Newbie buying a Camcorder

[viper69]

Hi all

I am a newbie seeking advice to buy a Camcorder from the coming IT show @ suntec.

I know nothing about Camcorder, my budget is below $1,300 and my purpose for buying one is as follows:

1) Keeping memories of my coming wedding
2) Keeping memories of my honeymoon
3) Keeping memories of my newborn cute nephew.
4) keeping memories of my household monthly gathering.

In summary, just for fun, not using it for professional reason.

Criterias very simple:

1) Budget less than S$1,300
2) Must also can take still pictures
3) Can be downloaded easily into the computer.

Question:

1) Whats the diff with using tapes or DVD? Tapes can also be converted and downloaded into the computer, then burned into DVDs right? If so, then whats the diff.

Many thanks for any help.

 

[tommon]

HDD cameras are still better than DVD. DV is still cheaper than HDV. Try the KVC with 30Gb HDD small and compact.

http://www.jvc.com/product.jsp?productId=PRD1207000&pathId=119

or http://www.jvc-asia.com/sg/products/digitalmediacamera.asp

 

[lwm]

HDD cameras are still better than DVD.

How is HDD better than DVD? In what areas? They both recorded in MPEG-2, right?

 

[tommon]

DVD plays in encored MPEG2. Thus once the data is burned into DVD format, it's no longer in the normal MPEG2 format. Have you try opening a DVD in the PC. It gives you some funny files that you cannot play or you have pix but no sound or vice versa. While HDD just gives pure MPEG2 that you could download into PC via USB or Firewire. For 1.3k JVC have a good deal at the IT Show @ Suntec.

 

[viper69]

I am contemplating to get a Canon MD 140 or MD 160. Any comments?

 

[tommon]

Not sure, Canon's not very good at consumer camcorders. Samsung is good.

 

[shojibake]

You might want to try harddrive solutions because transfer rates to PC is faster. DVD players with firewire/usb out should allow you to transfer to PC as well. You won't actually need to pop in the DVD into the computer to do a transfer. And compared to tape based formats, DVD camera transfers are a lot faster. The upside of using a DVD camcorder is that you should be able to play it on a normal DVD player, but you might have to finalise the disc to do that, so you don't need to go into the hassle of authoring a DVD just to show the videos to relatives and all that.