Camcorder BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK

[NA4BH]

Looking to get a camcorder and was wondering which one would be the best value for the investment. I have never owned one, so I will call on your expertise.

[NQ6U]

Do you want HD?

[NA4BH]

Yes on the HD. What I am wanting it for is, vacations and grand kids.

[NQ6U]

The Canon HF R11 has gotten good reviews. About $350.

[kf0rt]

Price range?

Edit:

Not much into camcorders (and I refuse to buy Sony), but the top-rated non-Sony camcorders seem to be Panasonic. Current camcorder here is an "older" Panasonic that uses DVC tapes. Not HD, but does a superb job.

Ya know... most digital still cameras do a passable job with HD video these days. Any thoughts along those lines?

[NA4BH]

Price range?

500.00 or less

[kf0rt]

500.00 or less

For a smidgen more... (ROFL):

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749863-REG/Panasonic_HDC_TM90_HDC_TM90_High_Definition_Camcor der.html

[kf0rt]

Here ya go...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/682488-REG/Canon_4060B001_VIXIA_HF21_Dual_Flash.html

I'm a real sucker for user-based product reviews and well-designed product search engines. B&H kinda rules in this arena. Pick your price and features and run with the reviews; it's hard to go wrong.

[NQ6U]

Here ya go...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/682488-REG/Canon_4060B001_VIXIA_HF21_Dual_Flash.html

I'm a real sucker for user-based product reviews and well-designed product search engines. B&H kinda rules in this arena. Pick your price and features and run with the reviews; it's hard to go wrong.

Just got my B&H wishbook in the mail this morning. I could spend a lot of money at that place, if I had it.

Have you ever ordered from them? I have a couple of times. Excellent service but they often close at unexpected times because of various Jewish holy days, including ones that are not a big deal to any but the most observant members of the faith. Not a big issue or anything, I just found it interesting.

On the other hand, they're open Christmas Day.

[NA4BH]

Here ya go...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/682488-REG/Canon_4060B001_VIXIA_HF21_Dual_Flash.html

I'm a real sucker for user-based product reviews and well-designed product search engines. B&H kinda rules in this arena. Pick your price and features and run with the reviews; it's hard to go wrong.

I do like this one.

[KG4CGC]

Wish I could contribute something of substance here. I have not researched camcorders in a number of years but here are the things I would look for.
battery life
optical zoom (digital zoom has been useless in the past, that may have changed, don't know)
memory device ... 60 gig hardrives are attractive as long as they last the life of the camera. Will it also accept memory cards?
Optics quality, night vision, display screen size and view angle, ease of using the menus, ease of compatibility with your computer and finally ...
Brand. I always say, stick with a company that is a camera company. That leaves Canon. This is a bit of a sticky wickit concerning camcorders though. Samsung makes a good phone and a good television but would I buy one of their camcorders? There's where I would be scouring the internet for reviews from both fans and unsolicited reviews wherever you can find them. CNET and ZDnet (are they the same now?) have tons of reviews on most everything.

[w6tmi]

Where will you be "filming"? If indoors or low light, most of the in-expensive ones suck. Even the expensive ones can lick their own ass. (Sry had to throw that reference in).

Look for the larger or multiple ccd devices. Someone mentioned Panasonic, those do, I believe contain the best bang/buckage.

I'd go with the SD card ones, make sure you get fast SD cards. You get some good time per card and you can "quick straw" the cards when they run out. They do have hybrid ones - both an hard drive and SD slot. In the past the SD slot was for pictures, now it's both.

If you want "true HD" make sure it's actually 1080p/60. Zoom is nice, but the optics tend to be shitty if the thing zooms a bazillionX.

Again depends on what you're doing with it, a plug in mic can be nice if you're doing some kinda "interview" thing for a blog or somesuch.

Someone mentioned a still camera that takes vids, that's a very viable option, depends on your.. <cough> focus, being on pics or vids.

One of the Panasonic HDC series would be good. The SD only ones run a bit cheaper. HDC-SD90K would be a good one.

Can always buy one from Amazon & take some vids in the same condx you will be using it in & send it back if not liked.

I just got the HDC-SDT750K 3D, am quite happy with it. Although the 3d is kinda limited to a 10 foot or so range. Vids still clear, just fixed and narrow stereoscopy.

I also kinda agree - no Sony. They may have changed but their insistence on using their own format flash cards always turned me off, and is counter-productive to the industry.

