Best low cost HD video camera for holiday!

I currently shot on Sony EXR1 and back up cameras 2 x Sony Z1's but dont want to take either of these on vacation, to flaming big!
Anyone out in FCP land got a suggestion for a flash card/small video camera (HD) to take on my holidays?
I was looking at the Flip Mino HD Camcorder or even the Sony HDR-XR100 80GB AVCHD HDD Camcorder.

Hi
If You won on the lottery.
Google RED Cameras
astronomical costs - but that's what some pros use
nice to see then at least - no cost to view
Yours Bengt W

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Best low cost professional-grade camera?

Hey videographers,
I need to upgrade from a consumer to professional camcorder.
Can you recommend a reliable camcorder with 2 audio channels, great image stabilization, best picture quality, firewire, battery life and tape features at the professional level?
I'd love to have a Sony HVR-Z1U (but that will have to wait till I'm a little richer). Any second runner ups under $3000?
powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Hi,
I use the Sony FX1 and I'm very happy with the image quality. I recently bought an extended time battery, that gives me about 350 minutes of recording time. I like the film 24 fps, saturation mode. The regular video mode looks very clear and high contrast. But the film saturation mode, is warm and soothing to the eyes. Sound is ok.... but I bought a converter box so that I can use XLR inputs. I bought it off of ebay from Datavis for about 3150.00 $. BTW, i buy alot of my film props off of ebay too, but don't tell anyone.
Mark
http://www.super-natural-films.com

Best Affordable Reliable Video Camera for imovie

Does anyone have suggestions for the most affordable and reliable video camera for imovie? I have tried to use an older model Samsung (w/mini-dvd), but, at best the uploads are 'quirky'!

Hi Sheila,
You still need to buy a miniDV camcorder if you want to capture your video into iMovie, without going through some conversion software, which will cause loss of quality of your image. Then just burn it to DVD, although the editing process can be a whole lot of fun, plus you can add music to your movie, if wanted.
Check out the Panasonic line of miniDV cams and for lots of helpful info on all Panny cams, go to the following website. I don't work for Panasonic, by the way, just the proud owner of a superb GS-500 (discontinued- sorry).
Forest
http://www.pana3ccduser.com/forumdisplay.php?s=8b722d3c98c5012437a68ecef324cdfb& daysprune=&f=6
iMac G5 20" 1.8 GHz - 400GB HD - 2GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8) 300 GB & 160GB Ext drives, QT 7.1.5 Pro

Video camera for greenscreen work +

Hi. I'm going to be setting up an in-home studio for a weekly, 1 hour show (to be viewed on the internet, not sure if could ever get it onto public access stations but might like the option).
The studio will be 20' long by 16' wide (probably minus a carveout for a bathroom) - but will retain a 20' length for filming.
For noise control, planning to hang heavy black curtains on the sides and camera end, add some carpeting, and possibly some simple / inexpensive treatment on ceiling as well. Will either paint back wall green or get some chromakey material to shoot against. WIll have a desk with 1-4 people for the show, positioned 6-8 feet from the greenscreen, and the camera on the other end (roughly 12 feet away)
I'm trying to keep the cost as low as possible, but would like it to be a step up from my $200ish consumer camcorders (a JVC Everio and a Canon HV20), so I've been looking at some used Prosumer or Professional Video Cameras that would allow me to capture the 4:2:2 colorspace I want to do for improved Chroma Keys. (I have Adobe Master Suite CS6 and will be doing my work in After Effects and Premiere)
We have a Sony DSLR A200 which came with a couple of lenses, but don't have any additional lenses beyond that (or much camera experience - so all sugestions welcome).
Cameras I've considered include
Sony HVR-V1U which I can get locally for about $1000 or less; one just sold on Ebay for $800ish - I'm a bit reluctant to make that big of a purchase there, but might consider it if a well established seller / store - B&H suggested this camera didn't give you 'true' 4:2:2 colorspace via HDMI; Sony said it did give you the colorspace, what was lacking in these earlier models (or hmdi ports maybe) was ability to transmit full intensity data (for brightness)
Think I might need to buy an HDMI Capturing device to get the 4:2:2 signal - Atomos Ninja 2 runs just under $700, lets you record directly to Hard Drives so fairly inexpensive option for massive storage; Have also seen a variety of products from Blackmagic (Intensity Pro - and Hyperdeck Shuttle - ranging from $150ish-$350ish)
Canon XF100 is newer, seems to be a superior camera. Records onto generic Compact Flash cards (which could help limit expense and make for easy editing); and meets 'broadcast standards' of 50Mbps at full HD, and might not need external HDMI capture - saw these at B&H for between $2000 used, $2500 new; Currently listed for $2100 at 42nd Street Photo.com - which looks legitimate as best I can tell.
Heard BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera mentioned as well - much cheaper, roughly $1000 for new - but seemed like those might need a variety ofa dd o (dont know if compatible with my Sony lenses) - and require fast (expensive) SD cards
Would welcome any advice about good video camera for greenscreen work - along with any experience on the Atomos Ninja 2 or Blackmagic products retailed above (and any tidbits on setting up audio/video studio; will be recording some music in there as well)
Thanks

