[Green Leaf]

I'm looking for a small compact camcorder to film a movie with. I checked out Canon, Sony and Panasonic websites.

I know that Canon came out with the Optura 500. It's 2.2 million pixel resolution. Why get a 2.2 when a 3CCD is out. Sony and Panasonic seem to be the best options. Sony just released a 24 frame progressive scan (DCR-PC350). Panasonic has the PV-GS400 (3CCD).

Which do you feel is beter?
can 2.2 pix cut it?

I don't know much about them, but i want to shoot a movie in the near future and i need hi-resolution but a small compact design.

I'm not interesetd in using it to photograph, unfortunatly they all come with that feature (and that might contribute to it's high cost)


What are the best ones out there?
Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Rev-O]

Originally posted by Green Leaf:
I'm looking for a small compact camcorder to film a movie with. I checked out Canon, Sony and Panasonic websites.

I know that Canon came out with the Optura 500. It's 2.2 million pixel resolution. Why get a 2.2 when a 3CCD is out. Sony and Panasonic seem to be the best options. Sony just released a 24 frame progressive scan (DCR-PC350). Panasonic has the PV-GS400 (3CCD).

Which do you feel is beter?
can 2.2 pix cut it?

I don't know much about them, but i want to shoot a movie in the near future and i need hi-resolution but a small compact design.

I'm not interesetd in using it to photograph, unfortunatly they all come with that feature (and that might contribute to it's high cost)


What are the best ones out there?
Any help is greatly appreciated.

You're correct about not wanting a DV Cam to be a digital camera. They suck as digital cameras, but all Mini DV Cams have this usless feature.

I have a Canon ZR 80, which is about a half megapixel CCD (think its like 640 lines), and it does fine. It depends on where you plan to view your final images. 1/2 m video looks fine on TV, because theresolution of tv is not that great. It looks fine on my 12" iBook when played full screen, but looks pretty grainy on my 23" hdcd when played full screen (but that's at 1920 x 1200). If you are going to watch these images primarily on a computer, you need higher resolution, imho. Watched primarily on TV, it's no big deal.

Of course, get the best optical zoom you can, and eschew digital zoom. Digital zoom is largely a waste. Optical zoom is going to mean a larger camera body (focal length). All the itsy bitsy MiniDV Cams have suck opitcal zoom. I would want no less than 18x opitcal, but that's just me.

I like my Canon because it has an inline analog to digital converter built in, which was very important to me. Canon also has nice optics. Had a salesman a camera store once tell me that when it comes to camera/ camcorder shopping, you shop optics first. His point being most any electronics company can slap a CCD in a case, but camera companies understand quality optics. Suppose that there is an element of truth to this.

Sony just released a 3 mp MiniDV Cam for around $1300, which is a nice price drop for a 3 mp camcorder, but it only has 10x optical zoom.

As an aside, someone out there has a firewire HD that will plug into several models of MiniDV camcorders and bypass the tape entirely, allowing you to capture directly onto a 120 gb hard drive. You just put the hd on your belt, hook the firewire cable to the camcorder, and you are good for 8 to 12 hours of recording.

[Dale Sorel]

In general, you can't go wrong with the Canon ZR series

[gperks]

I won't be buying another Canon camcorder again for a while.

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t19001.html

Seems that this common tape loading problem is not limited to the Elura line; they use the same mechanism across the board I expect.

I recently got a Panasonic and I'm so much happier with it. Works great with iMovie, of course!

[Sod Off Sadr]

Kelly Hogan?!?

[Axo1ot1]

You say you're filming a movie with it? What kinds of shots are you getting/ Will you be using an external mic for your sound, and if not, why? What do you plan to edit with?

[Dale Sorel]

Originally posted by gperks:
I won't be buying another Canon camcorder again for a while.

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t19001.html

Seems that this common tape loading problem is not limited to the Elura line; they use the same mechanism across the board I expect.

Never had a problem with my ZR40... imagine what trouble spreading rumors was before the Internet

[ender2002]

Originally posted by Sod Off Sadr:
Kelly Hogan?!?

i think i remember that dude/dudette