I'm looking for a camcorder for a week now. I've watched tons of videos, tutorials, example footage etc. and I have to say that your buying guide is the best so far. Hardly anyone mentions things like white balance setting in their videos.
I have sony vegas 8, whats a good sony camcorder thats under $400 to $300? I hear reviews about low lighting and flickering when zooming and all that stuff.
i have a canon hv20. very happy with it. however; i feel it does not enough megapixels. is there anything out there comparable to my camera with more megapixels or am i asking for the sun and the moon? also, anybody from chicago out there? willing to pay for your tricks.
...thanks... really helpfull... i was going to buy a hard-drive camcorder now i'm not... i am in my school's news crew and we deal with a lot of editing and good quality is essential so again.. thanks alot
Very informative Jim! I'm looking for a good camcorder to take videos of my 210 gal reef tank and for family parties and sporting events. I really don't want to spend more than $500 but I'll go to $800 if I have to. Let me know. Thanks
I did that... Bought a 700 dollar camera when I needed an XL2... Now I'm broke and and dying with regret. I don't even want to film home video's with it. It's that bad. For anyone who actually films alot anyway. I HIGHLY recommend staying away from Sony Xacti's. Even though they get great reviews. They have the Plugins for adapters at the bottom with the jack for the tripod. This means, you can't have anything plugged into the cam while it's on a tripod. That's USELESS.
Um, Hello? Ever hear of CMOS or 3 CMOS? They are better than a single CCD. And also, camcorders this last few months that are hard drive let you edit easily with awsome quallity!
I hope this doesn't sound rude, but, did you read the big text next to the video that said "Added: November 10, 2006"? :-P
Two years ago, CMOS was crap. Heck, most pros today are still hesitant about it.
Hard drive Camcorders have gone a long way in the last nearly 2 years. I still wouldn't want one myself, and most still use MPEG2 compression, but the compression is getting less lossy. However, for SD, DV25 (MiniDV tape) is still the least compressed and the best for pro editing.
So did I. I think I added it to one of my channel playlists a long time ago too, but with my camcorder dying and all, I figured why not plug this video again. =D
Well, even with your huge absence from YouTube, as unbelievable as it may seem, there is no one who I find more knowledgeable or more entertaining to watch than you.
I'll be linking to this in my next Vlog. Heck, this video certainly deserves it. My old Canon camcorder finally bit the dust, and I'm looking at getting a 3CCD Panasonic to replace it. =)
thanks for the video.. i think what a lot of people need is help choosing a camcorder thats on the market... and need advice on what camera to buy.. for example a lot of people need cameras to record music for you tube.. or people need cameras to film moving objects like a car race or a football game
Jim, I am looking for a camcorder that will do basically what your presentation does. Also if you have ever seen "happy slip" videos they have alot editing, captions and other goodies. Assuming I have a budget of around $800 give or take, what should I get? Also what kind of editing program.
hi great video! well too bad i bought my camcorder off of ebay. I got a dcr-trv30. Well if it doesnt work out, ill try to re-sell it back on ebay. It just seems like everyone is selling HD and dvd camcorders now. do u reccommend a specific type of mini dv tape or brand?
I have to say your video was very helpful for me. Thank you again and thanks for the answer. After your video I think I will get a Canon XL2, is it a good choice? and also you mentioned a good webpage, could you write it cause I coudnt get the name. Keep doing good Jim! Congrats
thanks for this video, but you did not talk about camcorder with SD cards.I have a Mac Book G4 and want to buy a camcorder that works with imovie, without having to encode my videos before. Please help me!! Xhat do you thin of the SANYO XACTI HD1?
What Computer you think is best for recording or filming? And what is the best Modern Camcorder out there today? What is your best choice of a computer and camcorder?
a great instructor and a great dancer in front of the cam (kinda reminds me of cha-cha, just kidding lolz) uhm, about the information, its really informative mostly on the part of CCD part cuz ive hearing it a lot of times but have no idea about it, thanks Jim and more powers
hi all ok so I could not wait and bought a Sonyo VPC-S60 and it is cool really, but it records in quick time, XP movie maker will not let me drag and drop or import to collections Why!!! please help me
Quick Time is a real bitch. It isn't supposed to be compatible with Windows Movie Maker. It's a proprietary format to increase Apple's power. You'll have to convert the Quick Time videos to AVI/MPEG and they put them into Windows Movie Maker.
Hi Jim your great and easy to understand, thanks, I'm loking at buying a vivitar dvr310 from dixons co uk are they any good for a first time buyer? only used photocamera with movie mode before it has no sound, regards djoncho
I've purchased a camera on ebay, I've had it for 3 years withought any problems And it also came with a 5 year warrantee. Pond shops? Thats the last place i would get a camera, People pond stuff because they're desperate for money, and usualy sell them way to expensive anyway. You said "just want a camera to dump stuff on" wouldnt that not add up to the whole budget explanation? The only thing i got out of this wast the HDD compressed quality goes down. didnt know that
Compare CCD to CMOS for cost effectiveness & Quality imaging. Also need to add a far reaching scope of ROI, to encompass edit software necessary, and processing power. 3 stars...nice production.
very nice video, i really enjoyd watching, and i learned much too! i went to the store and i saw this camcorder:
SAMSUNG camcorder
Compacte camcorder met 34 x optische zoom, en 1200 x digitaal zoom. en groot 6,4 cm LCD-scherm. Voorzien van beeldstabilisator en Snap Shot. Type: VPD361. it is 188,- euro
If that's your first camcorder, that's enough. It has a good quality and a very very good price! I recommend you to buy this one. It has 800k pixels and that's even enough for you.
great info...well done. Thanks...still saving my money, so on step #1! I use my digital camera's video function, and actually learning a lot working around not having such nice features as zoom. Look forward to your other sessions.
