need help choosing the right camcorder?
basically Ive been using my digital camera to shoot video just for the fun of it and doing small movies and editing and im ready to make something that actually looks decent.
Im trying to decide between mini-dv and hard drive
also someone local is selling a panasonic PV-GS32 which on amazon right now is 200 bucks and hes asking 100.
Im not sure if I should take this deal or get a better camera and which format I want.
Im using a macbook pro with imoviehd to edit but im debating getting logic express now that im a Film and Media Arts minor.
but back to my question
whats the pros and cons over each of the two previously mentioned formats.
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-PV-GS32-Digital-Camcorder-Optical/dp/tech-data/B0009TAHPK/ref=de_a_smtd
this is the camera the guy has for 100 bucks
like i said i want to be able to make independent films on the cheap basically and best bang for the buck camera
I won’t tell you whether yuo should get *this* particular PV-GS32 – but I will try to help you keep your perspective on what storage media you should be looking at – and why…
Since you can’t predict the future, you want to have most flexibility. In the case of camcorders, understanding a particular camcorder’s limitations are good to know.
Hard drive camcorders have known problems with vibration and high altitude. The vibration can come from loud audio sources like bands (amplified or not), motors or loud crowds. High altitude is generally anything over ~9,800 feet. In either case, the hard drive heads will park and video will not be captured. Because of these items (and reduced video quality because of the compression used to store the video files on these internal hard drive consumer cams), I stopped recommending them. Plus, I don’t think you will find a HDD camcorder for $100. If you decide to do a HDD camcorder anyway, you may need to download/install StreamClip (go to the apple.com Downloads area – it is free to download and use). This is needed to convert the highly compressed MPEG2 video files to something iMovieHD or FinalCut can use.
Consumer flash memory camcorders use the same file types that hard drive cams do – but do not have the vibration issue. Your first step (with either a HDD or flash memory camcorder) before editing is to make a backup (better yet, archive) copy of the video files. Sionce the tendency is to delete the files from the camcorder once they are transferred to the computer, that back up will allow you to get to the files later – in case you need to redo the video project or if you want to use the previously captured video in a new project. Since flash memory continues to be a bit expensive – and the video is compressed a lot…
That leaves miniDV tape. As a digital video (DV) media that has the least amount of compression before being written to tape – and if you do not re-use the tape that captured video IS the archive, and at about $3 per 60 minute tape, it is pretty cheap and efficient. You will need to get a firewire cable (4-pin to the camcorder’s DV port and I guess 9-pin to the MacBook Pro’s firewire800 port). With your minor, I would suggest you investigate a camcorder with a mic jack… and at some point you will want to get a mic or two. Take a look at the Canon ZR900 or ZR930. Yes, they are more than you want to spend, but you will get a warranty and a mic jack… The used PV-GS32 has neither.
Apple Logic Express is a midi sequencer and audio editing tool – You might want to use this for some soundtrack or soundesign work for your video projects, but I think you mean Apple FinalCut Express. The bundled iMovieHD is pretty good – for a freebie.
Consider checking with a prof in the film department – and their opinion of the various camcorder storage media…
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