Whats is a good deal out there? I dont want to pay gazzillions more for features I will never use. Last camcorder i had was a an old sony circa 1992 which finally kicked the bucket.
I have been looking at camcorders for sometime now and dont really know what features are worth spending money on and which ones are not.
Whatever you buy, try to stick with Sony. EVERYone carries a Sony and there is a reason for that. They are good quality and reliable, even if they are a tad bit more expensive compared to similar features in other brands.
I will recommend a MiniDV over Hi8, cz its newer technology, sharper picture quality and highly re-usable. Yes, its more expensive than Hi8 or VHS-C (Panasonic)
LCD display is a must, cz its less strain on your eyes. 2.5" is the smallest size, and they go up to 4". The bigger the screen, the easier to make the movie, although, to be honest 2.5" is quite ok, as well.
I opted for a color viewfinder, in addition of LCD, cz LCD uses more battery and I hate b/w viewfinders. It gets more expensive, but it was a personal choice.
The rest of the feature stuff is pretty inane. The larger the zoom, the better, though 10x optical is about as much as you will use, cz otherwise it starts shaking a lot. Sony's Night Shot technology is cool and their image stabilizer is pretty cool. Battery life is good as well.
Check Yahoo! shopping for good deals, although if you can wait a few weeks, around christmas the deals will be even sweeter. I will try to get some specific recommended model nos later. Do you own research too. :)
go for MiniDV. But not necessarily Sony. Sony is just a name now. A good company now is Panasonic and JVC. I wouldnt go for anything else but these three companies..also dont get the MiniMVs by sony. They suck!
one feature which is worthless is the NIGHTVision on many sony cams(and some other brands). Its useless. It uses some cheap nightvision technology..which sounds good at first...but there is no use caus the final vid is green and black.
Also look for a good stabilizer...go to a bestbuy or someplace and try the cams out and ask em if u could watch the output on a tv or computer.
Thanks Faisal and hskhan
I dont haver an issue dealing with Panasonic and JVC as well, or even Hitachi, I have had very good experiences with these brands in the past.
So for these dif companies, which models are good? and any ideas on a good price?
Sharp, Panasonic, JVC, Hitachi etc are all good companies who make good camcorders. However, when you see someone carrying a camcorder, check the brand. Chances are that 8 times out of 10, you will see Sony. Why? :)
Depending upon how much you are willing to spend this one seems like a good option.
One thing, I am doing recently is to transfer small clips of movies to my computer, using Firewire. It allows me to do fun stuff with these clips, and upload them to a webspace, from where my family in Pakistan can download these clips and enjoy the home movies. Good for sharing kids activities. So, if this thing excites you than make sure you buy a camcorder which supports iLink or Firewire capabilities.
Fraudz ji - Also look into Sony DCRTRV18 - It has a world class Carl- Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens, MiniDV, Firewire, color View finder, very compact and priced around $650. It’s perfect for personal use especially when you dont want a camcorder with features you may never use.
Also - If you are planning to buy a Camcorder, I would always suggest you to go for Sony. JVC minidvs are no where near Sony. Can’t say the same about Panasonics though.
Another suggestion is I wont recommend stores like Circuit City or Best Buy, they charge at least 100-150 more than any internet store. If you are not comfortable buying it over the Internet, Simply Take a hard copy of Internet store Price to Any Sears Store near you - They will match the price.
Edited - Faisal Bhai, Great Camcorder, Post karne ke baad aapki post padhi 
The new JVC MiniDVs aren’t that bad at all. The old ones were terrible, but the new ones are good. As for Panasonic they are as good as the Sony cams..but have a lil extra features..ie remote and other combos. Oh yes the Sony TRV series is very good. The price just got dropped a few weeks ago.
Hskhan bhai - You may be right about JVCs - Haven't used any of the latest models. Anyways the best part about this Sony Trv18 is the Lens. Most Sony camcorders have Sony lens, whereas this one has Carl Zeiss and it really makes so much difference especially when you are shooting near a lake or beach. Another great features of Sony camcorders is their audio recording. Really excellent.
