Hi,
I would like to buy a video camcorder for my babies video shooting. As I'm in tight budget (around $500 -$700 should be fine), can anyone recommend me a value-for-money camcorder?
Hi,
I would like to buy a video camcorder for my babies video shooting. As I'm in tight budget (around $500 -$700 should be fine), can anyone recommend me a value-for-money camcorder?
Go check out the reviews at various websites. testfreaks.com is like a review directory - it lists down the reviews of just about every camera in that area.
Given your priorities, you would have to choose between a HD or SD camera as well as the recording media. Go google.
Recording media:
- DV Tape
- Mini DVD
- SD Card / Flash memory
- HDD
SD cameras are the cheapest and record in MPEG 2 / 4. Image quality suffers but the MPEG-2 / MPEG-4 format is more or less established and so it is relatively easier to edit.
HD cameras would be split into 2 kinds: HDV (DV tape) & AVCHD (HDD & flash memory cams). I've only used HDV once so I can't really say. AVCHD is more convenient to transfer to comp but requires a very powerful comp to edit footage or else kana lag / hang (I've kena this a lot).
It is possible to get some HD cameras at this price of $700 even though they sell them at ridiculous prices here. Just compare the prices of say the Sony SR11 in Singapore and on amazon.com (or any of the major online retailers. check our resellerratings.com also). Big difference (50%) for the high end models for a video signal change. NTSC works fine on Singapore TVs, not very much problems unless you have some serious editing to do (google NTSC pulldown).
u can get it from Australia Ebay where over there are using PAL system just like singapore. the price there is slightly more than USA by 100 to 200 but it still cheaper compare buying in singapore. so it your choices.
I'm letting go of my Canon HV20 with 3 ultralonglife battery for $700. Used less than 10 times. Please read about this Camcorder of the Year at www.camcorderinfo.com or join www.hv20.com.