Mini DV Cameras - Which is best?

[wilbo83]

Would love a GoPro Hero HD but cant afford the price tag.

My brother recently purchased a mini DV camera off ebay for about £10 and says it produces great quality videos. Found a couple of threads on here with videos from them and they look fine to me, but the ebay links had all expired.

Just wondered which ones people have and recommend?

[nick heppinstall]

I've owned a Sony DCR-TRV20E from new that's been a superb little camera. Mind you it was £1500 new ! In some circumstances it still shoots better video than my new hd camcorder.

[wilbo83]

When I say mini camera, I mean ones like the below that are used for sports, clipped to clothing or attached to a helmet..

[Road2Ruin]

I think you confused people when you used the words 'mini DV' which relates to the old casette version of recording digital video. They were mini at the time!

[Number31]

The 7dayshop have stocked them for a while:

Camera Link

Number31

[wilbo83]

Road2Ruin said:

I think you confused people when you used the words 'mini DV' which relates to the old casette version of recording digital video. They were mini at the time!

Ah I see, whoops, they seem to be called that online, guess it stands for Digital Video

[craigb84]

Depends what you want to use it for? If you're into action sports I wouldn't put my faith in a £10 eBay special.

[wilbo83]

craigb84 said:

Depends what you want to use it for? If you're into action sports I wouldn't put my faith in a £10 eBay special.

Mountain Biking and capturing driving videos (e.g. Club Meets) will be the main use.

The GoPro retails at £180+ and these can be had for £10, would have thought there was a happy medium somewhere with a decent camera retailing for c.£50 but I cant seem to find any.

Edited by wilbo83 on Tuesday 15th November 12:45

[S47]

The £10 ebay special is excellent in bright sunlight, or for high brigthness scenes, - snow etc. it's not so good for dim light, but hey at £10 buy one and try it out for yourself. make sure you buy a fast mini SD card though rated at least a '6', otherwise the card is unable to transfer the data fast enough and you'll get jerky motion.
As for the 'go pro' you're probably paying that price for all the revenues the makers spend advertising it.

[wilbo83]

Anyone got any videos that have been taken by the small cheap ones from ebay?

[craigb84]

wilbo83 said:

Anyone got any videos that have been taken by the small cheap ones from ebay?

There's a video in Number31's link taken from an RC plane. It's ok but a world apart from some of the HD footage you get with the dearer stuff.