HD Camcorder on the cheap

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu May 01, 08 12:01 pm **HD Camcorder on the cheap**

I have been debating about getting an HD camcorder for awhile now but didn't want to spend $1000 to do so. Wasting time at work, I came across a cannon hv20, which was voted camcorder of the year last year by several websites for $429!!!

NEWS FLASH things too good to be true are not true. Website turned out to be completely bunk, as were 5 others!!! that claimed to have this camera at a good price!!

Let the movies begin!!!!!

Very Happy

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

That's sweet dude... I am in the same market, but I think I am going to opt for one of the Hard Drive or Flash based ones. Reason is my Panasonic cam only lasted 9 months or so, the mechanism that failed: the cassette housing. Cost to fix: 50% the cost of the camera, seemed rediculous to pay that much for a camera that was already obsolete (happens fast in this market)... So basically I said fuck it I'll buy a new one.

So I am done with cassettes... That said I hear Flash based ones really compromise quality. The hard drive based ones are better for quality but being from the IT world I know Hard Drives can and do fail, I'd rather have something bomber with no moving parts.

Colby's Sanyo in SPI was very tempting. Not HD but fully waterproof for around $300. They have the same form factor camera in an HD version but not waterproof (I got to imagine its coming though.)

Anyway that Canon you linked is probably better for quality, so I expect PMB Productions to put out some sweet videos for the nwkite party. Very Happy

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

are there any solid state cams out there? or are the drives not quite big enough yet?

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

bling

http://gizmodo.com/379295/panasonic-hpx+170-p2-camera-is-solid-state-hd-handheld

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Are you implying that if you "flash" someone that it has to be in a solid state? Surprised

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

ZING!

NateDogg · Thu May 01, 08 2:34 pm

Hey PKH...I'll split a Panasonic HVX200 with you and I'll even throw down for a few P2 cards. It'll be soo money we won't even know it

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Looks pretty money dude... like a lot of money.

Hey here's a question for you uber camcorder nerds... what's the big deal about 24p? Why would I want to record at 24 frames per second when I can record at 30 frames per second?

NNW20-25 · Since 14 Apr 2008 5 Posts Lincoln City, Oregon New Member

Canon HV20 rocks! I have one and am constantly amazed by the quality of the video on a 42" plasma. I shoot in 24p cinemode. 24p has 23.97 full fps vs 29.97 interlaced frames. This just gives more of a "film" look to the video. Also, if you want to capture stills from video they are much clearer. HDV is also way easier to edit than AVCHD found on hard drive cameras. I capture all my video and then burn full quality mpeg 2 to archive on DVD. Works great for me.

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu May 01, 08 3:39 pm

My understanding is that the 24frames are progressively scanned and not interlaced like the 30 frames. It's interesting that you bring this up because I thought only certain camera's have the option for 30 frames/second. apparently, 30 frames a second is better for internet productions as you can lop out every other frame pretty easily and end up with 15/second which is some sort of standard.

This years version of the camera I bought has the 30 frames option, it was one of the only differences according to reviewers. Worth $600? No.

I hear you on the tapes.. I have had good luck with my panasonic cassette camcorder and I have BEAT THE LIVING SHIT out of that thing. Helmet cams, handle bar mounts on my DH bike, you name it. I'll keep my fingers crossed though.

I'm chatting with Stringy about getting one of those super dope housings.

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu May 01, 08 3:42 pm

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

24fps is what film (movie) cameras shoot in. It has a certain look that some people like. Different strobe effect, but limits the rate of pan, etc. For fast-action stuff, it's not something I look for. Progressive (P) on the other hand is nice, because the footage is not interlaced (that is, for every one second, you have 24 complete images). 29.97fps is made of 60 interlaced firelds, so if you're working with quick moving objects, the fields tend to "blur" apart.

Right now the HVX200 is the craziest cam I've used, but I hate P2 cards. They're slower than shit and pretty pricey. You can get a little bit over an hour (in 720-60P) with a 16gig and 8gig together (for $1000 in P2 cards). Not too ideal. Then to top that off, Final Cut is the only program capable of handling the HVX's .mxf format. I've tried some conversion progs, but they're a pain in ass.

Kraemer · Since 24 Apr 2006 1736 Posts Sky Pilot Unicorn Captain

Reaper356 · Since 10 Dec 2006 781 Posts Salem / LC Oregon Opinionated

Another tech question:
If your camera shoots 24p, why don't they split the light out of the lens, and pass it to two cameras recording in 24p.
If you sync'ed them, you could put it back together and have 48p right? It'd only be half as bright, so you'd have to tweak the appature & let in more light, but I think it'd work.

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

24fps is 24fps. So to answer your question, no, that would not work. The only way to get higher frame rates are with cam settings (which really only high-end, $$$ cams have). The HVX is one of the cams I know of that will over-crank to 60P, but you don't see too many that'll do it.

Shitty thing is, most of the lower end "PROGRESSIVE" cams use what is called a rolling shutter. That is the image is scanned onto a rolling "barrel" type sensor, which captures the entire frame at once. The problem you see here is fast horizontally moving images tend to get skewed because the shutter itself is moving.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder