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Gear / Technical Help => Photo / Video Recording => Topic started by: Nick's Picks on December 18, 2006, 08:30:18 AM

Title: looking for a used VID camera to use w/my audio rig.
Post by: Nick's Picks on December 18, 2006, 08:30:18 AM

recommend something that I can mount on my stand, small, (media..dont care about) and w/a line or mic input?

i'm looking for used, as i dont want to invest much at first. 
Title: Re: looking for a used VID camera to use w/my audio rig.
Post by: guitard on December 18, 2006, 12:16:04 PM

recommend something that I can mount on my stand, small, (media..dont care about) and w/a line or mic input?

i'm looking for used, as i dont want to invest much at first. 
What specifically do you plan on using it for?  And what's your budget?
Title: Re: looking for a used VID camera to use w/my audio rig.
Post by: beefstew on December 18, 2006, 04:15:22 PM
try lookin around on this site - it really helped me out 8)

http://www.camcorderinfo.com
Title: Re: looking for a used VID camera to use w/my audio rig.
Post by: Nick's Picks on December 18, 2006, 09:47:42 PM
using it for open and low profile concert recording.

as I research, I want to be looking at????
- low light performance
- HD ?
- any form of media I should consider?  i've got many 4gb CF and SD chips.

i'm in research mode.  just wondering if there was a "go to" rig that might fit the bill, or at least give me a benchmark.
Title: Re: looking for a used VID camera to use w/my audio rig.
Post by: beefstew on December 19, 2006, 04:08:57 PM
using it for open and low profile concert recording.

as I research, I want to be looking at????
- low light performance
- HD ?
- any form of media I should consider?  i've got many 4gb CF and SD chips.

i'm in research mode.  just wondering if there was a "go to" rig that might fit the bill, or at least give me a benchmark.

Most cams ive looked at dont record onto CF or SD cards - they just put stills on the cards

yes u def. want great lowlight performannce
Mini DV cams are very popular - cheap media too
and if u can - you should get a cam with mic-in or line-in
Title: Re: looking for a used VID camera to use w/my audio rig.
Post by: kuuan on December 21, 2006, 05:46:06 PM
using it for open and low profile concert recording.

as I research, I want to be looking at????
- low light performance
- HD ?
- any form of media I should consider?  i've got many 4gb CF and SD chips.

i'm in research mode.  just wondering if there was a "go to" rig that might fit the bill, or at least give me a benchmark.

if HD:
There is the HDV standard recording to tapes, the HC1 and HC3 cams, they must be well over 1000$ new, not much less than 1000$ used.
Other even newer Sonys record to Harddisc or DVD.
All of the record in a compressed mpeg4 format which is difficult to edit and for that you need a good software and a faily fast PC, P4 3GHz and 1GB, better 2GB Ram minimum. The new Core 2 duo are much recommended!

There are very new Panasonic HD cams recording to SD cards using a newer also compressed format called AVCHD. There is not any software yet on the market to edit that.

to make short:
if you don't want to spend big bucks better stay with SD = standard definition. Easier to edit and after rendered to mpeg2 to be written on any DVD.

and yes, be sure it has got a mic-in, many cheapos don't
if it has headphone out the better, if it has mic level adjustment and meters even better again, but there are only the Panasonic GS500 and GS400 which I am  aware of that feature those, speaking of pro/ or consumer cams, the first one lacking the headphone out.

use this: http://camcorderinfo.resultspage.com/display.php?p=D&ts=v3 to find your model.
and look at:
- a mini DV cam ( which will be SD = standard definition recording to miniDV tapes )
- low light performance
- mic in plug
- and get a good tripod!

For those my recommendation would be either a Panasonic ora Canon. Sony used to make and recently again makes good cams, but their models during 2003 to 2005 were not so good.