - and really it's only been 2-3 years ago since it really took off.  So yeah - it kicked my ass for a couple of months - but I eventually learned.  If you can hook up with a buddy who knows his stuff - you could learn more in two hours at his house than you could in a two weeks working by yourself at home.

[columbus decanter]

i just got a brand new sony model digital camcorder. the Sony dcr-HC36 handycam. i think its an upgrade of the Hc32 but im not sure.

[cpatch]

So lemme make sure I got this right then.  For me to get the miniDV stuff to a DVd with menus, music, etc., I do the following:

Shoot the video
Hook it up to my computer via firewire
Play the video back at real time so it can be captured on my computer
render the format to something that can be edited (or is this done automatically during the transfer?)
Edit the video, create menus, etc.
Save in MPEG2
Burn to DVD

If you use a Mac the process can be a lot simpler if just want an unedited DVD, especially with the new versions of iDVD and iMovie in iLife '06. You can basically skip steps 4, 5, and 6 above. (They're either unnecessary or automated.)

Craig

[columbus decanter]

i just got a brand new sony model digital camcorder. the Sony dcr-HC36 handycam. i think its an upgrade of the Hc32 but im not sure.

just went and exchanged it for a Sony HC46.. one step up.

[handsome_b_wonderful33]

Does the Sony HC46 have an audio line-in jack? I was planning on buying a new camcorder and this is really a deciding factor on wether or not to buy the HC46.

[jdawg]

I recently bought a Panasonic PV-GS65.  Plenty of good reviews on this one. Never tried taping a concert, but from the "family" type footage I've shot, I really like it.