CCD pixels? I always see each of these on features when i'm searching for camcorders on the net. I'm looking for a good HD camera but not too expensive. I kno u said 3 CCD is good but all these "kinds" of CCDs are getting me confused!
Howdy! Here's a basic overview. CCD size is how big the CCD chip is. In my opinion, bigger is always better. A good 3CCD camera will have a CCD size of at least 1/4".
CCD quantity is just whether it's a 1 CCD camera or a camera with 3 CCD chips. Color is typically better on 3CCD cams.
CCD Pixels just refers to how high the resolution of the CCD chip is. Again, the bigger the better.
Not quite sure I understand exactly what you're asking. You can record over your old video, but you can't "instantly" transfer the video to your PC, if that's what you're asking. The advantage of MiniDV is that it's the best quality. If you want instant transfer and are willing to settle for lower quality, a webcam or a hard drive cam would be what you want.
Hey I am planing on buying a camera that i can i do lots and lots of 30-7min clips and just delete them right off my camera when I want and I only have about 300-750$ to spend what do you recomend?
CMOS cameras are alright, but I have yet to be sold on them. CMOS chips have great use for small size & high performance, but CMOS also makes getting depth of field a lot harder. It's 6 one way, half a dozen the other.
The biggest problem with Panasonics are their controls. Panny's use their own "language" for LANC controls, which means stuff like controllers that will work with every other camera out there won't work with the panny's.
I started with a JVC MiniDV. MISTAKE. The Sony Digital8 is much better, and the newer canon Elura100 is great!
wow, i applaud your legit and unbiased review/info. iv done my own research too and you have helped me a lot
im planning on buying a camcorder but im not sure which to buy, i need a camera that can capture good quality video for evidence at good distant. let me know if a Sony DCR-HC28 is good enough. my budget is 600 but prefer below 400
Dude that video was awesome. I'm looking for a camera for under £150 ($295 i believe) just for making video blogs and fooling around with. Every video I have was taken on my cell phone, so I just want better quality. Offhand, happen to know anything that fits my critera? Your video was VERY helpful, thanks a bunch.
hey jim vitalfinds pointed me to you so im gonna give you a little background on what im looking for good clear pic and sound that will work well with chroma-keying could you give me a rough idea on what to buy
Howdy littleman264! I create the graphics themselves in Adobe photoshop, and the chromakeying, animations, etc, all takes place in my editing software, usually Sony Vegas or Adobe Premiere Pro.
Photoshop is pricey though, so if you can't afford it, there's a program out there called gimp which is nearly as powerful, and more important, free.
Hey Jim, what do you think about the Panasonic AG-DVX100A? I think it's the camera that Argent009 uses (I just asked pm'ed him to double-check), but I really like the picture quality. I don't think he's tried chroma-keying though, so I can't judge that. I'm not "stuck" on any particuliar brand, I'd just like the best "prosumer" model (whatever that might be).
The DVX100A is awesome, but also a hair pricey. Unless you NEED to have 24p, it's really not that much more fancy than the significantly cheaper Canon GL-2, which gives amazing quality. Most of my YouTube videos are on a GL-2, including the chromakey stuff.
Well I've come full circle in my thinking. I've learned that my Cannon ZR80 has a service advisory out on it and Cannon will fix it for free. So now my money can be spent on some better editing software instead. I really didn't need a monster camcorder, just got carried away.
Thanks for this! I was getting pretty confused on the format issue, thinking that the hard-drive "had" to be better, and wondering why all the 2K camcorders had tapes. Are all of the 3-chip camcorders super-large? Thanks Again!
3 chip cameras are a little larger than cheaper 1 chip cameras, but that can work to your benefit. Bigger, heavier cameras are much easier to control. That being said, the size difference isn't enormous either.
YOU ARE MY HERO! I was serioulsy 30 seconds away from buying a hard drive camera on ebay until I watched your video. This is the ONLY thing I've found online in WEEKS of searching that actually explains to me what all this camcorder mumbojumbo means!!! THANK YOU!
Awesome video! (I was really glad there wasn't a test at the end though phew) To reiterate what a previous commenter requested, "Making and Editing Movies 101 For Dummies" or something along those lines, would be a video well received by a good number of people I think. Thanks again!!
I used Sony Vegas for this particular video. I still have to release my second Jim Class on copyrights, but if you'r interested, I could do a future one (3rd or 4th) on using the chroma key feature.
Awesome! I'm glad you learned something. Hopefully I didn't bore you to death either!
