Recommendations For Camcorder Please?

Question

I just found out that it's a great big hassle to use my Hitachi DZ-HS300A in conjunction with my iBook/imovies. I have iMovie HD 5.0(v94) which I just installed because I was so impressed at a performance art show with iMovie.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a reasonably priced camcorder the IS compatable with iMovies/mac?

Answer 1

iMovie uses video in the .dv format, so that means you'd have no compression or quality loss problems by getting a camcorder that records to miniDV tapes. Any miniDV camcorder that has a Firewire port will probably work well with iMovie. I have always used Sonys, and have had several, from the TRV10 to my current DCR-HC26. All of them work great with iMovie. I import my movies and also export them back to the camcorder DV tapes for storage. Although I have iLife 08, and use its iPhoto, iTunes and iDVD, I continue to use iMovie HD 6 for my movies because iMovie 8 does not have the option to record back to camcorder.
Because many of the new camcorders record to DVD or hard disk, the mini DV camcorders prices have come down. You can probably get something you like for under $300, possibly a lot less if it is an older model.
Essential for iMovie versions prior to 08, the camcorder must connect to your computer with a Firewire cable. Sony calls this iLink--same thing.
You don't have to install any software, just insert a miniDV tape, record whatever you want, then connect the camcorder to your computer, open iMovie and import the recorded footage!
The final choice of exactly which one to buy will depend on what other things you need for your camcorder besides capability of importing into iMovie.
For example, if you will want to capture footage from old VHS tapes to miniDV tapes using this camcorder, you will need to carefully question a salesperson, even going so far as to request that you read the manual, to determine if this camcorder can do that.
My older DCR-HC 30 can, but my newer HC-26 cannot (so I had to use my TRV 10 for this, even though its other functions are not working well) and I did not discover it until after I had purchased the camcorder and taken it home and used it. You have to look at the manual to see if it can do this. This function is important to me, and the salesman had no idea about it, telling me that another model would do this, but discovered it could not when I insisted that he look at the manual. So, be persistent with what you need and want. Sadly, many salespeople don't have accurate knowledge of iMovie.
Do you really want to record from VHS to miniDV tapes, or are you ok with using the camcorder in a pass-through manner to record directly into iMovie? Or using a converter instead of a camcorder?
Do you need more low-light capacity for recording inside with limited lighting?
Are you more comfortable with a smaller size camcorder, something easier to carry around?
You need to go to a store and put your hands on some different models. Don't be swayed by claims of super digital zooms....look for a good range for optical zoom; mine is 20x and is fine for most all of my recordings.