It's a trade-off ... which is to say, it's like Life in general, right?
That many people that close-in is gonna be awful tight. Two people, ok ... three pushing it ... four is gonna work you some. Getting talent any farther away from the background given the limited distance the camera can move is not likely, without getting too wide a view from the cam exposing off-screen areas.
As to the screen blending into the floor ... you can affix the front edge out from the wall such as to get a curved shape that can visually blend wall into floor, you need a good two-feet radius to pull it off though. And if someone steps back, um ... yea, screens and photog's background paper can easily get a fresh new hole in them.
The "cove" backdrop support is a common commercial photographers tool ... needs to have at least a two-foot radius to be able to blend it visually from floor into wall. Often made by cutting 1/4" ply into 4-foot squares, then drawing a circle on them with a 2-foot radius, cutting out with a jig saw ... resulting in four corner sections that will be used for building the cove itself. Each with that radius of a circle cut out of it. Screw some small wood blocks onto the straight sides, using these blocks to fasten the cove-form sections to the wall and floor, then maybe three blocks flush with the edges of the cove one in the middle of the arc, then equidistant each side from there. Measure from an inch or two off the cove form onto the floor up flush with the bend of the cove and an inch or two past the cove-form up the wall. Cut a strip of 1/4" ply or masonry board or whatnot (some short of thin bendable but tough sheet good) that fits this dimension, push them tight to the form and screw through the sheets into the woodblocks on the cove forms.
Then your screen material can just drap over it and you won't step through it. We built one for our studio, it's 12 foot wide, works great ... and put two layers of 1/4" ply over it, the first stopping just at the edge of the cove form, the other going past that another inche and a half or so.

Best non mini dv video camera to import a football match to imovie 09?

sorry for the 2nd consecutive post, but to go with my previous problem, i am looking for a good cheapish solution to the following problem
currently the video camera i use to record the youth teams football matches is a panasonic NV G5S which requires firewire to transfer to imovie. my macbook is wonderful, but it doesnt have a firewire port. so what i have to do is import the video to my friends older mac, then transfer it to my mac . all very time consuming, around 4 hours for 1 match. also the quality is rather bad, so bad when analysing the game with the coach, we cant make out which player is which at times. therefor i am considering buying a new video camera which will import direct to my macbook without the need for a firewire cable. could someone recommend the best video camera for quaity which is compatable with the mac for around 200-300 pounds. also i dont mind upgrading to imovie 09 should this be a better application to import higher quality videos.
please help

Hello twrate,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
For more information on this, take a look at:
iMovie '11: If iMovie doesn’t recognize your camcorder
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2146
Best of luck,
Mario

Which cable do I need to connect my Mac Book Pro to my Panasonic PV-GS150 video camera for transferring video to iMovie?

which cable do I need to connect my Mac Book Pro to my Panasonic PV-GS150 video camera for transferring video to iMovie?

