Video Cameras/Firewire

I got a Macbook last December that did not include the firewire port (at that time, I didn't bother to check since my old G4 had firewire...stupid mistake). Anyay, I have been trying to find a high quality camera to use to make 1) videos and 2) screen casts.
I like the Canon Vixia HV20 a lot because it shoots high quality video but also allows for screen casts. The only problem I just found out is that it only transfers videos via firewire. So I have two questions:
1) Is there any workaround if you bought a Macbook without the firewire port (any adapters or the like)?
2) What are other good camera models for doing what I want to do (high quality video with external mic + being able to plug directly into computer as a webcam to do screen casts)? I'm sorry, I do not know this kind of info - I am not a video person, but would like to make some useful screen casts for my business.
Thank you anyone for your kind help!!!

Thanks a lot for your reply! It's hard for me to find this information.
Just a couple questions:
1) Does the HG model have any problems with the mic port and putting a wide angle lens? (I thought I read somewhere that this was an issue)
2) Does anyone else know if these models can be used as webcams. Basically I will have mostly video on my website, but I will occasionally do screen casts and do not want the quality of video to be lower (i.e., I don't want to use the isight) when I do a screen cast. Is there a list anywhere of camcorders that can be used as webcams (I checked the screen flow website and called them but they do not have a full list).

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Before you buy a new one, have the guy look at the cable you bought from amazon and ask why that's not working. From the link you showed me, the cable is a video camera --> firewire connector and not a USB connection. Well, hope you find out more when you visit bestbuy or another. Have a great day!
**Click the KUDOS star on the left to say 'Thanks'**
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I have a MacBook Pro Mid 2012. I have a sony DCR-PC350E . How do i transfer the video to the laptop ? I have firewire cable. But not able to find the firewire port in the video camera.

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The DCR-350e is a miniDV camcorder. It has a FireWire port, but it's not on the camera itself, it's on the cradle (aka "Handycam Station") that should have come with your camcorder. You need to insert the camera into the cradle in order to capture video via FireWire.
Here's a link to the Owners Manual. See p. 142 for a diagram that shows the DV (iLink) port on the cradle.
You also need an appropriate cable to connect to your MacBook Pro. Check your MBP to see what port(s) it has:
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I've been having trouble connecting my video camera to my computer for importing video into Final Cut.
After some deduction, my main conclusion/concern is that when I hook up my Canon minidv camera to the computer via firewire 400, it fails to show up in the system profiler under hardware>firewire.
I first tried all sorts of hookup sequences (involving turning off/on cpu, off/on camera, off/on program, and plugging firewire at certain times) No luck. Final Cut could not detect camera.
Secondly, tried the same thing with iMovie, but same result.
Thirdly, I bought a new firewire cable. Still didn't work.
Then, I switched my Canon with my friend's Sony video cam. Same result.
What's confusing is my Mac Pro's firewire 400 port works. I connect a Maxtor external hard drive, it is recognized, and it mounts all the time without a problem (I can also see the drive's info through system profiler.) However, when I connect my camera to the comp, and open system profiler's firewire status, I get the spinning wheel for a bit, then it says "Warning: Unable to list FireWire devices." Sometimes I don't even get that message, and system profiler just stays the same saying "FireWire Bus>Built in Hub" as if nothing is connected at all.
I also tried daisy-chaining the camera through the recognized external hd to the comp. Though, when I attempted to check the status in system profiler, the computer froze and I had to hard shutdown. Not good.
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Hey all,
I bought a MacBook Pro late 2008 mainly for video editing. Also, I purchased a 3rd-party FireWire cable because Apple doesn't distribute them here in Singapore (-_-).
I've tried many times to connect my 2 video cameras to my Mac and NONE of them turn up in iMovie. It can't possibly be the cable because the store sells them to many people because Apple doesnt distribute them and none came back complaining it doesn't work. And us Singaporeans will go to lengthy methods to get back our money if products we bought don't work.
My 2 video cameras are both Panasonic and they are
NV-GS90
NV-MD10000
The first one is a small one while the second one is a professional camera.
If the cameras can't connect then my whole purpose of purchasing the Mac is defeated. I called Panasonic and they said that it should work fine with the Mac, no drivers needed (Applecare told me to check with them for drivers).
Anyone can provide a solution? T-T

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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,
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I have the same problem and I have a new Sony HDR-SR7 HDV Camera.
In the past iMovie and iDvd (for example iLife '06 and earlier) worked mainly via firewire when it came to importing or capturing video. It is still the preferred protocol on most macs. And it is what I continue to use on all 4 macs in my home.
However, in order to compete with most PC's as well as changing market conditions; USB 2 was only recently incorporated into the macintosh platform with the introduction of iMovie 7 (I'm guessing it was done to appease camcorder manufacturers that only supplied internal Hard Drives and USB2 ports and dropped FW connectivity altogether as a cost cutting measure and not necessarily because USB is a better than firewire (which it most certainly is not). Keep in mind iMovie 7 now allows for capturing video via USB2 when connected directly to the camera but it won't allow you to create custom chapter markers (unless one uses Garage Band to perform this much needed function). Nor will USB2 allow you to export your finished i-Movie back to the camcorder (at least not on most macs). Apparently this particular feature was also dropped when writing this newer iMovie software.
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http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/imovieHD6.html
If your camcorder has no FW ports, your best remaining option (short of buying apple's pro apps / exchanging for a camera that has firewire) is to use the existing USB2 interface to connect your camcorder directly to your mac and apple's latest software / iMovie 7.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305919
Hope this helps but if not just come on back.
Message was edited by: SDMacuser

Firewire video camera

I have a firewire video camera and I just bought the new macbook pro. So I bought a new firewire cable that would fit the camera and the macbook pro. But the computer wont recognize the camera. What am I doing wrong?

benjabock,
OK, you seem to be doing everything right, and your prior experience leads me to believe that you know the ins and outs.
My first guess would be a bum cable, even if it is brand-new. Yes, 4-pin to 9-pin is the correct type. There should be no difference between FW 400 and FW 800, as far as your camera would be concerned. FW 800 is entirely backwards compatible, and simply operates just like FW 400 would when a FW 400 device is connected (in fact, the entire bus defaults to 400 when a slower device is connected).
And all this narrows things down to either the cable, or the ports themselves. I think the most likely scenario is something along the lines of a malformed terminal on one of the cable's connectors, but it could really be anything (a bad wire within the cable itself, etc.).
So, I think some logical troubleshooting is in order. Does this cable work with some other FW 400 device (difficult to answer, since the most likely candidate for this would be a FW drive, which would in turn have a 6-pin port)? Does the FW 800 port on the Macbook Pro work with any other device, FW 400 or 800? Can you try a different 4-pin to 9-pin cable, preferably one by a different manufacturer?
Scott

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Video Cameras/Firewire

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