Canon Vixia camcorder - recording mode question

[lsd2525]

I've been recording in the highest quality mode - 3 hrs eats up 32 gig. At some point I want to start getting these shows in a format that I can put on a DVD, etc. Am I wasting time and space recording in this mode? Just wondering if this it the video equivalent to taping in 24/96......Any advise would be great. Thanks, Dan

[sckofelng]

If I were you I would definitely STICK to the highest mode possible. You can always downscale to the format/bitrate you desire, but you can never go back to higher quality.

[beatkilla]

Yeah stick with HD,standard def DVD  is garbage.You should be making bluray not dvds.

[lsd2525]

Maybe one of these days lol

[smokenburn]

Shooting in RAW/ProRes would be like recording to WAV.  What you are recording with Canon Vixia is AVCHD, a consumer codec more like mp3.  It's not good for editing, but a popular consumer codec that should burn to disc easily with most burning software.

RAW 1080p is like 1GB/min (maybe more).


I would use the better quality setting.

[guitard]

I shot several shows in 2010 with an HD cam in SD mode because I thought I was saving space on the card and also getting the battery to last longer.  And now six years later I've started authoring some of them ... and I'm kicking myself in the ass for not having shot in HD.  Come to find out - there is not much difference in size.  And more importantly - I could be watching these shows in HD instead of SD. 

As others have said:  ALWAYS record in the highest bitrate possible.  It may not make much sense now – but it will later.

[matahaka]

I've been recording in the highest quality mode - 3 hrs eats up 32 gig. At some point I want to start getting these shows in a format that I can put on a DVD, etc. Am I wasting time and space recording in this mode? Just wondering if this it the video equivalent to taping in 24/96......Any advise would be great. Thanks, Dan

I have the vixia m40 series (discontinued awhile back), and I typically record the best or the second best mode, as I find that those two are pretty similar once you get them on dvd. It might be better for you to just make them into hd mp4  and burn into a DVD for backup so you can still view it as a HD source instead of a SD source..

Or you might be able to upload HD shows into your private youtube collection, so you can watch it anywhere! * I do this for the classical recitals I record, I upload to youtube HD so those kids can send links for their friends, families and relatives.

[lsd2525]

What software do you guys use to turn them into something DVD-able?

[matahaka]

What software do you guys use to turn them into something DVD-able?

I have had the privilege to use for a few years final cut pro X and adobe cs6 which work very well. Personally I use dvd architect from sony vegas 9

[lsd2525]

Now I got a battery question - Been powering with a 9v Naztech. It's supposed to be supplied by 8.4v. Would that extra .6 of a volt fry the Canon's battery? Guess I should have took it off rather that charging it continuously.......