Camcorder advice

I am looking to replace my Sony mini-dvd camcorder. Although I love it, I can't easily transfer video (I didn't know this before purchasing). I have done a few clips using Handbrake but it seems to take a VERY long time. Anyway, what's the easiest way to transfer to my Mac...mini tapes or buy one with a hard drive? Any advice would be appreciated.

Did you try with iMovie '08? It should import from your Mini-DVD camcorder directly, without going through a lengthy re-coding process.
As far as importing movies goes, hard drive camcorders work very much like DVD camcorders. A hard drive camcorder just has more recording space, and you don't have to fiddle with initializing and finalizing DVDs. But they both record in MPEG-2, connect via USB, and present themselves as external random-access drives to the computer.
So it's really a choice between DVD/HD and MiniDV. But before you buy a new camcorder, give it another try with iMovie '08.

Similar Messages

  • Eek! My cover is blown... Camcorder advice needed...

    Please excuse the bizzarre Thread Title, but i think it sums up my situation perfectly. Basically, i've been using iMovie and iDVD to make some gorgeous home movies reently, and everyone's been doing the usual "Wow! How did you do that?" sort of thing. That's the joy of iLife I suppose- you get high-quality results from next to near no effort.
    But now i've been asked to help shoot a 45 minute mini-film for a (prestigious) local drama group, who really liked all of my iMovie projects. Trouble is, i've only got a tiny little Panasonic 3CCD Camcorder, and...well, i think i'm expected to bring something that resembles more of a bazooka than this meagre little thing. They're after 'high-quality'- video, and i'm not sure if i can provide. Shooting iMovie home-movies is one thing, but this...
    So I really need advice on getting the most out of my camera and getting my 'film' to look as good as expected. I've thought about the idea of buying a 'wide-conversion lens' but i've got no idea whether it'll give me nice widescreen shots or just fuzz up the quality. And as for lighting- any hints? All of my projects have been outdoors where they look great, but i'm meant to shoot indoors for this. In the dark.
    I've also thought of upgrading to FCE, as i could do with some more 'pro'-like abilities, but I won't have forever to learn how to use it.
    Basically I'm just an iMovie user who's been mistaken for Steven Speilberg and has just been given a $60m make-or-break contract. What am i to do?
    (Please forgive the melodrama in this post, i'm just getting into character)
    PJ
    Oh, and just for the record, the camcroder serial number is NV-GS140