If you enjoyed it, be on the lookout for the next episode. I plan on making a few more videos like this on other subjects, possibly stuff like video editors, chromakey, and even PC hardware. I might even do a few on non-technology related stuff.
Good info. I would suggest getting a camera with the best low light performance which generally means a Sony. Newegg and Crutchfield are the best places to purchase electronics from.
Great advice. While you're very correct that Sony's typically have the better low light performance, up until you get into the upper Prosumer realm of cameras ($2k+) their manual controls are pretty cheezy. SO it's really a trade off. You can get good low light performance on a sony, or more control over your image on a Canon (for example).
WOWEEE! You are soooo smart! I thought my greenscreen was just crappy, but i guess it was the old camera. I think i'll test it out again now that I have a different one. How do you know all this stuff?!!?
LOL! Yeah, I actully videoed about 6 videos for YouTube at once, and besides being the very last video I shot, I was also on something like take 79 or something, and my patience was wearing thin.
But then, I move around a lot naturally. Next time I'm going to solve the problem by bolting a pair of shoes to the floor.
Ha! Can't wait to see the other videos. That is funny now that you told me what was going on I can kind of see it in your face...You look a little frustrated! :)
I hate it when I mess up when I am filming. Even when I am improving I still screw up something I was thinking about and I'm like, "NOOOO!!"
Very informative. It will give me some things to think about when I buy my next camera. Knowing me, I probably would just have bought whatever was cheapest.
Jim I absolutely loved this vid. I wish I'd had you as a resource when I was cam shopping. Good to know that a knowledgeable guy is out there on YouTube who can set the record straight with what can be a really complicated and confusing process.
Great job. While I don't agree that you stricly NEED 3 chips to do chroma-key, especially for low quality vids for youtube (although I do agree three chips is always better of course), I'm glad to see someone doing this stuff here on YouTube. I've been thinking of doing some teaching vids myself, more in the realm of special effects. I think what you're doing here is great and you should keep it up!
I suppose NEED was probably too strong a term on my part, there. THERE are some great one chip cameras out on the market, and as long as you have some manual control (white balance, exposure), you can probably pull chromakeying off fine with a 1 chip model.
I am good, I am looking into a Cannon 3ccd minidv Camcorder. thanks for your Pro advice to reinsure my decission. I haven't bought anything yet because I am saving up to get a real nice one not settling. thanks for #4 good to know
lol now thats were budget comes into play. I will let you know when I am ready to get your advice thanks man. I'm thinking XL-2 depends on what my bonus is and add it to my tax return
Well, I'll tell you, if you can't afford the XL-2, Sony's VX-2100 is a wicked awesome camera. I've got one of them in my arsenal. The color is a little cooler than a Canon, and it's got less features, but for video quality, I think it might even surpass the XL series, and if not, it's very close
I made a mistake. I paid £600 for a camcorder in 2003 wishing I could afford the smaller one at £1000. I regretted it and a year later I paid another £600 for the smaller one that had come down in price, but altogether it had cost me £1,200 !! :-)
If you're doing literally no editing and your lighting is good (you'll probably want a lamp or something to light up your face a bit), then a great camera would be the Canon Elura 80. It's under US$300 at bhphotovideo dot com, and the Elura series has a nice beefy CCD chip that will kick the butts of most cameras in that range.
(Plus, Canon has the best manual control settings!)
I'm looking for a camcorder for a week now. I've watched tons of videos, tutorials, example footage etc. and I have to say that your buying guide is the best so far. Hardly anyone mentions things like white balance setting in their videos.
kwadronit 7 months ago
jim class maybe... gym class no.
bloodshedhero 1 year ago
I have sony vegas 8, whats a good sony camcorder thats under $400 to $300? I hear reviews about low lighting and flickering when zooming and all that stuff.
TheMachinimanator 1 year ago
you are so fat ;D
gracjan20 1 year ago
i have a canon hv20. very happy with it. however; i feel it does not enough megapixels. is there anything out there comparable to my camera with more megapixels or am i asking for the sun and the moon? also, anybody from chicago out there? willing to pay for your tricks.
japicic 1 year ago
after having watched the entire vid there's important stuff here that is still very relevant especially for the novice
i gave it 5 stars
(Jan.2010)
AcuteAnalogy 2 years ago
made in '06
AcuteAnalogy 2 years ago
Made in 2006,!
Sergeantspoon 2 years ago
Great Video. When I get the right camcorder I'll leave a video response.
Mikeyman225 2 years ago
...thanks... really helpfull... i was going to buy a hard-drive camcorder now i'm not... i am in my school's news crew and we deal with a lot of editing and good quality is essential so again.. thanks alot
sticktwirlingking 2 years ago
Very informative Jim! I'm looking for a good camcorder to take videos of my 210 gal reef tank and for family parties and sporting events. I really don't want to spend more than $500 but I'll go to $800 if I have to. Let me know. Thanks
rcknralph 2 years ago
Very informative, thank you!
vikidobe 2 years ago
Cool effects!
foullump 2 years ago
I did that... Bought a 700 dollar camera when I needed an XL2... Now I'm broke and and dying with regret. I don't even want to film home video's with it. It's that bad. For anyone who actually films alot anyway. I HIGHLY recommend staying away from Sony Xacti's. Even though they get great reviews. They have the Plugins for adapters at the bottom with the jack for the tripod. This means, you can't have anything plugged into the cam while it's on a tripod. That's USELESS.
