Looking to get a digital camcorder in a few weeks, priced in/around $300 US. I don’t really care how portable it is, but I am concerned about the following:
Best video quality possible
Decent amount of integrated memory (few GBs, at least)
SD card expansion (no DVD recorders, although I could live with a hard drive)
Decent microphone (able to record live concerts without too much distortion)
High Def 1080p would be nice, but not mandatory
Decent optical zoom, with optical stabilization
I’ve done a bit of research, but most of the reviews I’ve seen for cameras I’m looking at say things such as, “The video quality is what you expect for a $300 camera.” Well…I don’t know what to expect from a $300 camera . I plan on going to a brick-and-mortar to check out the display models, but that doesn’t always tell you everything about a camera (especially for stuff like moving objects, low-light conditions, audio interference, etc) so I’d appreciate some input, if anyone here has experience with or recommendations for a decent camera.
You shouldn’t care about onboard memory, it’s all about SD cards these days so be prepared to buy/steal a good class 6 SD card. And for the camera, any popular manufacturer will do. Just don’t expect it to take full HD video and have 30x optical zoom, at that price range you get a shitty looking camera with average specs or a good looking camera with shitty ass specs.
Just read lots of reviews and buy the one with the most favorable opinion.
Personally if you want good quality you will not get many of those other option for that price.
Your best bet is to get the best possible camera for $300 that has support for external mics (be it XLR or 1/8in). This way you can use a proper microphone and achieve better quality than you would with most built in ones. Also I second what sersoft said about memory. None of the proper cameras have internal memory anymore. The last film shoot I was on the cameras only shoot to SD speed class 10 cards. When the card was removed the camera can only stream to fire wire, no internal recording.
Appreciate the input, and I agree about the buying/stealing the class 6 card .
Any number of things, although what comes to mind immediately are the upcoming Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert, home movies, and recording my karate sparring matches. The audio quality is obviously an issue for recording concerts, and a decent fps rating is necessary for martial arts - hands and feet move very fast
I appreciate the input (that goes for everyone). FireTime - what would be your cheapest recommendation above the $300 mark? Someone is actually looking to get me a camcorder as a gift, so I may try to subsidize their purchase if the quality justifies it. My motto is usually, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right” so I’d be comfortable in/around $400. In addition, could you recommend an external mic or two, if I happen to end up with a camera that supports it? Finally, is it wrong to avoid those with internal hard drives? I would just fear the recording problems if you shake/shock/drop the camera, not to mention the inherent audio interference from moving parts.
Here are a few I’ve seen/read reviews for at the $350-400 price point. It seems as though some of the cameras in this price point will spoof HD (i.e. the CMOS only records 1664x936 but upconverts to 1920x1080) so I’m wondering if I should avoid HD altogether.
You raise a good point, Sersoft. And like you said, my best bet is probably to read as many reviews as I can, educate myself and make a decision based on that.
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. I plan on going to a brick-and-mortar to check out the display models, but that doesn’t always tell you everything about a camera (especially for stuff like moving objects, low-light conditions, audio interference, etc) so I’d appreciate some input, if anyone here has experience with or recommendations for a decent camera.