    1. As mentioned before, DO go to see them rehearse, so that you know what they'll be doing, and note down specially interesting or tricky moments which might be difficult to shoot - e.g; two people at opposite ends of wherever they're performing; where should you put the camera to make sure they're both in shot? ..or would it be better to use two cameras ..one to capture each of them? ..etc.
    2. You say you have several mics, but several mics at several positions will capture different audio, and it looks awful onscreen afterwards if the sound cuts at the same moment as every camera cut: the audio needs to be consistent even while the picture cuts from one shot to another. So think - and experiment - where would be the best place to put your main mic to get proper coverage of all the sound..? (..or attach a cheap radio mic to each person..) and then record that master audio from your main mic into one 'master' camera which you keep running all the time, or into a reliable audio recorder whose speed won't drift ..e.g; a mini-disc recorder. See 8 below.
    3. As suggested by Karsten and Matt, get hold of a few other camcorders for close-ups, long shots, etc, and keep one 'master' camcorder running. But make sure that those other cameras can shoot OK in indoor light. Don't forget to set the White Balance correctly on all cameras, so that if you're shooting by indoor (electric) light you have the camera(s) set up to 'light-bulb' white-balance, NOT 'sun' or 'cloudy' setting, or everything will come out blue!
    4. Your 3-chip Panny should be excellent for low light, and has a superb lens. But do get used to handling it, and setting it up, for low light indoors: shutter speed of a fiftieth or a twenty-fifth; maybe turn the gain up a couple of notches (if it has a Gain or AE Shift control); put it on a tripod, or other steadying device, and turn the SIS image stabilisation OFF (for a sharper picture) and use only the optical zoom (NOT the super-magnifying blurry digital zoom); plug an external mic into the mic socket, and put headphones in the headphone socket to be SURE of what the sound is like, and that you're not picking up motor noise from the camera.
    5. If it's a play on a stage, you'll have limited freedom to put cameras just anywhere, so watch the rehearsals (see 1 above) to choose your camera placement. If it's being 'staged' specially for you to shoot as a movie, you can put cameras anywhere, and you can ask the actors to repeat scenes (..but don't get on their nerves!..) so that you can shoot the same scene from different positions, for close-ups, etc. Handheld looks dreadful when it's seen afterwards on a big screen, unless you have very steady hands, or unless the onscreen character is going through some emotional turbulence, so keep the camera very steady, on a tripod or (easier to carry around and manipulate) a monopod. If it's being 'staged' specially for you to shoot, ensure that the lighting is consistent ..so that if actor A has light on the right of their face, try to keep it that way: audiences will get confused if the lighting changes from one side of the face to the other (..has s/he crossed the room? ..turned to face the other way..? ..turned through 180 degrees?..)
    6. Don't get over-ambitious. Don't try to be overly 'smart'. They'll be very pleased to see 'their' production on tape, or onscreen. They probably don't want to see an 'arty' version of what they've been doing, with twisted camera angles, excruciating close-ups, complex tracking shots (..no offence to "Rope"!..) ..As long as it's easy on the eye and everyone's visible, and everyone can be heard, and the picture doesn't wobble, they'll probably be perfectly happy! So don't get worried.
    7. Don't go over the top with fancy effects, so that the effects detract from the story: it may be a brilliant shot to you, but they're more interested in the story being comprehensible, not the fact that you had to hang upside down by your ankle to get the shot, or that you had to merge three different transitions in iMovie to get that hazy ripple-dissolve. Don't 'show off' ..they won't like it or appreciate it.
    8. The sound is even more important than the picture! If the picture's a little dim, it doesn't matter too much, as long as everyone can be heard (like listening to the radio) ..but if the sound's inaudible it'll be awful (like watching TV but with the sound turned off) and it just won't make sense. This can't be stressed too much: make sure your mic(s) pick up all the sound c-l-e-a-r-l-y and consistently ..and don't rely on the built-in mic on any camera.
    9. Use a long-running, large-capacity battery - or get several normal batteries. Do NOT just rely on the one battery which came with the camera: it will NOT last long enough. Check and see if the camera loses its settings if you remove and swap the battery, as it might change back to automatic shutter speed when you swap batteries, and thus you may lose your low-light settings. DO splash out on a high-capacity battery or several extra ones which you keep fully charged! If you're keeping a 'master camera' running for a consistent 'overall shot', keep that camera plugged into the mains if possible (..and if running off the mains, use headphones to check that it's not recording any 'mains hum').
    10. Be confident. If you appear to know what you're doing, they'll be happy to do what you ask. If you seem unsure, or vague, or don't know if your equipment's working, they'll get frustrated and they'll give poor performances ..then everyone will be upset! ..Be friendly, confident, but not bossy.
    In the end, it's only a movie..!
    11. Oh; you asked about a wide-angle lens; yes: get a wide-angle ..but try several in a shop before you choose one. Some may cut off the extreme corners of the picture, but that may not be noticeable in the viewfinder, as the viewfinder may NOT show the whole picture! [Shoot something, accurately, with the camera's normal lens at its widest angle, getting in shot, say, a room from exactly the door frame to a window frame, or having two other identifiable markers at the extreme edges of the shot. Import that clip into iMovie, and see if what's onscreen in iMovie is exactly what you shot ..or if iMovie shows more than your viewfinder showed! ..That way you'll know if you can rely on your finder to see to the edges of your shot. The very, extreme edges probably won't show on a normal TV, as the extreme margins are normally lost anyway, but you want to be sure that an add-on wide-angle will NOT crop the corners off your picture.]
    Some designs of wide-angle do NOT let you zoom to the full extent (..the picture may go out of focus..) so always try before you buy. You want a .5x or x4.5 wide-angle for it to be worthwhile. Sony wide-angles are very expensive, and often don't give more than x.7 (about a third) extra width. Other makes, e.g; Hama, may give 50% extra width (.5x) but may give a slightly fuzzy view. Spend half a day at Tottenham Court Road and New Oxford Street in London - if you're anywhere near there - to try every wide-angle in every shop ..otherwise try every wide-angle in Jessops, Dixons and every other camera shop in town. Keene Electronics sell a huge variety of w/a lenses, but you can't try before you buy!
    Some w/a lenses give a curved-edge 'semi-fisheye' effect, but a few do keep vertical lines vertical. You probably want as little as possible 'fisheye' effect, so that the audience can concentrate on the action, not on the peculiar curved look.. DO check that you can zoom (..i.e; choose your degree of closeness..) thro' your chosen w/a, otherwise you'll be limited as to where you can put the camera. Be careful that a w/a lens doesn't 'see' an external mic fixed on top of the camera!
    Er, tha-tha-that's all, folks!