Uhoh2012Productions 2 years ago
hey thanks jim
ssbangash 2 years ago
very helpfull!!
Frontierblues 2 years ago
very informative, thanks!
onnosel123 2 years ago
Great video!!
What video editing software do you use btw?
Cheers!
FirebrandNIRE 2 years ago
Mostly I use Premiere Pro, but I've been knowt to put a video together with Vegas and Avid in the past, too. Thanks for watching!
somecallmejim 2 years ago
Excuse my ignorance here, but what format does mini-DV record in (DV or AVI)?
Cheers Much!
FirebrandNIRE 2 years ago
lol, I had to reply to that post. I use Premiere Pro but when I am feeling lazy or don't have time, I'll use Vegas. I love Vegas.
Uhoh2012Productions 2 years ago
Thank you - Vety informative
delallengreenwood 3 years ago
can you help me is sony handycams good for quad videos? if not what is a realll good camcorder. the minidv kind. please reply
plmason12 3 years ago
yes
gnomemagewowplayer 3 years ago
Um, Hello? Ever hear of CMOS or 3 CMOS? They are better than a single CCD. And also, camcorders this last few months that are hard drive let you edit easily with awsome quallity!
00001010110 3 years ago
I hope this doesn't sound rude, but, did you read the big text next to the video that said "Added: November 10, 2006"? :-P
Two years ago, CMOS was crap. Heck, most pros today are still hesitant about it.
Hard drive Camcorders have gone a long way in the last nearly 2 years. I still wouldn't want one myself, and most still use MPEG2 compression, but the compression is getting less lossy. However, for SD, DV25 (MiniDV tape) is still the least compressed and the best for pro editing.
Peace! :-D
somecallmejim 3 years ago
Sorry! I didnt see the time!
turtlesrockinc 3 years ago
LOL! No problem at all, my friend. Mistakes happen :-)
somecallmejim 3 years ago
I watched this video when it first came out.
RightAsWrong 3 years ago
So did I. I think I added it to one of my channel playlists a long time ago too, but with my camcorder dying and all, I figured why not plug this video again. =D
MultimediaJay 3 years ago
RaW, you're awesome! Thanks for being around as long as you have. I really do appreciate it!
somecallmejim 3 years ago
Well, even with your huge absence from YouTube, as unbelievable as it may seem, there is no one who I find more knowledgeable or more entertaining to watch than you.
RightAsWrong 3 years ago
I'll be linking to this in my next Vlog. Heck, this video certainly deserves it. My old Canon camcorder finally bit the dust, and I'm looking at getting a 3CCD Panasonic to replace it. =)
MultimediaJay 3 years ago
I can't wait to see it. Thanks!
somecallmejim 3 years ago
LOL. That was quick. Darn. Now uploading. =D
MultimediaJay 3 years ago
very professional :)
poker14 3 years ago
Thanks man. Very useful video :D
KlasBenny 3 years ago
I see my gl2 in the corner of the screen!
nitecobra 3 years ago
This video is great. I'm eagerly waiting for Jim Class 2.
ajbosco 3 years ago
thanks for the video.. i think what a lot of people need is help choosing a camcorder thats on the market... and need advice on what camera to buy.. for example a lot of people need cameras to record music for you tube.. or people need cameras to film moving objects like a car race or a football game
peterpetersnbg 3 years ago
Jim, I am looking for a camcorder that will do basically what your presentation does. Also if you have ever seen "happy slip" videos they have alot editing, captions and other goodies. Assuming I have a budget of around $800 give or take, what should I get? Also what kind of editing program.
LostInFieldsOfNotes 4 years ago
hi great video! well too bad i bought my camcorder off of ebay. I got a dcr-trv30. Well if it doesnt work out, ill try to re-sell it back on ebay. It just seems like everyone is selling HD and dvd camcorders now. do u reccommend a specific type of mini dv tape or brand?
hvns8ngel 4 years ago
Great, thx a lot! Helped a lot, even here in Germany!
voggala 4 years ago
great! thanks for the advice
DriftR02 4 years ago
Great Intro to the basics. Easy to understand. Good visuals.
Thank you.
dnotned 4 years ago
great video
TheBennyZone 4 years ago
thanks for that great advice.. it really helped me out
Pinkaliciousdude 4 years ago
Thanks for the tips that very help me :D
aimkill94 4 years ago
Thankyou very informative!!! I agree,I have both of your choices...Take care Jim keep up the good work.
ebutsol 4 years ago
I have to say your video was very helpful for me. Thank you again and thanks for the answer. After your video I think I will get a Canon XL2, is it a good choice? and also you mentioned a good webpage, could you write it cause I coudnt get the name. Keep doing good Jim! Congrats
arrozconpollo 4 years ago
Its a great job... Thanks.. now, what do you have to say about HD cameras...?
arrozconpollo 4 years ago
HD will be the next big thing...in a couple years. If you're buying a camera today, I still recommend Standard def, but it's really up to you.
somecallmejim 4 years ago
hi
thanks for this video, but you did not talk about camcorder with SD cards.I have a Mac Book G4 and want to buy a camcorder that works with imovie, without having to encode my videos before. Please help me!! Xhat do you thin of the SANYO XACTI HD1?
chelseabooboo 4 years ago
Hey thanks!!!!
I learned a lot.
javagate 4 years ago
Wow I never knew that hard drive and DVD camcorders suck for editing. I am really amazed.
DanielBMS 4 years ago
a very very good instructional video.
now i finally understand all the technical mumbo jumbo.
a big thanks for making this!
andrewjnorthrop 4 years ago
thanks jim, that was really great feedback for us camcorder dummies.
monaliza09 4 years ago
What Computer you think is best for recording or filming? And what is the best Modern Camcorder out there today? What is your best choice of a computer and camcorder?
GOW2Fan 4 years ago
awesome man.. i can definately use this info
TheTruePsycho 4 years ago
wow, that is an awesome presentation Jim! You are the man!! Thanks, this advice really helps.
axis009 4 years ago
wat editing softweer did you use? and you recomend a vx1000 for an intermediate videographer looking to record skateboarding
ENJOYATL 4 years ago
wow that was really helpful. i wish more ppl on youtube would do this kind of stuff!!!
Orchdork113 4 years ago
a great instructor and a great dancer in front of the cam (kinda reminds me of cha-cha, just kidding lolz) uhm, about the information, its really informative mostly on the part of CCD part cuz ive hearing it a lot of times but have no idea about it, thanks Jim and more powers
crestfort 4 years ago
hi all ok so I could not wait and bought a Sonyo VPC-S60 and it is cool really, but it records in quick time, XP movie maker will not let me drag and drop or import to collections Why!!! please help me
djoncho
djoncho 4 years ago
Quick Time is a real bitch. It isn't supposed to be compatible with Windows Movie Maker. It's a proprietary format to increase Apple's power. You'll have to convert the Quick Time videos to AVI/MPEG and they put them into Windows Movie Maker.
DanielBMS 4 years ago
Hi Jim your great and easy to understand, thanks, I'm loking at buying a vivitar dvr310 from dixons co uk are they any good for a first time buyer? only used photocamera with movie mode before it has no sound, regards djoncho
djoncho 4 years ago
I've purchased a camera on ebay, I've had it for 3 years withought any problems And it also came with a 5 year warrantee. Pond shops? Thats the last place i would get a camera, People pond stuff because they're desperate for money, and usualy sell them way to expensive anyway. You said "just want a camera to dump stuff on" wouldnt that not add up to the whole budget explanation? The only thing i got out of this wast the HDD compressed quality goes down. didnt know that
rydeen18 4 years ago
yeah i use a digital camera.
check out my videos
see how you likethem
LooseNutsComedy 4 years ago
Compare CCD to CMOS for cost effectiveness & Quality imaging. Also need to add a far reaching scope of ROI, to encompass edit software necessary, and processing power. 3 stars...nice production.
Artorious07 4 years ago
very nice video, i really enjoyd watching, and i learned much too! i went to the store and i saw this camcorder:
SAMSUNG camcorder
Compacte camcorder met 34 x optische zoom, en 1200 x digitaal zoom. en groot 6,4 cm LCD-scherm. Voorzien van beeldstabilisator en Snap Shot. Type: VPD361. it is 188,- euro
do you think this one is good enough?
SilentDutchman 4 years ago
Hi!
If that's your first camcorder, that's enough. It has a good quality and a very very good price! I recommend you to buy this one. It has 800k pixels and that's even enough for you.
Cheers
MacsMedia 4 years ago
I WANT ONE FOR MY BIRTHDAY my family is getting me one
sakuramitoshi 4 years ago
Great Vid Great Info!
NikosDragan 4 years ago
thanks for the video. learned alot.
jx14aby 4 years ago
You is the man. thx
kundabuffer 4 years ago
great info...well done. Thanks...still saving my money, so on step #1! I use my digital camera's video function, and actually learning a lot working around not having such nice features as zoom. Look forward to your other sessions.
CarolJWright 4 years ago
Thanks for this most excellant video Jim - 5 stars!
Shyoty48 4 years ago
Thanks for the kind review!
somecallmejim 4 years ago
Hey whats a
CCD size
CCD quantity and
CCD pixels? I always see each of these on features when i'm searching for camcorders on the net. I'm looking for a good HD camera but not too expensive. I kno u said 3 CCD is good but all these "kinds" of CCDs are getting me confused!
natrullan 4 years ago
Howdy! Here's a basic overview. CCD size is how big the CCD chip is. In my opinion, bigger is always better. A good 3CCD camera will have a CCD size of at least 1/4".
CCD quantity is just whether it's a 1 CCD camera or a camera with 3 CCD chips. Color is typically better on 3CCD cams.
CCD Pixels just refers to how high the resolution of the CCD chip is. Again, the bigger the better.
