Camcorder or just a digital camera with video capability?

Don Rearic

Don Rearic

Joined
Oct 8, 1998
Messages
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So, if you can possibly believe this, I use an absolutely ancient Sony Mavica that shoots directly to a floppy disc. This camera is the AK-47 of digital cameras, I assure you. It is a totally reliable beast and takes a half decent picture if you are outside and takes a decent picture inside if you get creative...as far as taking pictures of gear, etc. I am STILL using this prehistoric beasty and probably will continue to use it until it doesn't work anymore...which is apparently the same lifespan of the aforementioned AK-47. Now, it can take video, but that is totally antiquated and crappy and no amount of talent or "eye" can change that format...it just sucks.

So, my question to you fine people is this... If you wanted to do some YouTube stuff, not become the next "NutnSpecial" :jerkit: but just to do some nice, clear stuff that is easy to post on YouTube and still capture those precious, never-to-be-seen again family moments :barf: ...

Would you go with a dedicated camcorder or a digital camera like one of the PowerShot series or something like that which has the capability of doing "decent" video? I REALLY don't want to start going ass over tincups and spending more than $400.00 for the camera alone. I would love to have a Canon VIXIA and a Canon this-that-and-the-other but I think that is going to be cost-prohibitive. I would go with the Flip-type cameras but they generally only have digital zoom which everyone should know by now is...not really a zoom at all. I need something that has at least 10X optical zoom and has the software with it to add music and to edit the video without, again, going hog-wild with stuff that people like Les Stroud would require for a cable TV show.

Any suggestions? First, camcorder or camera with video capabilities and, make and model after that...if you would be so kind.
 
I bought a Canon Power Shot A570 IS for the wife about three years ago and she has made videos of me on it. Seems pretty fair with video quality about average for youtube. Only 4x zoom though.
 
Just get yourself a Flip HD video camera.Cheap,reliable and easy to use.The 4Gb model will record 1 hour of HD quality video and you can capture a still image from the video if you want. Easy to use and understand software and simple controls.Just what you need for youtube videos as the software has links to publish your video straight to your youtube account. I've got one and love the simplicity and small size.Just checked Amazon and found several of the Flip MinoHD 4Gb(1hour) cameras under $100 and the 8Gb's(2hour) under $175. for short youtube videos 1 hour is all you need.They work well enough for starters and you may not even like doing youtube videos.Why spend more until you know it's something you will continue with?And hey! That would leave $300 in your pocket from your budget for more knives! My next choice at just under $200 from wally world online would be the Toshiba Camileo X100.Which has 10x optical and 100x digital zoom and uses SDHC memory cards. I own this one too and just sent it on vacation with the mother in law so she can bring us back hour after hour of marvelous full hd videos of her trip to Europe with a bunch of other old farts.Seriously though,good camera if you want to step it up a little and spend another $100-150. Get a good little desktop tri-pod while you're there. Hope this helped.
P.S. buy your editing software separate,most of the "included" software is CRAP. Check CNET.com and choose a highly rated(reviewed) software package in your price range.You'll be a lot happier that you did.
 
I do a lot of picture taking for job inspections/consulting and for recording job site events. I have both a nice digital camera with a great zoom, and a nice video camera that takes incredible video and pretty nice pictures.

That being said, for 99% of my use, a good camera will do all I ever need and my newest have performed well. This is the one I wound up with, and bought it on sale at $taples for $149 + tax:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-ZS8-Digital-Stabilized-3-0-Inch/dp/B004KKZ0HE

Note the 16X OPTICAL zoom from Leica lenses. The further 20X digital enhancement brings stuff right in, too. The pictures are great, the videos are great and it shoots in 720 dpi. Note the camera is YouTube and Facebook ready, although I haven't used it for that. The camera shoots in Quicktime format so it will work with either Mac or Windows machines. The microphone is incredibly sensitive out to about 10 feet or so, especially for something so small.

I purchased two new 8gb SD cards for it (class 10) on $mazon as it comes with NO memory card. I also bought an extra battery (NOT the Panasonic battery) and a great case to go with it at the same time and paid less than the battery only cost in Panasonic brand. To get good video, the recommend (IIRC) a class 6 or better card, but the class 10 will ensure that you have plenty of speed for recording and playback.

The macro is great and will focus down to something like an 1 1/4". The flash is so strong that it will wash out some of your pics, but it is so light sensitive that even in a normally lit room (with stabilizing on) you don't need the flash! (Never had that before..... !) That makes taking pictures in natural light VERY easy.

Note the extra wide, wide angle lens. This is great. I love that as my older camera didn't have this large field of capture. And the Leica lenses they tout enough to put the logo on the camera take really clear, sharp pictures.

The battery lasts extremely well, and with the LCD on, the features you want on (facial tracking, stabilization, flash, multiple focus points, etc.) I am getting about 250 pics. Not bad. I like the case as it is actually aluminum, not all plastic. My other digital cameras were all plastic bodied, so I don't actually know that it makes a difference one way or another.

This camera will do so many more things than I will ever do it is silly. BUT... the things I do use for it does very, very well. And it is reasonably priced.

My Panasonic video camera takes great videos and really nice pictures. Since it is a video camera, it naturally does better at videos than pictures. It shoots 1080 and in stereo sound. It has a lot of great video features, but I was not looking for anything this sophisticated.

The pictures are limited to 5 megapixels, which is great for general photography. However, in my line of work it can be limiting. It isn't that I want to take poster grade pictures all the time, but if I want a piece of a photo that I can crop out and blow up, the more megapixels the better. This makes the ZS8 camera a hands down winner for details I need.

However, the video camera is easy to use, I like the swing out view window, and it is a real winner at family events as I take videos, flick the lever, and take videos. And with a 16gb SD card, you can take a couple of hours of video under the Panasonic compression format. The real shining points of this camera are it takes LONG videos (not needed by me) is easy to use, and the color saturation is outstanding. The battery lasts well, and it is very comfortable in the hand. It is very sensitive in low light, and takes great videos in low light and with its own built in light. Sadly, I do very little at night, so it never really take advantage of that feature.

But if I had to choose one, i would take the ZS8 as it is superior in detailed pictures and does a very good job on videos as well. Although name specific cameras, I would apply what I just typed about any video camera to picture camera comparisons when looking at features.

Probably more than you needed Don, but I wore myself out for a couple of months when making my decision. Thought I might save you some keyboard time. :)

Robert
 
Robert,

No, I appreciate ALL the information! I've been racking my head on this one for a couple years and then I shelve ideas and stuff because I can't make a decision! :D
 
Don Rearic said:
Robert,

No, I appreciate ALL the information! I've been racking my head on this one for a couple years and then I shelve ideas and stuff because I can't make a decision! :D
Click to expand...

I know exactly how you feel. I had problems with format incompatibility, so I made a decision to buy only cameras and video cameras that use SD cards. They are cheap and plentiful. I learned that lesson by buying a well reviewed camera that used its own recording format. Now my Canon Powershot 640, my Panasonic Lumix, and my Panasonic video camera all use all memory chips interchangeably.

I learned a good lesson about havnig to buy proprietary batteries as well. That made me realize that I had to buy batteries at a super premium. So I found a source on $mazon that sold two batteries that they guaranteed to work, and did for less than the cost of one official Panasonic battery. They also tossed in a car charger and screen protector with the deal.

I used the video camera for about a year before I bought the ZS8. I love the video camera, but for detail work you can't beat a picture camera. There are just too many settings you can dial up, too many decisions you can make as overrides (shutter/aperature/flash bounce), to make you pictures fly. Sadly, I don't take the video camera out much at all anymore.

I would think that if you were taking pics of your knives, a regular camera would be the stuff. You can set multiple focus points, adjust flash for fill, adjust field of view for that "pro" look, adjust coloring and setting, etc., all by menu.

At any rate, if there are any questions you might have, hit me here and I will see if I can help. If not, there are several guys that take great shots that hang around here.

Robert
 
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