Budget Camcorder help

Author
Discussion

smartie

Original Poster:

2,607 posts

280 months

Wednesday 28th January 2009
quotequote all
Never had a camcorder before but going on hols soon and thought it might be a good idea now they are so cheap, so, which to go for?

Do I go HDD, DVD, miniDV or SD? Looking at a Canon DC301 on Jessops for £150 which seems pretty good.

Any advice welcome!

smartie

Original Poster:

2,607 posts

280 months

Wednesday 28th January 2009
quotequote all
anyone?

WorAl

10,877 posts

195 months

Wednesday 28th January 2009
quotequote all
Buy a mini DV one from experience the rest arent up to the job yet.....Also if you can, buy Sony.
There are plent around

Mroad

829 posts

222 months

Wednesday 28th January 2009
quotequote all
After a bit of research we got my brother the Canon FS100 for his 40th and then I found out my boss had bought the same one too.
It's an SD card machine and I can vouch for the quality after sitting through hours of holiday videos. It can be had for just over the £200 mark.

As WorAl says, there is not much that can beat a miniDV for quality and value for money at the moment unless you spend a packet (found that from my research too). We went for FS100 for ease of video transfer and the good reviews it had. If you do get a duff SD card you can replace it, you can't do that so easily with a HDD machine.
It's worth bearing in mind the software that comes with camcorder, some are better than others. Canons was supposed to be quite good.

If you are buying from Jessops there is a 5% money code available to use online (can pick up from store), enter NEWSL5 in the promo code box at the checkout. Unfortunately it's only valid until close of play 29/01/09.

smartie

Original Poster:

2,607 posts

280 months

Wednesday 28th January 2009
quotequote all
cheers guys,

Borrowed my brother's old one but it's firewire only and I'm trying to use it with a macbook ! Seems as cheap to buy a new decent one than to muck about trying to get this to work!

cjs

10,934 posts

258 months

Wednesday 28th January 2009
quotequote all
smartie said:
cheers guys,

Borrowed my brother's old one but it's firewire only and I'm trying to use it with a macbook ! Seems as cheap to buy a new decent one than to muck about trying to get this to work!
I assume it is a new Macbook? My older MB has firewire.

smartie

Original Poster:

2,607 posts

280 months

Thursday 29th January 2009
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yes, new one. Just 2x usb and a display port thingy...

cjs

10,934 posts

258 months

Thursday 29th January 2009
quotequote all
smartie said:
yes, new one. Just 2x usb and a display port thingy...
That's why I have not upgraded my MB! I cannot believe Apple decided to delete the FW port on the new MB.