  • Date Time Info - New Camcorder Advice

    Can anyone tell me if there is a newer camcorder (HDD or flash based) which will import into iMovie and retain the date and time that the video was shot? With miniDV camcorder, events are correctly listed based on the time the video was taken, however with DVD camcorder (wife wanted this piece of junk) the date and time are when imported not when taken. I would like to buy a new camera and don't want to have the same hassle with a new one - Any advise.

    afaik, ANY camcorder except these DVDcorder-thingies transfer the timestamp to iMovie
    consider to purchase iLife09, which offers, aside tons of other useful effects, a very conveninient manual change of timestamps in iMovie..
    for iM08 follow advice given on my site
    http://karsten.schluter.googlepages.com/im08changeeventdate
    ah, and Welcome Pittsburgh V Man to the  iMovie boards

  • Camcorder advice needed

    I am planning to purchase a new camcorder soon. Unlike my previous recorders, I want this one to be compatible with my iMac for editing purposes (deleting video scenes and adding music) followed by the burning of DVDs. I have a lengthy list of camcorders which are supposedly compatible from the "iMovie '08: Camcorder Support" bulletin. I have purchased iLife '08 (but haven't received it yet) which I presume contains iMovie '08 to upgrade from my present iMovie HD v 6.0.3. I assume that iMovie '08 is what I will use for editing purposes. I have decided that High Definition is not worth it for me since I want to archive my videos on DVDs for TV viewing. My understanding is that there is no simple or inexpensive way for me to burn any HD media with my present configuration. However, I do want to get a HDD recorder so that I don't have to bother with tapes or mini DVDs as I have in the past. I thought that the SD (standard definition) camcorders required firewire cable for connecting between the camcorder and the iMac however I see a note on the Camcorder Support bulletin which says "If your compatible device has both a USB and FireWire port, you will only need to use the USB port to work with iMovie '08". So am I correct in my conclusion to get a SD rather than HD camcorder for my purposes with USB connection to my iMac and that the HDD will not be problematic? Also if anyone can recommend a camcorder(s) for my purposes, I would appreciate that info as well. Thanks.

    Hi
    As I see it You aim to one goal and look the other way.
    iMovie'08 & 09 are very different to iMovie 1 to HD 6 - a compleatly different tool.
    iM'08 & 09 aim for - web/net publications - not good for DVDs (discards every second line
    resulting in a quality equal to VHS VCR tapes)
    iM 1 to HD6 - are for DVDs and full quality SD-video
    If You want DVDs to Your TV and SD-video then You should use an editor made for this
    eg. iMovie HD 6, FinalCut Express or Pro
    And if Your movies are meant to be a time document - only storage that are secure
    (what that will mean ?) are on tapes.
    So if DVD and family memoires - then a miniDV tape Camera and iMovie HD 6 or FCE.
    If short speed demanding clips to be sent to the web - iMovie'08 & 09 are the proper tools.
    Yours Bengt W

  • Digital Camcorder (ADVICE PLEASE!!!)

    I recently borrowed a digital camcorder from a friend and it needs to be returned soon.My ultimate goal is to get the footage that I recorded with it into Quicktime so I can post the footage on Youtube.This camcorder has no firewire connection on it.It has USB,DV,and standard A/V outputs.What is the best and most simple way for me to get the footage from the miniDV tapes into my IMAC as Quicktime files???or any digital format for that matter???

    If it doesn't use tape and a lot of JVC use hard drives then it records MOD files which are in fact MPEG-2 files and they won't export from QT Pro with sound. The question of MPEG-1 and 2 exports is asked here a thousand times a month. The answer is always the same:
    Open directly from the camera in iMovie 08 (not from copied files - it has fits if it loses the MOI files that are on the camera) or use MPEG Streamclip to open the MOD files and edit (cut, trim etc.) and export to MPEG-4 using the iTunes button and appropriate size in MPEG Streamclip. Or trim and export them to MPEG-2 again if you want not that that seems to be too helpful.
    If you have Toast 8 you can use the MOD files directly but you cannot edit them but it exports to various formats including DivX for those who like DivX (I don't).
    I normally open in Streamclip, edit out the dross , export to MPEG-2 and use those new files in Toast to make DVD's in 1/2 the time of iMovie and iDVD.
    When dealing with MPEG 1 or 2 ALWAYS correct timecode errors first in Streamclip Apple+F if it doesn't remind you to as it probably will or your 1 hour movie might be 3 minutes long. However after editing don't do that or it puts all the cuts back.

  • HD Camcorder Advice

    I'm new to the video editing world, and I wanted to get some advice in purchasing an HD Camera that is FCP friendly, and that can handle high audio signals. I have been recording local musical artists with my point-and-shoot digital camera that happens to capture movies, but I now want to get some real hardware. My current camera actually captures video nicely, but my audio is usually distorted due to the small microphone.
    I have a budget around $1,000.00, and would appreciate any feedback to help me narrow down a list of a couple of HD camcorders as possible candidates.
    Thanks!
    Lionel

    I have a Canon HV20. Video quality is excellent, built-in audio is terrible. You will need to mount a shotgun mic (I chose Sennheiser MKE 400). I also recommend a wide-angle lens adapter if you do any interviews (I chose Canon WD-H43 43mm 0.7x Wide Angle Converter Lens). I find these two items indispensable.
    An alternative audio solution is to record sound separately using a portable digital unit like the Zoom H2. Problem is you spread yourself thin if you're working solo. You'll have to set up the Zoom somewhere, turn in on, get back to your HD cam, use a traditional "film clapboard" then sync it up in post. FCP 7 should help with that.
    The quality of live field recording on the Zoom H2 equals the HD video quality of the Canon HV's when used in 96kHZ/24bit. The extra work syncing it up will be worth the effort.
    Good luck.
    Message was edited by: 52club

  • I need camera & camcorder advice.

    I am looking for a camcorder or camera with video capability for under $300.
    I have been researching to the best of my ability, but there are so many options on the market.
    Must haves:
    - rechargeable battery.
    - great sound
    - vivid picture/video during day and night.

    Hello ibelievemoon,
    There's a lot of choices out there and I've recently found that it's easier to find a camera first that includes video capabilities.  Since your looking for a camcorder able to deliver stills, the first camcorder that comes to mind is the GoPro HERO3 HD Camcorder.  I'm currently enrolled in school studying video production.  One of the cameras our program is looking to purchase and add to their inventory is the GoPro for its convenience in handling and versatility.  When you have a moment, check it out by clicking here. 
    Come on back and let me know what you think. 
    Derald|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
     Private Message

  • Helpful advice for new high definition camcorder owner

    I recently purchased a new camcorder to record games for our high school basketball team. (Canon vixia HF R10)  I have been playing around with the settings to find the best setting for recording fast moving action.  Any advice on settings?

    classact wrote:
    I recently purchased a new camcorder to record games for our high school basketball team. (Canon vixia HF R10)  I have been playing around with the settings to find the best setting for recording fast moving action.  Any advice on settings?
    Really for a camcorder there isn't anything special.  Only things I can think of are:
    1)  Make sure you do not use any modes (such as "night mode") that can potentially drop the framerate below normal.
    2)  You probably have the option of 24p and 30p framerate modes - choose 30p for sports.
    That's basically it for video.
    For still pictures, it's all about the fastest shutter speed, but for video - not important as long as your shutter speed doesn't go so slow as to reduce the framerate.
    *disclaimer* I am not now, nor have I ever been, an employee of Best Buy, Geek Squad, nor of any of their affiliate, parent, or subsidiary companies.

  • Advice on buying a HD Camcorder w/out the hassle...

