[J_Anderton]

It's now my turn to enter the Digital Video world...

I'm about to purchase a MiniDV camcorder and I need some information and suggestions on a camcorder, iMovie, etc...

First...

I narrowed it down to two choices...

JVC GRDVM76U

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

and...the Sony DCR TVR19

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...photo&n=497274

I can get the JVC for $469 and the Sony for $479 at another website...

I want to know if anyone has any experiences with JVC and Sony MiniDV camcorders...good or bad.

Also...I have never used iMovie and I have a iBook 500MHZ and 384MB. Will iMovie 3 run well, decent, or shitty on my iBook?

Thank you ahead.

Free Your Mind...5/15/03

[zigzag]

Congrats - it's a lot of fun.

See my comments in the "iMovie crashing a lot" thread. My bet is that iMovie3 would run very slowly on your iBook, and there have been a lot of stability problems and bugs. Its extra features are non-essential - mostly oriented towards DVD burning, which you can't do on your iBook anyway. My advice is to use iMovie2 - it's easy, fast, stable, and plenty versatile, especially for a beginner. I even prefer the way 2 handles certain functions. If you want to try iMovie3, fine, but make sure you keep a copy of iMovie2.

Neither camera model is listed on Apple's compatible camera site http://www.apple.com/imovie/compatib...camcorder.html This doesn't necessarily mean that they won't work (they might just be newer models), but you should make sure before you buy. Apart from that, either camera should do fine.

You'll probably want to get an extra battery or two - these things really eat power.

[J_Anderton]

I just read the "iMovie 3 Crashing A lot" thread...so, it looks like I will be using iMovie 2. I'll check out iMovie 3 for the "extra features".

I just got finished reading the info on the iMovie 3 page...damn, I can't wait to use iMovie! I never really cared much about it, because I could never use it, but after reading what you can do...it's going to be a lot of fun!

Yeah, I know the camcorders that I'm choosing aren't on the compatible list, but there is a review for the Sony TRV19 saying that it works very well in OS X and iMovie 3, so I suppose it works well with iMovie 2.

I'm just not sure if the JVC model works well with it, and that's the one I'm leaning towards. So...I don't know, I don't know, I don't know what to do.

Another question...

The Sony has no buttons...the buttons are all on the touch screen LCD. Do you think that will be a pain in the ass? I only played around with it a bit, but didn't really get to get the full experience of it...

Free Your Mind...5/15/03

[J_Anderton]

Another thing...

People who own or used the "Night Shot" on the Sony camcorders...

How well does it work? I'm not expecting anything great, but is it even decent, good, or just plain shitty?

Free Your Mind...5/15/03

[Aku]

I haven't used the sony TRV19, but I have the TRV27. It's a great little camera. Sony makes good cameras, but they have a confusing line.

Notice the TRV19 doesn't have memory sticks and records photos to the DV tape. The JVC has a memory card slot. If you can, go to a best buy or Fry's and check them both out.

The night shot is cool, but not really that useful. The IR light only illuminates out to about 12 feet. If you really want to film something once it gets dark out, you can get green war style footage, but it doesn't look too good.

If both cameras have the features you want, get the smaller of the 2. The smaller the camera, the more likely you will be to take it with you and use it.

[zigzag]

Originally posted by J_Anderton:
I just read the "iMovie 3 Crashing A lot" thread...so, it looks like I will be using iMovie 2. I'll check out iMovie 3 for the "extra features". [/B]

Just make sure that if you install 3, you keep a copy of 2 so you can use either. I've read that if you give the iMovie2 folder a different name and move it to a different folder before you install iMovie3, iMovie3 won't overwrite iMovie2 and you can have both on your machine.

You never know - iMovie3 might work fine for you. It's good to have both, I think.

[J_Anderton]

After comparing, comparing, and comparing both camcorders, I decided that the JVC is the best buy.

It's smaller, lighter, looks better (I love the verticle look), and from what I've read...everything else is very well, except the JVC Support isn't that great.

So, I shall be receiving it something at the middle or end of the week! I'm very excited about it...I know I'm going to need another battery, so I will have to shell out more money for that.

Thanks for all the info on the camcorders and iMovie. Now, I just need to know how to mess around with iMovie, then I'm set.

Free Your Mind...5/15/03

[zigzag]

Originally posted by J_Anderton:
Thanks for all the info on the camcorders and iMovie. Now, I just need to know how to mess around with iMovie, then I'm set.

Free Your Mind...5/15/03

The best book I've seen on iMovie2 is David Pogue's iMovie2: The Missing Manual. It's been extremely helpful to me. If you're patient, you can figure out iMovie on your own, but a book will get you a lot farther a lot faster. Good luck!

[J_Anderton]

I just wanted to let you all know that I received my JVC MiniDV!!!

This thing is SO freaking sweet! I didn't have time to play with it that much yesterday, but so far...it's great!

Now, I just can't wait to mess around with iMovie...which, I will probably be doing this weekend.

Free Your Mind...5/15/03