I need a camcorder, help me pick (PURCHASED), need more help!!!

[guitard]

A possibility yes, but I always thought those SD/HDD cams record to compressed mpeg...?? Am I wrong?

I used to be a major opponent of cams that record in compressed formats.  Actually, I still am.  But for stealth filming purposes, I recently bought a Sony HDR-TG1.  I figured a compressed video is better than no video.  I've shot several shows with it now and I am astounded at the video quality. Typically I shoot in SD at the highest quality level (9.1K) and that comes with 256 .ac3 audio.

If I shoot in HD mode, the audio is 5.1 448 .ac3.

[sparkey]

I saw a Best Buy ad once that had a camera with a little outboard weatherproof lens on the end of a cable several feet long.  I also knew  a pro videographer who had a DV cam like that...anyone seen things like that lately?

Josh

[guitard]

I saw a Best Buy ad once that had a camera with a little outboard weatherproof lens on the end of a cable several feet long.  I also knew  a pro videographer who had a DV cam like that...anyone seen things like that lately?

Josh

I've checked into these extensively and even bought a couple of them.  Problem is...you end up with a spider's nest of wires and it's really hard getting a good shot because typically you can't zoom in/out, you can't aim it very well, and you can't control the exposure.  The exposure is really a deal breaker because lighting at concerts is such that you have to be able to control the exposure with these spy cams to get a decent shot.

I've seen some really high-end models that don't require as many wires and probably can do a much better job, but they run into the thousands.

[beatkilla]

Forget about the hardrive cams do yourself a favor and buy the Sony HDR FX1000.Tape based,HDV,full manual control,superior low light....

[beatkilla]

Well as guitard says for stealth yes i can see using it.And guitard i would love to check out some of that footage.But for family events,weddings or permission granted concert shoots i say the sony fx1000 is the best choice for HDV the sony vx2100 for SD.

[rdfager]

I was just in the exact same boat.  My son was born a little over two weeks ago.  We had an old camera but wanted an HD camera that records to a HDD.  I did a bunch of research and ended up buying a Canon HG-20.  I've used it a hand full of times now and really like it so far.  The picture looks great on my 58" TV, the sound is pretty good and it's really easy to use.  I paid $550 for it from B&H with free 2nd day air shipping though it looks like they've marked it up to $599 now.

BTW, www.camcorderinfo.com has in-depth reivews on tons of models

[Low Spark]

I would get the Canon HV30 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/539289-REG/Canon_2680B001_VIXIA_HV30_HDV_Camcorder.html

I have a xha1 which is basically the prosumer version of the HV30. I have seen great images from these cameras.

True that DV won't be around forever, but you end up putting it on a hard drive anyway. Then you have a tape and a data copy. My Panasonic hvx200 wrote everything to a harddrive or P2 card, so I had to always write everything to two hard drives fearing one would crash. I love having a tape backup.

I agree with Bennett the HV30 will be my next cam. Its great for concert footage.

[rdfager]

I agree with Bennett the HV30 will be my next cam. Its great for concert footage.

For strictly shooting concert footage, I'd agree.  The HV30 does better in low light situations.  I'm not a big fan of linear media, and it doesn't sound like the OP is either.  That was the big reason I went with the HG20.  I don't need to spend money on tapes, don't have to deal with linear media and can quickly and easily back up my files to hard drive and DVD.

[BJ]

I would get the Canon HV30 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/539289-REG/Canon_2680B001_VIXIA_HV30_HDV_Camcorder.html

I have a xha1 which is basically the prosumer version of the HV30. I have seen great images from these cameras.

True that DV won't be around forever, but you end up putting it on a hard drive anyway. Then you have a tape and a data copy. My Panasonic hvx200 wrote everything to a harddrive or P2 card, so I had to always write everything to two hard drives fearing one would crash. I love having a tape backup.

is there a camera with the same quality/features but records to sdhc/sd/CF instead of mini-dv?

[edit]
after looking around, it looks like the vixia HF-10 is the camera, with the new HF-20 and HF-S10 coming out soon are the ones that would fit my question above. 
does anyone have experience with teh HF-10?  looking at the specs, can any of the video people say yay or nay on comparable features?  they look very close to me, but I admit i know nothing of video.

thanx

[BJ]

I would get the Canon HV30 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/539289-REG/Canon_2680B001_VIXIA_HV30_HDV_Camcorder.html

I have a xha1 which is basically the prosumer version of the HV30. I have seen great images from these cameras.

True that DV won't be around forever, but you end up putting it on a hard drive anyway. Then you have a tape and a data copy. My Panasonic hvx200 wrote everything to a harddrive or P2 card, so I had to always write everything to two hard drives fearing one would crash. I love having a tape backup.

is there a camera with the same quality/features but records to sdhc/sd/CF instead of mini-dv?