    Need some advice on purchasing a HD Camcorder for my MacBook Pro (bought in Dec. 2010).  Looking at the Canon Vixia M300.  I really don't want the hassle and extra expense of transcoding AVCHD to mpeg4.  iFrame sounds like it's great for importing but only produces a quarter of 1080p, which doesn't sound good at all.  I want SD memory, 1080p recording, importing, editing in iMovie and burning to a DVD...all for around $400.  Thanks for the help.

    hey there BuckeyeHoov,
    i hesitate to make any sort of recommendation on a specific cam as specs change, models are discontinued & replaced. i have always liked & used Sony, but i've had my cams for several years & the features that made them quite workable are no longer offered in most consumer cams by any maker. sorry, but beyond the previous suggestion to look @ Canon, Panasonic, Sony to see what they offer, i can't be more specific. i have noticed that BestBuy doesn't seem to carry as many as they used to & many of them are only available on-line, very similar @ Circuit City. take a look @ their websites, checkout the user reviews & see if they have anything in their brick & mortar stores you can go touch. again, get a MiniDV tape-based cam w/ FireWire=i.Link=IEEE 1394. someone else may have a cam pref to post.
    good luck.

  • Optimal Camcorder/Device Advice for Mac Interface

    Howdy.
    I would like to take feed from my TV/VCR and get it onto my Mac. I'm running iMovie 4 on a 15" G4 PowerBook and using OSX 10.4.2. What research I've done suggests the way to do this is by getting a camcorder and directing the output from the VCR into the camcorder and then routing the output from the camcorder into my Mac via FireWire.
    Is this really the best way to do this? And, if I should go with a camcorder, which are the best for Macs? Do I have to get one with a FireWire connection? Are there any that let you take feed straight from the TV into the Mac?
    Any advice and/or direction would be much appreciated!
    PowerBook G4   Mac OS X (10.4.2)  

    From VHS to DVD
    Give New Life to Old Movies
    http://www.macworld.com/2004/05/features/fromvhstodvd/
    Do I have to get one with a FireWire connection?
    Yes!!!!!!
    Note that it may also be called i.Link or IEEE1394, but its' the same thing.

  • Going to buy Premeire 3, however, advice on type of camcorder to buy..mini DV vs. Hard drive

    I want to buy a camcorder that I can edit videos with. I am new to this and mostly for family and small business promo videos. Should I get a Mini DV camera or one with hard drive (no tapes)? I thought I would ask some people here first since salesmen seem not to know much.
    Thanks and any advice on what to look for would be great.

    It should be noted that it probably won't matter, on the quality issue, if it's just a little inexpensive small camcorder. Either way, the quality will probably be limited by the sensor and lens more than the format.
    That being said, often times these hard disk camcorders record in MPEG format, which while being editable on Premiere, it's a lot slower with more potential for quality lost by editing the video. The tapes, on the other hand, will use DV video format, which is each frame compressed separately, making the video easy for editing software.
    I prefer DV any day, because DV is a good standard and you'll be able to play those tapes on any camera or device that can play DV tapes. Additionally, DV devices nearly always (never seen one that doesn't) have a FireWire port for both device control and transferring the video directly into your editor. To top it all off, DV tapes are small and while magnetic media won't last forever, you can store your tapes away for a long time and you don't have to waste gobs and gobs of hard drive space on your PC just to keep your raw footage in case you need it at some point.
    However, if it's an HDV camcorder with a hard drive, then the video would be the same to edit either way and you can record far longer than a tape allows; a 120GB drive would store about the same amount of footage as 10 DV tapes. Unfortunately, you'll lose the ability to "emulate" a DV device like you can with most HDV tape-base cameras.
    Hope that helps..

  • AVCHD Camcorder to DVD Advice Needed - Am I Doing This Right?

    Hi All,
    I have a MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo with 2GB memory. I also have a Canon HG10 AVCHD Camcorder. I took a total of 2.5 hours of video footage.
    1. I attached the camcorder to my computer via USB and downloaded the movie off of my camcorder onto my laptop - this took about 2.5 hours to do.
    2. Then I wanted to make a DVD out of the footage and created a DVD in iDVD. I loaded the movie from iMovie and created a DVD - this took about 5 hours.
    3. Then I burned the first DVD - this took over 2 hours.
    4. I burned additional DVDs as gifts - and each of these took about 19 minutes.
    My questions are: Am I doing this correctly? Does one 2.5 hours of filming really need to take so long to decompress or whatever it is doing? Would I have been better off using iMovieHD? I'm sorry to sound so stupid, but I am very new to camcorders and iMovie/iDVD. Many thanks for your help and understanding.

