I’ve been meaning to buy camcorder for quite some time. The time has finally come to make a decision, and I think the perfect camera for me has come out.
JVC has a line of camcorders with built in HDs. Someone brought one to class on Saturday and it was really cool. You can just skip around through clips and STUFF. It’s really small too. I could easy fit it in a coat pocket or side bag.
Thought I’d let yalls all know about them as well.
I remembered reading something about these things last year, and with a little digging, found the article - it was a review David Pogue wrote for the New York Times. You might need to do a free registration to read the article - if that’s a hassle, just let me know and I’ll find a different way to get it to you. The conclusion goes:
[quote]For people who like to edit their own movies and burn them to DVD on the computer, the Everio G is a model of efficiency. It saves money, because its operating costs are zero (no tapes or discs). It saves time, because you can transfer the video to the Mac or PC so quickly. And it saves on equipment, because if your PC already has a DVD burner, you’re not paying for a second one built into the camcorder.
But because the transfer-and-edit process is so confusing, the Everio G winds up suited for a very specific audience: people techno-shy enough to want the world’s easiest-to-use camcorder, but techno-savvy enough for its awkward video-importing challenge. It may take JVC one more “Aha!” moment to realize and correct that contradiction.[/quote]
Well, I just want something to record Jujitsu sparring and post silly movies on Youtube 
[quote]I’ve been meaning to buy camcorder for quite some time. The time has finally come to make a decision, and I think the perfect camera for me has come out.
JVC has a line of camcorders with built in HDs. Someone brought one to class on Saturday and it was really cool. You can just skip around through clips and STUFF. It’s really small too. I could easy fit it in a coat pocket or side bag.
Thought I’d let yalls all know about them as well.[/quote]
beware, this line of camcorder is well known for its extremely poor picture quality.
Yes, JVC has poor picture quality and it is not THAT small. I searched for a while and decided on the Panasonic S100. Try this website for all you need to know about camcorders.
[quote=“JoshTW”]Yes, JVC has poor picture quality and it is not THAT small. I searched for a while and decided on the Panasonic S100. Try this website for all you need to know about camcorders.
camcorderinfo.com/[/quote]
Yeah, it isn’t THAT small (for these days), but I haven’t paid much attention to camcorder technology for a long while .
I really just don’t want tapes/DVDs and want something portable. I know they have cheap Mpeg recorder things, but those truely do suck. I imagine both the panasonic or JVC would be quality enough for what I want to do with it. I’m happy with the results I get with my Canon.
Here’s an example of what I’ll mostly be doing with it: [HERE]
That was from my Canon. Are you happy with your purchase of the Panasonic? I assume it’s a yes.
Both cameras have a rather short battery life 
I guess I’ll have to figure out exactly how I’ll be using the thing and make a decision on that. The hard drive thing seems cool though, but it’s apperently really new stuff still.
When I first started looking I thought I only wanted a HDD. Before I had a Sony TVR-22. Still have it, damn, I got some many gadgets that I need to EBAY or Forumosify.
Anyway, I realized that size was one of the most important thing as I wanted to capture the daily life of my 2 year old. I wouldn’t need a long lasting battery, or super long use HDD.
Since the S100 has an SD card, I just pop it in my notebook, or PC and burn a DVD for backup and that DVD can play in my DVD player as well. Quite convenient and so far so good. I have never run out of battery power in use, but sometimes I forget to recharge it before an outing and then I get worried. I will buy another battery in case I forget to recharge.
Say Say Say!!
No talk of Hard Disk, only…
Hard Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaay !!!. Hooooooooooooooooooooo!
I was interested in the HD solution until I noticed the poor low-light performance. There’s nothing worse than finishing a Jujitsu practice and then having to go home and get your other camera to film your buddy’s birthday bash.
I have three dead JVC cams, DVL520, D90, DVM90. I swore never to let anyone I know buy another JVC. I’m sure the HD and miniDV stuff has little in comon but I don’t care.
Sony has never let me down. youtube.com/profile?user=Turkeydinner
[quote=“turkey_dinner”]I have three dead JVC cams, DVL520, D90, DVM90. I swore never to let anyone I know buy another JVC. I’m sure the HD and miniDV stuff has little in comon but I don’t care.
Sony has never let me down. youtube.com/profile?user=Turkeydinner[/quote]
The reason I started thinking about HD/SD cams is because I’m pretty happy with the performance of my digital camera for video, except for the fact that I can’t do things like zoom while recording and things like that.
A friend of mine just gave me a DVD full of fights that he recorded from his JVC HD cam, but they all have this strange MOD extension. A little googling showed me that a lot of people have trouble converting it to something useable in editing programs. It’s strange that they’d do that. JVC has just (as of 2 days ago) been crossed off the list.
My eye is on the Panasonic (or something similar) right now.
I agree wholheartedly with that. I’ve been using a Sony DCR-TRV900 3 CCD Mini-DV camcorder for years and years and I’ve never once had a problem with it (and before that I used a Sony tape model). It works perfectly for what I do with it - editing video in iMovie or Final Cut, burning via iDVD or Studio Pro. It might be my only brand loyalty other than Apple.
I’ve also heard good things about the no-frills Sony DCR-HC26: 20X optical zoom, 2.5" touch panel swivel LCD, 1/6" CCD, NightShot and infrared, it points, it shoots, it scores - US$300-350. The midrange DCR-HC96 has a 3.3MP CCD - US$799.99. Then there’s the pro model, the droolworthy DCR-VX2100 - US$3,000.
HD cams are a wonderful idea, I’m just not sure if we’re there yet.
Oh man. I’ve looked for a used TVR900 or 950 in taiwan for years. I almost dropped the bomb and bought a PD150 in Vancouver this summer… Cameras are so expensive here.
Don’t get me started on Crapple though…
I don’t think they are.
I don’t think I’ve seen one here (but I’ll keep a lookout). I bought mine in the States several years ago. Still runs like a champ. I did have one battery give up the ghost though. And I did manage to drop the cap for my wide angle lens off a cliff in Taroko Gorge.
Don’t get me started on Micro$quish, and we have a deal. 