Katie_H

Just curious how many of you bring digital video cameras along on your trips? I don't seem much mention of them on the site but I am curious if anyone does.

And if so, what do you do with your footage on your return? Is it mostly of the places or of the people you are traveling with?

toedtoes

Every year, I think about borrowing my Dad's video camera and taking it along. But then I start thinking that if I'm taking the video, I can't be taking the still shots. Then I think that I can frame the still shots and display them and see my experiences all around me all the time, but with a video, I'd have to purposely "choose" to watch it.

So, I end up skipping the video camera and enjoying my still camera.

LEANNA

Yes mam! I do!! I use to take elaborate notes, carry a tape recorder and also 100 rolls of film for a month's vacation. Then come home and spend 6 months putting together scrapbooks, and writing an extensive journal.

NOW, I use my cam corder, talk directly to that and get the guides stuff as well, and it all goes on little dvds. I change those as I need to...and usually use 1 a day..so traveling w/ those is so much easier then all that other stuff.

I also carry a small digital camera and take the occasional artsy shot w/ that....but I really prefer videos as they capture everything but the smell!!!

I often hold my camera right at my temple and shoot...so its seeing what Im seeing. Tbis is also a great way so I can see where I'm walking and I seem to fall less!!!!

When I get home I store my dvds in a cd case....and there they are.....ready for anyone who wants to see them.

thursdaysd

I wonder if it's occurred to people who video everything in sight that the people they're videoing may not want that? Still photographers are always told to get permission before shooting - same rules should apply to video. I hate having my photo taken, and anymore I'm finding, at least in Europe, that I have to keep dodging people with videocams.

GreenDragon

I take my video camera and my still camera, but let someone else on the trip worry about the video, as I am taking stills to sell at my art show booth.

Typically we will take scenic shots, or perhaps humurous scenes in a pub, or of ourselves trying to climb a hill, etc.

Afterwards, I make DVDs for everyone on the trip.

november_moon

No video camera for us - we prefer still shots. It it were up to me, I'd probably barely even take pictures. Fortunately my husband is a photographer and takes pictures of everything.

Marija

I've brought a camcorder to Africa twice and am glad I did. My video of lions mating beats the stills! I also took the camcorder to India and got great footage of tigers, my husband trying to stay on a camel and our sunrise boat trip on the Ganges. It's fun to show our friends the DVDs (but only if they ask!).

WannabeinaMontserrat

No, although we can do snippets w/our digital. I don't have the time to record everything on film. My memory still works just fine.

trippinkpj

We were just using a digital still camera for years, and recently got a new small digital video. DH loves filming, and the new ones are small enough they don't seem to get in the way like the bulky ones of the 80's/ 90's.

GreenDragon

My memory sucks, which is one reason I'm such a fan of the recording devices.

My first trip abroad (1996) was mostly alone, and then with a group for the second week. I did all video, as I didn't have a still. 10 years later, the video helped me remember enough that I was able to put together a fairly detailed trip report

jcasale

We definitely take lots of pictures of our travels (more now that we do digital and can just delete the bad ones). We took a video camera along to Argentina at our son's request (he and his gf are putting together a travel website suing video) and took some footage, but we won't do it again. We found it changed that way we experienced the trip too much. We spent way more time "setting up" the shots and less time just enjoying being there.

Hagan

Yes I do. The new small camcorders are a blessing - so convenient and easy to handle.

Last year, we took our 2 teen grandsons to Paris and Rome during their spring break. It was a VERY special trip (they had never even been on a plane), and we all took many photos.

When we returned, I edited together many of their still shots, along with the video I took, added music that corresponded to the scenes (e.g., "Gladiator" score for Colosseum and forum) and made our own personal movie out of it.

The guys loved it, showed it to their friends, and now they will always have a way to remember that special time we had together.

I used some fairly sophisticated video editing software and really had a ball doing it. Highly recommend it as a way to really "save" a trip.

waynehazle

I absolutely carry a video camera. At the same time I shoot tons of stills. Of course one has to be careful you don't spend so much time shooting video and pictures that you don't take time just to sit back and enjoy.

From all my trips I have taking 6 - 10 hours of video and edited it down to a 1 to 2 hour movie. for my trip to Africa I used soundtrack music from lots of other movies.

chris45ny

We have been bringing a video camera for 15+ years. We also take tons of pictures which are put into albums. The reason I like the video is of course the sound it can pick up which pictures can't. This summer we are going to Africa and looking forward to capturing some great sounds of Africa. Can you imagine getting a migration river crossing on video?? Our last trip we video recorded the entire sound and lights show in Hong Kong. It was only 10 minutes or so but was fantastic to watch afterwards when we were home. We have also recorded sounds of shows from places in Mexico, the Caribbean, and luau in Hawaii. Most of our friends and family who have viewed the video seem to enjoy it more than the pictures. It has been said that it feels more like they are there with us on our trips. As to filming people we don't do that unless it's a show we're watching or we have gotten permission or they happen to be in the background of something we're filming like the Great Wall of China or the Terra Cotta Warriors. Can't ask the people to get out of my way!! Upon return the video is labeled as to date and name of place.

mcnyc

I do. Sometimes, I like sitting down and watching the videos, and relive the moment.

The vids are of both the people I'm traveling with, and the places I've gone.

SusanSDG

I think the video camera can seperate you from the place you're visiting. It can be this way for some people with still cameras as well-only seeing things through a lens. And it can be an issue with safety/identifying oneself as a tourist.
That said, I treasure the little snippets of video on my regular digital camera of sunrise at Tikal, and will always regret not having a recording of my friends being bowled across the beach by the waves that would have been a sure prize winner.

trippinkpj

I think the trick is video taping in snipets. My husband has gotten pretty good at this, and it has very little trip impact.

tzarinna

I only recently purchased a video camera in '06 for my trip to the Winter Olympics in Torino. Since then I've carried it on all my trips, except camping. What I have edited I've put on youtube, which isn't much. I seem to take a lot of footage and I'm pretty lazy about taking the time to edit, but I'll get to it.

I went nuts filming in Prague, I really need to get that uploaded and share.

Here's footage of the French Alps as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TLmvAXaL8g

bkluvsNola

I personally prefer "still" frames to videos. There's something awkward and "amateur" about videos that I don't like. For some reason, a personal experience that was divine in every way is somehow reduced when captured in film and replayed to me. I guess that might be different if we were all Hollywood actors/actresses, but since we're not, not every moment in a home travel video is "film" worthy. I guess my memory remembers it in a much more pleasing manner to my senses.

To me, still frames capture the "essence" of the moment, and like a previous poster said, I can display those photos around the house. Also, I can stare at a still image for a long time, reminescing about the times of yesteryear. For a video, I am forced to look at the video in real time.

That being said, my in-laws love filming, and they have filmed us on numerous vacations. The videos are fun to watch after the fact, especially to see our son. It's still awkward to watch myself though.

Katie_H

So a bit of a mix as expected... my friend and I differed in this respect in Alaska. She spent most of her camera memory on video; I took over 500 pictures. Just curious which you prefer; do you share them with your family and friends?