I'm in the market for a video camera. I have just started looking, but i've decided i want a hard drive camcorder and don't want to spend a lot of money on this as it will just be for recreational use.

the guy at best buy (who seemed fairly knowledgeable on the subject) recommended this panasonic:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8673278&type=product&id=1197074853731

what do you guys think? what other suggestions do you have? thanks...

3/3/2009 7:26:12 PM

did you attempt to search?

3/3/2009 8:08:05 PM

yeap, found a 6 month old topic that was of no help.

3/3/2009 8:17:24 PM

Damn, I came to tech talk to hit "create topic" to ask this same exact thing, and I saw your thread.

If you don't mind, I will ask for advice here as well, as I have similar criteria. If you mind, let me know, and I will pull my post.

*******************************************

I am gonna be a dad soon, and I need to buy one before the birth (flying on 3/15, so need to buy one before then), so I can have it at birth.

I am looking for:

- hard drive, 30/40 GB, but 60 would be better (or preferably hybrid, hard drive + sd card)
- price range $350-$500 (obviously HD out of question?)
- good optical zoom, at least 20-30X
- if possible, good still image resolution, say at least 2MP (i noticed that those with good zoom had low still image resolution... is there any general inverse relationship?)
- image stabilization would be nice

of course, good lens/video quality go without saying.

we have a panasonic dvd recorder with a hard drive. would it for some reason make it easier to go with panasonic because of that? although i guess most of the copying/storing/burning would be done on the computer, right? i have never had one of these, so i am not familiar.

as i am completely new to this product, i am doing some basic research (technical, not models/brands) on http://www.camcorderinfo.com, http://www.cnet.com, and http://www.steves-digicams.com, but i am short on time to do thorough research as i need to do a thousand other tasks before i travel for birth, so i would like some recent direct personal experiences from people here to buy a good basic/middle digital vid cam. i have gone through all recent (< 1 yo) tww threads.

any brands/models to stay away from? and brands/models to look closely at?

also, CMOS or CCD sensor?

i just want something nice, small, and basic for shooting home movies, and maybe some nature/animals.

thanks a lot.

3/3/2009 9:23:48 PM

interesting

[Edited on March 3, 2009 at 9:56 PM. Reason : s]

3/3/2009 9:53:17 PM

bttt

3/4/2009 1:34:03 PM

so no one has bought one recently?

3/5/2009 10:11:50 PM

I got a Hitachi DZBD7HAF over the weekend...havent use it yet but I'll post vids, pics, and any updates later this week.

specs from radioshack

Blu-ray hybrid camcorder records on a high-definition hard drive or to blue ray disc
30x optical zoom (500x digital) brings you in close even from far away
ADNR technology analyzes and encodes the video while significantly reducing noise
2.7-inch color LCD rotates so you get the angle you want every time
ACCMM reduces false colors to reproduce images in clearer and more natural color than ever before
Hybrid camcorder lets you transfer video quickly and directly to a Blu-ray Disc from the hard drive
5.3-megapixel CMOS sensor offers 2.07 megapixels for video mode and 4.32 megapixels for still photos
USB 2.0 port allows high-speed data transfer to PC
Remarkably user-friendly operation makes it an intuitive camera



[Edited on March 9, 2009 at 9:24 AM. Reason : pic]

3/9/2009 9:22:36 AM

wow, those are some neat specs.

how much did that run you?

3/9/2009 12:14:49 PM

bump

8/7/2009 11:29:42 AM

My parents are looking for a camcorder for my brother in the price range of $500. Anybody have any suggestions or tips?

8/7/2009 12:01:19 PM

do you know what they want beyond 'camcorder' + <=$500?

there are all kinds of digital camcorders that would fit those criteria, but without knowing a little more about what it'll be used for, and their preferences, everyone's replies will be based on their own preferences.

8/7/2009 3:03:15 PM

if you couldnt tell, I have no experience in this category. My brother has never owned one before so Im sure he doesnt know what he wants either. They are looking at a JVC Everio at best buy for $450. Any help on brands, features, yada yada would be greatly appreciated.

8/7/2009 3:27:32 PM

I'd start here then and check out the reviews:

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

[Edited on August 7, 2009 at 4:03 PM. Reason : i have no personal experience with JVC digital video cameras]

8/7/2009 4:02:39 PM

JVCs are generally pieces of shit from my experience


see if you can find a canon, panasonic, or a sony

8/7/2009 7:38:43 PM

thanks for all the advice, any particular features or models I should look for?

8/7/2009 9:22:15 PM

whatever fits in your budget that has image stabilisation

8/8/2009 12:42:39 AM

I'm thinking about the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 for a sub $200 camera. I can't afford much more than that right now and honestly I've never had one before, so I'm not sure how much I will use it. We have a little one on the way, so it seems like a good time to get one.
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Sanyo-Xacti-VPC-CG10-Camcorder-Review-36742.htm

8/8/2009 12:03:58 PM