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Photo Forum / General Photo Topics / Australian Photography / October 2005Cheap digital video cameras - what to watch out for
Hi all, This is unashamedly a newbie question; feel free to direct me somewhere else if this is the "wrong" forum. I notice that cheap video cameras are in the $600-$700 range (specifically I've been looking at the Panasonic NV-GS25, but Canon and Sony have cameras about the same price), and appear to be of reasonable quality (or are they??). They record in DV format, and upload to a PC using USB 2.0 (or by analog output direct to a VCR). I'm just wondering if there are traps to watch out for, e.g. * Can the upload be really clumsy for some reason? (e.g. inordinately slow?) * Is it easy to convert DV format into something I can play on my PC (e.g. mpeg)? (I'm using Windows XP). * Is it easy to then write that onto a DVD suitable to play on a TV's DVD player? (Assuming I shell out for a DVD burner for my PC!) (By "easy" I mean for someone who's got lots of computer experience but doesn't like paying for software!) And I guess I should ask: * Is the picture quality of these cheap models OK for home movies, compared to those 2 or 3 times the price? -- Regards. Peter When in doubt buy a Sony, the model one up from the bottom DCRHC32 is pretty damn good for the money. http://www.sony.com.au/dis/catalog/product.jsp?categoryId=22123 > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Peter In my humble experience, you will find a decrease in image quality and just general usability when you run down the brands, roughly in order of Sony, Canon, Panasonic, and then a bit of a jump down when you go Samsung and others. Pete is on the money, and although Sony get a fair bit of flack from folk who don't like their marketing, they do make fine video cameras at a very good price. But, go check out the JVC's. Underrated cameras, usually at a very good price, image quality as good as any for the same type of CCD/price range. >* Can the upload be really clumsy for some reason? >(e.g. inordinately slow?) Nope, unless you have an underpowered computer. You need grunt (memory, processor and drive speed/space) for video. I tend to prefer Firewire. Cards are very cheap. >* Is it easy to convert DV format into something I can play on my PC >(e.g. mpeg)? (I'm using Windows XP). Yep. Free software will probably come with the video, and the bundled Movie Maker with Win XP (SP2) is not half bad.. >* Is it easy to then write that onto a DVD suitable to play on a TV's >DVD player? (Assuming I shell out for a DVD burner for my PC!) Yep again, as long as you can follow instructions! Ie, RTM. >* Is the picture quality of these cheap models OK for home movies >compared to those 2 or 3 times the price? YMMV, I think the better (Sony, JVC, Canon and to a lesser extent Panasonic) DV models are pretty good. To make a big jump in quality, you really need to think about the 3 CCD and higher resolution models, but sit down when you ask how much... By the way you might want to post this in a more 'camcorder-ish' group, this one seems mostly about still photography. | In my humble experience, you will find a decrease in image quality and | just general usability when you run down the brands, roughly in order [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] | good price, image quality as good as any for the same type of CCD/price | range. adding, JVC are probably the biggest of the big guns in pro DV cameras. Sony's new 3 ccd is snapping at their heels though. re software, converting, transfer speeds etc - it's a steep learning curve and you'd do best jumping onto doom9.org and checking out the reviews of software. * Is it easy to convert DV format into something I can play on my PC (e.g. mpeg)? (I'm using Windows XP). yes and no - yes once you work out how :-) * Is it easy to then write that onto a DVD suitable to play on a TV's DVD player? (Assuming I shell out for a DVD burner for my PC!) yup, again once you have the appropriate software. * Is the picture quality of these cheap models OK for home movies, compared to those 2 or 3 times the price? it can be, and with tmpeg, gordian knot, virtual dub you can output some pretty slick, cleaned up files. there's no easy way though and honestly - be prepared to learn a LOT about the various programs and options. It can be quite rewarding if you persevere, and WORK a lot varying options here and there to find the optimum for your needs (start with a small file and learn what you can do with it) must have programs (IMO) flaskmpeg winavi video converter (can output DVD complient files from other formats - often it's easier to work up the files elsewhere before converting) virtualdub Easy video joiner total video converter's not bad too and definately grab fullscreenplayer - very small, lightweight and easy on the ram when previewing :-) k > it's a steep learning curve and you'd do best jumping onto doom9.org and > checking out the reviews of software. Hmm... what's so hard about using Windows Movie Maker? Captures DV, edits (I think?), writes WMV... > * Is it easy to convert DV format into something I can play on my PC > (e.g. mpeg)? (I'm using Windows XP). [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > it can be, and with tmpeg, gordian knot, virtual dub you can output some > pretty slick, cleaned up files. But for the person not expecting or wanting to tweak every single thing possible something like WMM or Ulead VideoStudio will provide an integrated interface that does everything he needs. No need to fool around with 5 different programs! | > it's a steep learning curve and you'd do best jumping onto doom9.org and | > checking out the reviews of software. | | Hmm... what's so hard about using Windows Movie Maker? Captures DV, | edits (I think?), writes WMV... not too many set top players can comprehend wmv as easily as they can divx,avi,mpeg/and or xvid and some of these offer better compression. | But for the person not expecting or wanting to tweak every single thing | possible something like WMM or Ulead VideoStudio will provide an | integrated interface that does everything he needs. No need to fool | around with 5 different programs! ulead is moderately so-so. sorry, I guessed that someone wanting to make videos might want to make them as clean, tidy and compatible as possible, or at least might want to know some of the tools around that folks use to achieve this end - once they've had a fiddle with the all-in-one's. k Thanks for all the feedback so far everyone... > By the way you might want to > post this in a more 'camcorder-ish' group, this one seems mostly about > still photography. I understand, but this was the closest I could find. Feel free to suggest elsewhere. -- Peter >Feel free to suggest elsewhere. Not my field and I'm sure others might have better suggestions, but maybe rec.video, rec.video.desktop, uk.rec.video.digital, rec.video.dvd.., alt.video.dvd... rec.video.desktop is by far the best group for home users, was pretty active their for some years but have been concentrating on my photography recently though. > >Feel free to suggest elsewhere. > > Not my field and I'm sure others might have better suggestions, but > maybe rec.video, rec.video.desktop, uk.rec.video.digital, > rec.video.dvd.., alt.video.dvd... |
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