Video camera recommendations
 

Hello folks.

I'm looking to purchase a video camera and would like to get recommendations. What I want is a video camera. If it does stills, great but I don't want to sacrifice the video quality or functions. It seems to be common knowledge that you can get both video and still in one that is good, but you don't get great digital stills and video in the same camera.

So, my budget is $700, maybe $800. I'd like something fairly easy to use; bells and whistles will likely go unused.

Any suggestions as to camera for me?

Is this question about a camera to use while traveling? If so, I'd take a hard look at size and weight, given today's airline restrictions.

Uh, ok. I'll rule out those huge TV cameras then!

I was actually looking for more like a brand/model recommendation. I will get one that is compact, I will get one that works, I will get one that allows me to replay what I record and so on.

These days, I would say that a videocam is a must for travel. Audio really enhances things.

I've used a Canon ZR videocam to good effect. Mine doesn't do great stills, but the newer ones do better. Around $500 or so. Not pocket size, but very comfortable for one-hand operation.

A step up would give you the Canon Elura series. Better stills and small enough to sneak in anywhere (will fit in a larger pocket). Anywhere from $700-$1200.

JVC makes some nice, small digicams too.

Try a site like Amazon.com - they have reviews, tech specs etc and you canm filter the range by things such as price. You're likely to get a more uo to date recommendation than what I or others may recommend based on what we like and use.

For example, my Video camera is a 12 month old digital panasonic thingummybob. Its very good - but already obsolete and no longer available.

As a rule of thumb I'd go for a brand you've heard of and if you plan doing any video manipulation whatsoever get a digital one. You should have no problem picking up a basic Sony, Panasonic digital camcorder in the 700-800USD ramge.

I checked into purchasing a video camera a few months ago myself and here are a few things I learned.

1. Forget the video camera taking quality stills. Most of the stills that are taken are about 1 mega pixel and they would only be good for email and web posting, not for printing.

2. Answer this question early in the hunt...What will you be storing your video on? Will you be downloading to cpu and then to what? Will it record right on a disk, etc?

3. Are you sure as someone that I went to for advice so aptly put it, "that you will not just creating one more barrier between yourself and the moment?" I really thought that one through.

4. I did some cheking on consumer reports site and I found Cannon on the the top of the list. They have great zoom capabilities(like 20X or 30X). I just dont love their color. It seems like flesh tones get washed out somewhat. Nice zoom for sure and size, but how steady can you hold the camera when it is on 30X zoom?

5. I liked the Sony for color, it is hard to beat those Carl Zeiss (sp?) lenses for true color, but for some reason they never get rated very high(although they are usually in the top ten somewhere). They were small light weight, and had easy to use touch screen programming. One knock on them was that the zoom capbility was not terrific. One feature they did have was what I call a stupid button...if you got fancy messing with settings, there was a default button...whew!

6. You will get something good in your price range, but don't forget that extra batteries and various extra trinkets will probably be extra.

That is what I know, good luck!