I totally understand.
Check some things from here, I have 2 and they have been great so far.
Check here, lots of storage and reasonable prices. Also great support, you get to speak to a person
Clean off your on the G5 drive and off you go.
I suggest buying a second drive and setting it up for a back up, Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner, or SuperDuper (both "bootable" back up) All searchable on the web.
http://eshop.macsales.com/search/elite+pro
You can talk to a person for REAL advice, Phone: 800.275.4576 Ask about exporting to your G5 and and exporting to your existing OSX, you may only need a small inexpensive drive for this.
Quick delivery and willing to help.
Hope this makes you back up and running :-)
Do get a back up drive, as it is not ""whether my drive will fail, as much as "when my drive fails"
All the best

HT2986 I got a Samsung video camera for Christmass. I get error message when trying to down load video. Pictures down load fine. I have a Imac with system 10.5.8 and Imovie 8 (7.1.4). Is it camera problem or something on my end. Any help is appreciat

Got a new video camera for Christmas, Samsung HMX-F80, it down loads pictures just fine, but videos I just can't get it to down load. I was able to down load to my PC part no problem.
MY Imac, System 10.5.8, Imovie 8 (7.1.4). Do I need to upgrade? Or what.
Any help is appreciated.

Is it listed here?
iMovie 8 Camcorders supported:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014

Which is the best low-cost camera for my use?

Hi everyone. Been busy and off the forums for a while, but need your expertise once again.
I just found out that the Panasonic HVX-200p that's been on loan to me for 2 years has to be returned. Since I run a non-profit, I am thinking about asking my major donors to buy one for us. So, the question becomes which one? I own the CS4 MC, and you can see my other info in my profile.
I only do educational-type videos in an interview format against a green screen so far. I've been capturing direct to OnLocation via 1394 FireWire at 720p/60fps and editing in an HDV 720p/30 sequence. I sometimes do "man on the street" segments (capturing to OnLocation on laptop). I integrate numerous PSD graphics as educational slides, a lot of AE projects I get from videohive and customize, render, & import into PP, and motion backgrounds like Pond5's weekly free stock footage (much of this stuff gets resized, of course). I do some scoring and some SFX and export the audio to SB for touchup. I use a bunch of Lowes/Home Depot worklamps with fluorescent bulbs for lighting the subject and background. I key my backgrounds using PP/AE Dynamic Link. Oh, and I'll need a lapel mic and a tripod, too. I would prefer not to rule out shooting at 1080i/p at some point.
I export H.264 highlight clips which get uploaded to Vimeo and embedded in our website using prettyPhoto features. Ultimately, the finished PP project is exported as MPEG2-DVD, finished in Encore, burned via ImgBurn. If you want to see a good example, watch this http://vimeo.com/23346431. Caution: this is religious material. Be sure to repent before watching
So, there's not really much heavy lifting here. But when it comes to what is the minimum I need with the options of capture formats, etc., I'm clueless. I've read about problems with AVCHD, and although low-cost, is it really a problem for what I do? I trust this forum more than online reviews, and I'd appreciate recommendations of specific models and where to buy, if possible. Also, what about used cameras? Please remember, the budget is tight.
All suggestions and questions are welcome and very much appreciated.
Paul

Actually, two things surprise me in your statement and one is simply incorrect:
As for Broadcast quality..... a little station called CNN - you might have heard about them bought 250 of them from Panasonic about a year ago.
First, that CNN would buy JVC cameras not from JVC, but from Panasonic.
Second, there are no JVC cameras on the BBC approved list at all, see http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/site/BBC_Approved_HD_Cameras.pdf and the only affordable ones on the list in the handheld category are the Canon XF300/305. Maybe that is the reason the BBC bought 350 of these. Even the Sony XDCAM EX is only accepted in combination with a 50 Mb disk drive, not in the native 35 Mb format.
The BBC approved list is a list that most broadcasters adhere to, including CNN, Discovery, ARD and NGC.
The JVC GY-HD100U is definitely not acceptable for HD, and in no way HD broadcast ready. But that CNN bought that number of these cameras is probably caused by the fact that they think these deliver better quality than regular phones. And it does not use XDCAM, but a very simple HDV codec, limited to 1280 x 720 resolution. See http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/specs.jsp?model_id=MDL101539&feature_id=03
This simply means that the Canon codec is very acceptable to the BBC for HD programs. The XF100 uses the same codec, but is only a single sensor camera and for that reason alone not approved by the BBC.
Paul, if you can live with the limitations of a single sensor camera - and given your intended purposes, I think you can - the JVC does not even come close and the XF100 material will be hardly worse than the XF300/305. To the untrained eye the results are almost the same.

What is best type of 'new' video camera to buy for editing with PE 10?

I currently own two Sony miniDV camcorders (models DCR-HC28 and HC40) and was doing fine in Premiere Elements and recently upgraded to version 10. I was in the process of using the HC40 cam as a 'pass-through' device to digitize some old VHS tapes, and it worked well for copying from VHS to miniDV tape. Then, I could capture in Premiere Elements and edit, etc. (It would never work to pass all the way through to capture in PE in one step using Firewire). Now, the HC40 camera has locked up on me halfway through my box of VHS tapes, and is stuck showing the Time/Date screen and the touch screen seems to be disabled. What to do?
There do exist plenty of used DCR-HC40 and 52s (which also support pass-through) on Amazon for sale in the $200 range, and that is one option. I also went to Best Buys this week and looked at all the new Sony video cameras, and they fell into basically two series: the DCR-SX series, which record in standard definition onto flash memory (SD cards), and the more expensive HDR-CX series, which record in Hi Definition (also on SD cards) but also, I was told, can record in standard definition. The miniDV camcorders are no more, apparently. I am not so enamored of HD recording that I would go whole hog for it, as I am happy with the results I have been getting with my miniDV cameras once burned to DVD or converted to MPEG or MP4 for playing on my iPhone, etc. Plus, HD takes up so much more memory and space on the hard drive compared to standard def files.
I called Sony tech services today to find out that none of the new cameras support the pass-through function for digitizing from old VHS cassettes, so I am looking at buying a VHS-digitizing device as recommended here on the forum such as the ADS Pyro AV Link or Grass Valley ADVC110. Since I would rather spend that money on a new video camera instead of merely the AV link device which I will have no use for once the tapes are digitized, my question comes back to the cameras. Which of the new cameras will be most ideal for editing in PE10 going forward, or is it best to stick with miniDV for now?
Steve G has always seemed to point out that miniDV tape and the ensuing AVI files are the best for PE to work with. Sony told me today that even the SD cameras such as the DCR-SX65SD ($219) now record onto the SD cards in MPEG2 format, and that AVI is a thing of the past that died with the miniDV tapes. I assume MPEG2 still comes out as different clips that one assembles on the Timeline in PE10? One probably could convert the MPEG2 files to AVI, but would that give the same quality as an original AVI file from a miniDV tape? And if MPEG2 is the new standard going forward, do the resulting videos made with PE10 have the same quality as those made from 'native' AVI files? I will buy a used DCR-HC40 miniDV camera if the end result is better than those to be obtained with the brand new DCR or HDR series cameras now available in stores. But if the quality is the same, I could perhaps opt for one such as the HDR-CX 130HD ($349) which also records in SD in case some years from now I decide I really DO want to switch to HD formats.
Any advice on choice/use of the newer cameras and their default formats such as MPEG2 is welcome, in relation to PE10 editing and output capabilities.
Thanks very much,   paultool3