[NA4BH]

Where will you be "filming"? If indoors or low light, most of the in-expensive ones suck. Even the expensive ones can lick their own ass. (Sry had to throw that reference in).

Look for the larger or multiple ccd devices. Someone mentioned Panasonic, those do, I believe contain the best bang/buckage.

I'd go with the SD card ones, make sure you get fast SD cards. You get some good time per card and you can "quick straw" the cards when they run out. They do have hybrid ones - both an hard drive and SD slot. In the past the SD slot was for pictures, now it's both.

If you want "true HD" make sure it's actually 1080p/60. Zoom is nice, but the optics tend to be shitty if the thing zooms a bazillionX.

Again depends on what you're doing with it, a plug in mic can be nice if you're doing some kinda "interview" thing for a blog or somesuch.

Someone mentioned a still camera that takes vids, that's a very viable option, depends on your.. <cough> focus, being on pics or vids.

One of the Panasonic HDC series would be good. The SD only ones run a bit cheaper. HDC-SD90K would be a good one.

Can always buy one from Amazon & take some vids in the same condx you will be using it in & send it back if not liked.

I just got the HDC-SDT750K 3D, am quite happy with it. Although the 3d is kinda limited to a 10 foot or so range. Vids still clear, just fixed and narrow stereoscopy.

I also kinda agree - no Sony. They may have changed but their insistence on using their own format flash cards always turned me off, and is counter-productive to the industry.

Thanks. I never thought about the zoom thing before, but that makes perfect sense. "They" try to make a big thing out of it. Low light is not a factor, unless you guy's want to see me doing the wild thing. Now as far as the licking thing :lol: , buy me one of those McDonalds strawberry/lemon things.......... Game On. And to think I paid extra for it. This reminds me of the time I had a couple of friends over. We were sitting out back grilling, when my dog came up and started cleaning himself. I said "Don't you wish you could do that"? The reply "Nah, he would probably bite me".

[w6tmi]

Yeah, I think it's a selling thing. anyway, even with the image stabilization even at 12-15X they are so light, your hand shaking is so intense anything beyond that is useless. although I have gotten "clever" by putting a tripod on it, folded up the weight acts as a buffer.

Or you could actually use the tripod as a tripod, but who wants to do that?

My dog is strange... she'd probably like it..

[W1GUH]

Don't overlook still cameras. Almost all (maybe all) of them do video - some with HD. Similarly, a lot of camcorders will do still shots. Guess it depends on you application.

Re: Adorama

Been shopping there for 20 years and they're great. So is B&H. BUT...

The market has changed drastically. Back in the day when photo/video stuff was less of a consumer item, those guys ruled but, IMHO, not so much anymore. I got my last camera (Canon G10) from Best Buy. First of all, it's a whole lot more convenient, at least for me, they're a block away. Secondly, and more importantly, their service agreements (not unreasonable, IMHO) include accidental damage, and that's a replacement-on-the-spot type extended warrenty; no BS about "sending it away to get fixed." Adorama, to the best of my knowledge, doesn't do that. And Adorama doesn't beat thier price by enough for me to traipse down to 18th st. Just sayin'. Besides, when I went down for a new lens a couple of months ago, they had changed. Used to be it was like buying a camera in a camera shop. Not anymore. The guy I dealt with was, uncharacteristically, only an "order taker." Wasn't the photo pro that I'd come to expect, AND I had to do a bit of talking to get the price I saw on the internet. Again...just sayin'.

[kf0rt]

Just got my B&H wishbook in the mail this morning. I could spend a lot of money at that place, if I had it.

Have you ever ordered from them? I have a couple of times. Excellent service but they often close at unexpected times because of various Jewish holy days, including ones that are not a big deal to any but the most observant members of the faith. Not a big issue or anything, I just found it interesting.

On the other hand, they're open Christmas Day.

Yeah, I think I can say "My daughter and my bank account both go to B&H." You're right about the Jewish holidays -- B&H is orthodox. Great service, but I "price shop" more these days and sometimes find better deals at Adorama or Amazon.

Used to buy from B&H before the web. You could smell the pastrami on rye when you got off the phone. Seriously. The CR rep would be yelling at "Vinnie" in the background, but the order always arrived on time.

Last order was a D7000. Ordered 12/23, arrived in CO on 12/24 via FedEx. Free shipping!

Interesting reading from der Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%26H