Hope that helps!
somecallmejim 4 years ago
so is a *minidv* camcorder a camcorder that u can delete right off the comcorder right after u tape it?
burtonbords 4 years ago
Not quite sure I understand exactly what you're asking. You can record over your old video, but you can't "instantly" transfer the video to your PC, if that's what you're asking. The advantage of MiniDV is that it's the best quality. If you want instant transfer and are willing to settle for lower quality, a webcam or a hard drive cam would be what you want.
somecallmejim 4 years ago
Hey I am planing on buying a camera that i can i do lots and lots of 30-7min clips and just delete them right off my camera when I want and I only have about 300-750$ to spend what do you recomend?
burtonbords 4 years ago
My favorite camera in that price range is the Canon Elura 100. Powerful, simple, and it works like a dream for those on a budget.
somecallmejim 4 years ago
which camcorder do you recommend thats between $1000 to $1500 that an independent film maker can start out with?
blackbabynotmine 4 years ago
hey jim.
absolutely helpful vid. i've been in the market for one since the sony DCR PC-1000 came out, and i've been delaying my purchase for so long.
anyhoo, what of CMOS camcorders? since the PC-1000, there've been a few out already.
thanks and keep up the great job!
~kyro
ksincher 4 years ago
CMOS cameras are alright, but I have yet to be sold on them. CMOS chips have great use for small size & high performance, but CMOS also makes getting depth of field a lot harder. It's 6 one way, half a dozen the other.
somecallmejim 4 years ago
wow. you're pretty quick on the reply draw. :)
thanks jim!
ok, i notice that you favor the higher end prosumer lines (which is not a surprise since you do pro work).
im just curious to find out what mid-range (or even entry-level) cams you have in your 'arsenal' as you say.
also, panasonic seems to offer pretty good manual controls as well. are canons any better?
thanks heaps!
ksincher 4 years ago
The biggest problem with Panasonics are their controls. Panny's use their own "language" for LANC controls, which means stuff like controllers that will work with every other camera out there won't work with the panny's.
I started with a JVC MiniDV. MISTAKE. The Sony Digital8 is much better, and the newer canon Elura100 is great!
somecallmejim 4 years ago
thank you :-)
cristedin 4 years ago
the reason im not considering a SONY DCR-HC38 is that a SONY DCR-HC28 might be enough or even beyound what i need
dudethedreamer 4 years ago
wow, i applaud your legit and unbiased review/info. iv done my own research too and you have helped me a lot
im planning on buying a camcorder but im not sure which to buy, i need a camera that can capture good quality video for evidence at good distant. let me know if a Sony DCR-HC28 is good enough. my budget is 600 but prefer below 400
thanks
dudethedreamer 4 years ago
great vid man thanks
funkthug 4 years ago
great vid, what editing program did you use/how would you rate the canon gl2.
thebrentooo 4 years ago
First of all. That was a very good video.
Do you know what is the cheapest I can go to get a camera somewhere in Canada? I am going to school and have a budget and I am in need of a camcorder.
Thanks Jim
funkychunk 5 years ago
thankyoufor the video. u helped me allot.
Christyannky 5 years ago
Dude that video was awesome. I'm looking for a camera for under £150 ($295 i believe) just for making video blogs and fooling around with. Every video I have was taken on my cell phone, so I just want better quality. Offhand, happen to know anything that fits my critera? Your video was VERY helpful, thanks a bunch.
b33p 5 years ago
£300 to 500 but will pay 700 if need be
Twistedspike 5 years ago
hey jim vitalfinds pointed me to you so im gonna give you a little background on what im looking for good clear pic and sound that will work well with chroma-keying could you give me a rough idea on what to buy
Twistedspike 5 years ago
Sure thing. What's your price range? Shoot me a message and let me know.
PS-Vital finds is one cool cat in my book. Any friend of the vital one is a friend of mine! :-D
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Jim, That was a great tutorial on cams, Thank you very much!!
moto8dog 5 years ago
k thanks jim
littleman264 5 years ago
hey i was wondering what program do u use to do all the grapics and stuff
littleman264 5 years ago
Howdy littleman264! I create the graphics themselves in Adobe photoshop, and the chromakeying, animations, etc, all takes place in my editing software, usually Sony Vegas or Adobe Premiere Pro.
Photoshop is pricey though, so if you can't afford it, there's a program out there called gimp which is nearly as powerful, and more important, free.
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Hey Jim, what do you think about the Panasonic AG-DVX100A? I think it's the camera that Argent009 uses (I just asked pm'ed him to double-check), but I really like the picture quality. I don't think he's tried chroma-keying though, so I can't judge that. I'm not "stuck" on any particuliar brand, I'd just like the best "prosumer" model (whatever that might be).
vitalfinds 5 years ago
The DVX100A is awesome, but also a hair pricey. Unless you NEED to have 24p, it's really not that much more fancy than the significantly cheaper Canon GL-2, which gives amazing quality. Most of my YouTube videos are on a GL-2, including the chromakey stuff.