Dear JM and Steve,
Thanks much for your replies. I plan to get my DCR-HC40 miniDV camera fixed so I can use it for pass-through digitizing from VHS tapes. I also recently bought one of the Dazzle Video Creator Platinum capture units ($84 at Best Buys) just to try it, and actually got pretty good results in digitizing a VHS-C tape using a VHS-C to VHS adapter unit to play it in our VCR, and then using the Pinnacle Studio HD (version 15) that came with the Dazzle unit to import and digitize through the Dazzle unit.
The Dazzle unit would not show up in Premiere Elements 10 as an option to capture from, but did in Pinnacle Studio 15.   I used our Sony VAIO with i7 processor and Pinnacle captured the one hour, twenty-five minute- long VHS-C tape to a single 18GB .AVI clip which I then was able to bring into Premiere Elements 10 and use for output in various formats.
When using a less powerful laptop initially, the digitizing failed, with 319 dropped frames in the first 5 minutes.. So it takes a more powerful computer to work with a capture unit like Dazzle, apparently.
I will eventually be shopping around for a new, AVCHD format video camera as well based on your recommendations, but the current group of Sonys in this category, such as the HDR-CX130HD ($349) which record video onto SD cards, are getting bad reviews from CNET, claiming they have poor quality HD and other issues. So for the forseeable future I will be sticking with miniDV using my Sony DCR-HC28 and HC40 camcorders.

Best Low Cost Camcorder for FCP?

I'm going to take back a Samsung D453 camcorder because it has time code breaks during capture. Does anyone have any recommendations for a low cost DV camcorder that is supported by Final Cut Pro?

Actually, recording timecode on a tape might have been a good idea with analog crash recording, but it does not make sense on DV camcorders. If nothing else you end up recording twice on the tape which increases wear on the camera heads and doesn't do much for the tape either.
As an alternative to blacking tapes, simply record the first 30 seconds or so of the tape without images. Use a bars and tone if the camera can generate one. Otherwise use the FCP version. This gives you enough preroll area for capturing all material after this point.
Once into the tape, just make sure when you stop recording, the heads are in a position that will allow them to pick up the timecode and continue on. As long as you do not rewind and review the footage you are good to go. If you must rewind & review, stop the play back a few seconds short of the end of the previous shot.
So to recap. Generate bars and tone for the first 30 seconds of the tape then give your self enough preroll on each shot as well as an additional few seconds at the end of each shot.
If you must review a shot/scene in camera, stop the tape before the end of the scene so the camera can pick up the timecode as it moves on.
Good luck.
x

What are the best low cost web cams to use with a Macbook Pro?

I want to use both the Mac internal camera and a remote camera for teaching on Skype and I am therefore looking for the best solution for me - any help out there?

For Skype use, see Skype Help starting at https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA603/which-webcams-and-headsets-will-work-with -skype?q=webcam. In general, webcams from http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com that meets your budget limits will work.
I suggest a USB (versus Firewire) cam. Don't install any software that comes with it (all necessary software is included in Mac OS X 10.4.9 and later), and it should work with your Mac.
When your Mac recognizes more than one connected camera, most camera-capable applications have settings that allow you to choose which camera to use. However, they do not all work the same way. (In most apps, the selector choices do not show if you do not have more than one camera.)
To switch Skype between your inbuilt and external webcams, select the camera you want in the "Camera" choices bar of Skype Audio/Video Preferences as shown in this image:
These previous threads contain some general information on how to select between connected camera in some other camera apps:
• http://discussions.apple.com/thread/6531512
• http://discussions.apple.com/thread/5162798
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac OSX 10.10.3

Best video camera for Mac's

Hi, not sure if I am in the right place or not but here goes ... I am looking for a video camera to take mostly home movies, my son's lacrosse games, kids' Christmas concerts etc. I was looking at some models today and the salesperson told me that the Sony's are not compatible with Mac's. Is this true? I am looking to spend up to $700. I liked the ones that had 40x zoom (good to see the net from the back of the arena). I also don't know if its better to get a video camera with a hard drive or a memory card. I don't anticipate that I would do a lot of editing but I think I would like to edit games and concerts, etc, to the shorter movies to send to the grandparents. Any suggestions, thanks for the advice.
Carla