[edit]
after looking around, it looks like the vixia HF-10 is the camera, with the new HF-20 and HF-S10 coming out soon are the ones that would fit my question above. 
does anyone have experience with teh HF-10?  looking at the specs, can any of the video people say yay or nay on comparable features?  they look very close to me, but I admit i know nothing of video.

thanx

in a rather lengthy review on camcorderinfo.com, with TONS of test...  here is a snippit from the conclusion

We shot with the Canon HV20 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $903) in one hand and the HF10 in the other. In most instances, it was hard to tell the difference. The compression artifacting has gotten to the point where it looks no worse than HDV. In certain panning shots, the HV20 still keeps the upper hand in regards to sharpness, but on the whole the camcorders are matched. The HF10 has all the same great color performance as the other Canon HD camcorders, and now offers the highest resolution we've yet to see in a consumer camcorder. The low light performance tests higher for noise, but to the eye it looks as good, sometimes better than the HV20.

full review can be found here for anyone interested.  It also appears that a HF-S10 as well as HF-20 are both due out soon, which could drop the prices on teh hf-10.  also, ther is a HV40 due out soon, which should reduce prices on the HV30.

[Arni99]

A possibility yes, but I always thought those SD/HDD cams record to compressed mpeg...?? Am I wrong?

I used to be a major opponent of cams that record in compressed formats.  Actually, I still am.  But for stealth filming purposes, I recently bought a Sony HDR-TG1.  I figured a compressed video is better than no video.  I've shot several shows with it now and I am astounded at the video quality. Typically I shoot in SD at the highest quality level (9.1K) and that comes with 256 .ac3 audio.

If I shoot in HD mode, the audio is 5.1 448 .ac3.

Pressing "Display" lowers it´s brightness to almost zero which should be perfect for stealth video taping.
In addition battery-life(NP-FH50 Sony) increases to 106min with Display "off".

Without lots of zooming a complete show shouldn´t be a problem. Anyway I got another NP-FH50 as backup.
Will use it for my trip to L.A./San Diego and San Francisco in 1 week.
First concert-shooting with Mic-Sens set to LOW on the HDR-TG3(1) + iriver + DPA 4061 audio source will follow mid of February .
8GB memory stick holds 2h20min in 1440x1080i at 7MBit/s.

[guitard]

Pressing "Display" lowers its brightness to almost zero which should be perfect for stealth video taping.  In addition battery-life(NP-FH50 Sony) increases to 106min with Display "off."

If you lower the brightness of the screen to where you can't see it, how do you make accurate exposure adjustments?

[Arni99]

Pressing "Display" lowers its brightness to almost zero which should be perfect for stealth video taping.  In addition battery-life(NP-FH50 Sony) increases to 106min with Display "off."

If you lower the brightness of the screen to where you can't see it, how do you make accurate exposure adjustments?

I HOPE my pre-settings are ok  .

[guitard]

Pressing "Display" lowers its brightness to almost zero which should be perfect for stealth video taping.  In addition battery-life(NP-FH50 Sony) increases to 106min with Display "off."

If you lower the brightness of the screen to where you can't see it, how do you make accurate exposure adjustments?

I HOPE my pre-settings are ok  .

I film a lot of shows - and I always use manual exposure.  In order to get a nice shot you have to frequently adjust the exposure at most shows because of all the variables:  the lighting is different depending on what part of the stage you're filming; if one performer has light colored clothes and another has dark colored clothes - the exposure will be different for each of them (this is especially true when they are in the spotlight); the big screen will almost always require different exposure levels vs the stage; a zoomed in shot requires different exposure levels than a zoomed out shot - even if the lighting is the same, etc., etc.

Of course, auto-exposure can handle some of these situations - but auto-exposure settings are set to handle typical lighting situations - not the unique lighting you see at a concert.

There are ways to reduce the light signature of the LCD screen that still allow you to see it well enough to make adjustments to the exposure.  Stop by a window tinting shop and get a few scraps of window tint.  Cut one down to size so that it fits over your LCD screen and tape the edges of the tint to the outside edge of your LCD screen ~ works like a charm for me.

[Arni99]

Pressing "Display" lowers its brightness to almost zero which should be perfect for stealth video taping.  In addition battery-life(NP-FH50 Sony) increases to 106min with Display "off."

If you lower the brightness of the screen to where you can't see it, how do you make accurate exposure adjustments?

I HOPE my pre-settings are ok  .

I film a lot of shows - and I always use manual exposure.  In order to get a nice shot you have to frequently adjust the exposure at most shows because of all the variables:  the lighting is different depending on what part of the stage you're filming; if one performer has light colored clothes and another has dark colored clothes - the exposure will be different for each of them (this is especially true when they are in the spotlight); the big screen will almost always require different exposure levels vs the stage; a zoomed in shot requires different exposure levels than a zoomed out shot - even if the lighting is the same, etc., etc.

Of course, auto-exposure can handle some of these situations - but auto-exposure settings are set to handle typical lighting situations - not the unique lighting you see at a concert.

There are ways to reduce the light signature of the LCD screen that still allow you to see it well enough to make adjustments to the exposure.  Stop by a window tinting shop and get a few scraps of window tint.  Cut one down to size so that it fits over your LCD screen and tape the edges of the tint to the outside edge of your LCD screen ~ works like a charm for me.

Here in Europe you need to be 100% stealth or you run into troubles .
I rather use auto-exposure with a tripod than adjusting exposure every 5 minutes.
Of course for non-stealth-concerts manual adjustments make sense.