    Let me see if I can describe it easier
    Step 1 - transferred 2.5 hours of video footage from my Canon HG10 to my MacBook Pro (took about 2.5 hours to do) this was put into iMovie '08 with no problem
    Step 2 - I created a DVD in iDVD with 1 song out of iTunes as the Main Screen of the DVD, created 1 chapter for the Movie itself, and 1 Slideshow of pictures with 1 song from iTunes. I then pressed burn DVD - which it took over 5 hours to burn the first DVD
    Step 3 - additional DVDs took 19 minutes to burn after the first one.
    I hope this helps. I might of messed up on my first post. Thanks!

  • Searching for advice on buying a new camcorder! PLEASE HELP!

    I currently have a JVC Everio and it just is way too difficult to get to work with my new iMac. I would like to buy a new, somewhat affordable, camcorder that takes great video of my nine month son AND is easy to download with the basic Apple video processing system. PLEASE HELP!!

    hey there BuckeyeHoov,
    i hesitate to make any sort of recommendation on a specific cam as specs change, models are discontinued & replaced. i have always liked & used Sony, but i've had my cams for several years & the features that made them quite workable are no longer offered in most consumer cams by any maker. sorry, but beyond the previous suggestion to look @ Canon, Panasonic, Sony to see what they offer, i can't be more specific. i have noticed that BestBuy doesn't seem to carry as many as they used to & many of them are only available on-line, very similar @ Circuit City. take a look @ their websites, checkout the user reviews & see if they have anything in their brick & mortar stores you can go touch. again, get a MiniDV tape-based cam w/ FireWire=i.Link=IEEE 1394. someone else may have a cam pref to post.
    good luck.

  • Camcorder FCEx Advice

    Now that I am getting my head around Final Cut Express, I'm yearning for a better camcorder Before I buy though, I would like to know about some of the caveats and incompatibilities with some of the formats and FCE. I was just about to jump on a camcorder and I saw a review stating problems with some kind of decoding that FCE was not setup to do very well. So I'm down to these two camcorders and I think you people will do what it takes to help make up my mind. Sony Handycam HDR-CX500V or Canon VIXIA HV40 HD HDV or ?
    I understand the storage differences and I actually kind of like the tape because it is like preserving the RAW file, but I'm still open to all your suggestions.

    Either cam should work with FCE.
    Things to consider if you are stepping up a bit is also audio handling. Audio is IMO more important than the video. Good video is icing on the cake.
    Does the camera have external mic input?
    Can you monitor the sound with earphones?
    Is there manual control?
    If you need to hand hold the camera a lot, OIS is very useful feature.
    Al

  • Advice on camcorder  + iMovie + Macbook Air

    I would like to get a new camcorder, but I will primarily use it on a MacBook Air. This does not have FireWire, or course, so I'm limited to a camcorder that can transfer via USB. Also, I would like one that will shoot in HD and widescreen.
    I know that there is a list of camcorders that are compatible, but I'd really appreciate a recommendation.
    For info:
    - I already own a Flip Mino (but it's not HD, not widescreen, saves in AVI that need converting) ... less than ideal
    - I have a great little Panasonic camcorder which uses MiniDV. Great quality but requires a FireWire connecion
    - Finally, there's the iPhone 4. I tried shooting a mini holiday entirely on this and using iMovie on the phone to edit. But the video quality is *REALLY* poor when I pan/left or right. Really jerky.
    If I could get a recommendation of camcorders at around the £300 GBP mark (I'll be buying in UK) which will be MacBook Air + iMovie friendly, I'd really appreciate it
    Thanks all

    Just giving this one more bump - didn't get a reply, wasn't sure that I would, but hey ho, you gotta ask.
    Birthday in two days and my wife has no idea what to get me, so it'd be great if I could get a suggestion for a camera or two.
    Thanks

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