Oh, whether you should get one with a hard drive is a matter of opinion. I've heard pros and cons about hard drive versus tape. Some people say that if you're recording a long, action packed event like a sports event, a hard drive would be better because you don't have to worry about switching out tapes. On the other hand, if you're on a trip, the hard drive can fill and you have no way to download it, unless you have your computer with you. You also take a chance of the hard drive failing before you can get your footage off of it. But one of the technicians at the Sony service center near where I live, said that this isn't an issue for him because he downloads her footage within a day or two.

Best hd video camera for Final Cut Express HD?

About to purchase an HD camera for use with FCE HD ... any suggestions? Running a 2..6GHz Intel Core i& MacBook pro with 8GB RAM.

Hi
If You won on the lottery.
Google RED Cameras
astronomical costs - but that's what some pros use
nice to see then at least - no cost to view
Yours Bengt W

Best low cost camcorder to use with imovie?

Currently use windows movie maker and Canon A620 for simple home movies. Some other movie programs won't recognize the Canon format from the camera. Considering macbookpro when leopard and ilife 07 released.
Looking at lower cost comparisons between Sony and Canon in tape and mini DVD. Sony had better reliability & picture & sound ratings in leading consumer magazine of older similar models, but I had the impression Canon might work better with Apple in general?
Also is the current version of iMovie not compatible with formats used by miniDVD?
Since these cameras are all newer will iMovie recognize them, or is there an update to improve compatibility with newer models
Specifically comparing:
Canon ZR850 to Sony DCR-HC38 Mini DV
Canon DC-210 to Sony DCR-DVD108 Mini DVD
Looking for comments or other recommendations
Thanks,
Windows XP

Mark,
You wrote: "..My iMac has 1-400MB and 1-800MB Firewire port. The 400MB port is in use by a hard drive so I want to use the 800MB port for a camcorder. My research has led me to a Firewiredirect.com site that has 4pin to 9pin cables, so I think this will work.."
..but I doubt it.
I've never got a Sony camcorder to work with a Mac by connecting it with a 4-pin-to-9-pin cable to a FireWire 800 port. But you may be luckier!
However, I often get a Sony camcorder to work by "daisy-chaining" it through an FW400 hard drive, as long as the external hard drive has two FW400 sockets on it. Not all camcorders will work this way - and notably not Canons.
But if the hard drive has two FW400 connections, connect the drive to the Mac with one of them, and plug the camcorder into the other socket on the hard drive. (..You may have to experiment by swapping over the connections to see which way works best..)
With a Sony camcorder plugged into the hard drive, and the hard drive plugged into the Mac, the camcorder should be perfectly visible to the Mac ..and you should be able to save your video onto either the Mac's internal disc, or the external disc ..as long as the external disc is formatted as 'Mac OS Extended', and not as MS-DOS-compatible, or FAT32, or some other Windows format.
If your external hard disc has an FW800 socket, then I'd connect it into your iMac via FW800, and plug the camcorder into the FW400 socket on the Mac. The hard disc - if it has an FW800 connection - will probably work better (..i.e; faster..) through that connection anyway.

46SL417U- Compatible USB Video Cameras for Skype

Is there a list of compatible models so I can use Skype???
I bought a Microsoft Lifecam Studio and when I launch Skype it tells me that the camera is not deteced.
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/en_US/pd/productID.224526100/catID.44066900/parentCatego...
Works with Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo!, AOL Instant Messenger, and Skype†

Looking at the Skype website they have these listed under the Skype for TV section.
http://shop.skype.com/skype-for-tv/
There's a Freetalk Conference HD Camera for Toshiba TVs listed there.

Best low cost HD video camera for holiday!

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