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Thanks for that tip, I just looked up more info and I hadn't realized that the Panasonic was quite that pricey.
vitalfinds 5 years ago
Well I've come full circle in my thinking. I've learned that my Cannon ZR80 has a service advisory out on it and Cannon will fix it for free. So now my money can be spent on some better editing software instead. I really didn't need a monster camcorder, just got carried away.
vitalfinds 5 years ago
Thanks for this! I was getting pretty confused on the format issue, thinking that the hard-drive "had" to be better, and wondering why all the 2K camcorders had tapes. Are all of the 3-chip camcorders super-large? Thanks Again!
vitalfinds 5 years ago
3 chip cameras are a little larger than cheaper 1 chip cameras, but that can work to your benefit. Bigger, heavier cameras are much easier to control. That being said, the size difference isn't enormous either.
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Watch this before you buy! Excellent advice.
depthofield 5 years ago
Thanks for the compliment! By the way, great username! :-D
somecallmejim 5 years ago
YOU ARE MY HERO! I was serioulsy 30 seconds away from buying a hard drive camera on ebay until I watched your video. This is the ONLY thing I've found online in WEEKS of searching that actually explains to me what all this camcorder mumbojumbo means!!! THANK YOU!
BinxsRoommate 5 years ago
No problem. Glad I could help!
I'm releasing a video in a few days about starting the editing process, so stay tuned :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Awesome video! (I was really glad there wasn't a test at the end though phew) To reiterate what a previous commenter requested, "Making and Editing Movies 101 For Dummies" or something along those lines, would be a video well received by a good number of people I think. Thanks again!!
Abbey7 5 years ago
Thanks man. I'm actually working on just that for Jim Class 3 (and a few beyond that. It's a lot of info for one class.) :-D
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Wow, thanks JimClass!!! You are very very smart! I recomment everybody to watch this video. they are great advices!thanks
Later :)
MacsMedia 5 years ago
Hey, thanks for the kind words! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Superbly done. If I do a show on AV Equipment recommendations, your segment will be mentioned as something to check out in regards to cameras.
MultimediaJay 5 years ago
Sweetness! Thanks Jay! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Hi, awesome video! What video editing program did you use to cut your image out and add in that background?
psychspirit 5 years ago
hey psych. Thanks for the kind words!
I used Sony Vegas for this particular video. I still have to release my second Jim Class on copyrights, but if you'r interested, I could do a future one (3rd or 4th) on using the chroma key feature.
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Great tips, only problem is I don't think I am going to be able to remember all of them! I will ask you when time comes =)
kbs0208 5 years ago
next time, take notes. I did.
In the market for an actual camcorder
instead of using 5.0 megapixel camera to take 1 min
videos :op
Thanks Jim, very well done, informative.
You should teach at the College level.
speedcrayzy 5 years ago
very helpful! thanks a lot!
benrokke 5 years ago
No problem! :-D
somecallmejim 5 years ago
This is the first video I've found on YouTube that taught me something.
mcse37 5 years ago
Awesome! I'm glad you learned something. Hopefully I didn't bore you to death either!
If you enjoyed it, be on the lookout for the next episode. I plan on making a few more videos like this on other subjects, possibly stuff like video editors, chromakey, and even PC hardware. I might even do a few on non-technology related stuff.
Thanks again!
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Good info. I would suggest getting a camera with the best low light performance which generally means a Sony. Newegg and Crutchfield are the best places to purchase electronics from.
snouter 5 years ago
Great advice. While you're very correct that Sony's typically have the better low light performance, up until you get into the upper Prosumer realm of cameras ($2k+) their manual controls are pretty cheezy. SO it's really a trade off. You can get good low light performance on a sony, or more control over your image on a Canon (for example).
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Part 2:
Also, don't froget B&H photo (www . bhphotovideo . com). They have the best customer service out there, and fair prices to boot.
Anyway, thaks for watching! Great comments!
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Thanks, very informative!
stebunn 5 years ago
NO problem. Thanks for watching! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Very Informative Jim. I Hope you do more of these, you are an intelligent man.
RightAsWrong 5 years ago
Intelligence is a subjective term :-) I just know my camcorders :-)
Later
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Haha, well let me rephrase that then. "You are a very camera knowledgable man."
RightAsWrong 5 years ago
WOWEEE! You are soooo smart! I thought my greenscreen was just crappy, but i guess it was the old camera. I think i'll test it out again now that I have a different one. How do you know all this stuff?!!?
DarkOceanFilms 5 years ago
Eh, I do it for a living :-)
Thanks for the good word! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
no prob!
DarkOceanFilms 5 years ago
thanks for the info!
DarkOceanFilms 5 years ago
I learned a lot in Jim Class
5and10 5 years ago
And you didn't even have to do one sit up. How cool is that! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
This is great for a dumbass like myself that is computer and digital camcorder ignorant. Very informative. Thanks Jim.
sneakypreacher 5 years ago
Hey, no problem. Glad I can post something that's actually useful to the community at large!
Later! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Wow, that was great. Many things I didn't know and was glad you taught us...
Also, I love how you move towards the end of the video. It looks like you have to pee or something. :)
insaneshayne 5 years ago
LOL! Yeah, I actully videoed about 6 videos for YouTube at once, and besides being the very last video I shot, I was also on something like take 79 or something, and my patience was wearing thin.
