Camcorder Bargains

Bill G:

The BEST ones will be those cameras which:

1) store their captured video with the least amount of compression.

2) have an easy video archive process so you don’t have an extra step.

3) have an external mic jack so you can connect external mics.

4) have manual audio control, exposure/iris, zoom and focus – but also can go auto while you are learning to use the camera.

When you star looking you will find miniDV tape based camcorders will meet all of these requirements. Hard drive, flash memory and DVD based camcorders cannot meet these requirements.

Since you did not give us a budget – other than you don’t want to spend very much, starting at the low end and working our way to the mid-range:

Canon ZR950 ZR800 (no manual audio controls)
Sony DCR-HC28, HC96 (no manual audio control, but you can switch the mic gain from normal to low to do loud noises like bands without overdriving the audio auto-leveling circuit resulting in a pile of muddy audio.)
Canon HV20, HV30; Sony HDR-HC7, HD9 (have everything on the requirements list)

You should also include a firewire port addition to your computer (unless you are using a Mac – they have had firewire ports for years), firewire cable (USB will not work to transfer video from miniDV tape based camcorders), high capacity rechargeable battery, sturdy carrying case and tripod on your immediate shopping list… and start saving for external mics and lighting…

If you must, look into the hard drive cameras – but they, along with the flahs based cameras compress their video a LOT – which is why I cannot recommend them.

DO NOT BUY A DVD BASED CAMCORDER. They are worst video quality, the discs are a pain and editing their video is awful.