But then, I move around a lot naturally. Next time I'm going to solve the problem by bolting a pair of shoes to the floor.
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Ha! Can't wait to see the other videos. That is funny now that you told me what was going on I can kind of see it in your face...You look a little frustrated! :)
I hate it when I mess up when I am filming. Even when I am improving I still screw up something I was thinking about and I'm like, "NOOOO!!"
insaneshayne 5 years ago
Very informative. It will give me some things to think about when I buy my next camera. Knowing me, I probably would just have bought whatever was cheapest.
preacherman777 5 years ago
Yeah Preacherman, my first couple cameras were purchased solely for affordability. Oh, the many humbling lessons in my life! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
very informative and well made. you are a great instructor, well spoken
rchitec 5 years ago
Hey, thanks! I hope it can be of use to the community!
somecallmejim 5 years ago
EXCELLENT
nickg79 5 years ago
THANKS
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Sharp effects, Jim. But more important, sharp advice.
Funny, I never liked gym class before today. Eh? Oh, "Jim" class. Heh. :-)
Urgelt 5 years ago
Yeah, I avoid the gym like the plague myself! :-)
Thanks for the comments. Glad you liked it!
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Well i wish I would have seen this before I went and bought a JVC cam. ugggggggg!
billybigun64 5 years ago
Yeah, I've had bad luck with JVC cameras in the past. They have a tendency to unexpectedly die for no good reason.
Thanks for watching though! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Yea and the color reproduction is HORRIBLE!! I am ginna use it for awhile but was just now searching around for 3CCD cams as I type this.
billybigun64 5 years ago
Jim I absolutely loved this vid. I wish I'd had you as a resource when I was cam shopping. Good to know that a knowledgeable guy is out there on YouTube who can set the record straight with what can be a really complicated and confusing process.
visiblemode 5 years ago
Well, should the need ever come up again, you know where to find the video! :-)
Thanks!
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Great job. While I don't agree that you stricly NEED 3 chips to do chroma-key, especially for low quality vids for youtube (although I do agree three chips is always better of course), I'm glad to see someone doing this stuff here on YouTube. I've been thinking of doing some teaching vids myself, more in the realm of special effects. I think what you're doing here is great and you should keep it up!
healingnetwork 5 years ago
I suppose NEED was probably too strong a term on my part, there. THERE are some great one chip cameras out on the market, and as long as you have some manual control (white balance, exposure), you can probably pull chromakeying off fine with a 1 chip model.
Thanks for the support! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
I agree. I also hate people who pick apart one little detail in my videos. Isn't that annoying? :) Sorry.
healingnetwork 5 years ago
I am good, I am looking into a Cannon 3ccd minidv Camcorder. thanks for your Pro advice to reinsure my decission. I haven't bought anything yet because I am saving up to get a real nice one not settling. thanks for #4 good to know
bangstun 5 years ago
Howdy bangstun!
What camera are you saving up for? If you're going to try one of the nicer cameras (GL-2, XL1s of XL-2), I Can give you some great pointers.
Later! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
lol now thats were budget comes into play. I will let you know when I am ready to get your advice thanks man. I'm thinking XL-2 depends on what my bonus is and add it to my tax return
bangstun 5 years ago
Well, I'll tell you, if you can't afford the XL-2, Sony's VX-2100 is a wicked awesome camera. I've got one of them in my arsenal. The color is a little cooler than a Canon, and it's got less features, but for video quality, I think it might even surpass the XL series, and if not, it's very close
somecallmejim 5 years ago
thank you
bangstun 5 years ago
very well made.
Terpinol 5 years ago
very many thanks!
:-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
I made a mistake. I paid £600 for a camcorder in 2003 wishing I could afford the smaller one at £1000. I regretted it and a year later I paid another £600 for the smaller one that had come down in price, but altogether it had cost me £1,200 !! :-)
positivesue 5 years ago
Well sue, at least you're positive about it. lol :-)
Like I said in the video, it's better to save up for the camera you need than to spend a lot more down the road.
I've learned that very hard lesson myself one time too many. Thanks for sharing! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Jim what's the cheapest camcorder that could give me a half hour vlog here at youtube. I plan on doing no editing.
cffan 5 years ago
If you're doing literally no editing and your lighting is good (you'll probably want a lamp or something to light up your face a bit), then a great camera would be the Canon Elura 80. It's under US$300 at bhphotovideo dot com, and the Elura series has a nice beefy CCD chip that will kick the butts of most cameras in that range.
(Plus, Canon has the best manual control settings!)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Great video. Very informative. Thanks jim.
rojungle 5 years ago
Ross! Long time, no see!
Thanks for watching man! Glad you liked it. :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Very useful jim.will you be doing one on editing software.. later
robertmor1954 5 years ago
Hi robertmor1954! Since you asked, I'll make the subject of my next video on editing software. Great idea!
Later! :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Very useful information thanks :)
Evilspartacus 5 years ago
Hey, no problem! I'm just glad somene found it useful :-)
somecallmejim 5 years ago
Awesome man. Good info! (And very professional looking I might add :)
tjbach 5 years ago