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*Originally posted by Asif_k: *
Hskhan bhai - You may be right about JVCs - Haven't used any of the latest models. Anyways the best part about this Sony Trv18 is the Lens. Most Sony camcorders have Sony lens, whereas this one has Carl Zeiss and it really makes so much difference especially when you are shooting near a lake or beach. Another great features of Sony camcorders is their audio recording. Really excellent.
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yes i agree with you that its a good vid camera. a very good vid camera...but there are other options out there. for example Canon. They too make good lenses...and their vid cams are good too, although very ugly.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Faisal: *
Sharp, Panasonic, JVC, Hitachi etc are all good companies who make good camcorders. However, when you see someone carrying a camcorder, check the brand. Chances are that 8 times out of 10, you will see Sony. Why? :)
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abay you see more camrys on the streets than the bmws :) dunn always mean they are better :D
I like the models you guys suggested., will chjeck out the TRV. not plannign to buy for a month or two so hopefully christmas or after chrsitmas sale would knock the price down a lil bit too.
got an interesting review. just wanted to share
Budget Models
While reviewers say there are some excellent models available for less than $1000, one budget camcorder line you may want to stay away from is the Sharp Mini-DV series. These units, which are priced comparably to the Panasonic and Canon models in Fast Answers, fare poorly in tests by one major reviewing organization, and receives lukewarm reviews from other sources. CNet says one model, the VLWD450U, is bulky for a mini-DV, an opinion seconded by ZDNet, which says this camcorder “lacks the elegant design found in Sony and Canon models.”
When it comes to sub-$1000 camcorders, reviewers agree that you have two solid choices—the Panasonic DV series and the Canon ZR series. In a recent roundup by the top-ranked reviewer in our All The Reviews Reviewed chart, PC World, the Panasonic PV-DV701 (*est. $850) gets the nod over the competition for its “great image quality, intuitive controls, and good price.” Other reviewers, including MacWorld and Camcorderinfo.com, single out other budget models in the PV-DV line. The most widely available version is the PV-DV201 (*est. $600), which has a 20X optical zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD screen, still-picture capability, and picture stabilization. Unfortunately, the cheapest model in the line (the PV-DV101, *est. $500) seems to be on its way out; if you can find one, reviewers say it’s a solid digital camcorder for beginners.
The Canon ZR series runs neck-and-neck with the Panasonic PV-DV series as a budget pick. Reviewers like PC Magazine had already been enamored of the superseded model, the ZR10MC, and they’re just as fond of the newer ZR20MC and ZR30MC. Among the latest batch, though, we’ve decided to include the ZR25MC (*est. $700) in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers, largely on the basis of its write-up in MacWorld. Here, the ZR25MC is lauded for its ability to shoot in 16:9 aspect-ratio and capture still images using progressive scans. Keep in mind, though, that is only has a 10X optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD viewfinder; whether you go for the Canon or the Panasonic above will probably be more a matter of style than performance (the Canon, reviewers say, is a bit more stylish and compact, weighing only 19 ounces compared to 20 ounces and up for the Panasonics).
http://consumersearch.com/www/photo_and_video/digital_camcorders/index.html
Well, The review doesn't say anything about Sonys and JVCs, which are top two brands of Budget Camcorders.
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*Originally posted by Asif_k: *
Well, The review doesn't say anything about Sonys and JVCs, which are top two brands of Budget Camcorders.
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I personally think JVC offers a good deal. You can go with a Sony but most of the price differance will be for the sony logo.
Panasonic PV-DV401Digital Camcorder is a good qual camcorder..it has 3 inch LCD…it has a nicer design that the sony cams..it looks like its worth more than the trv18…
Comparison:
Left:Sony DCR-TRV18
Right:Panasonic PV-DV401Digital Camcorder
The comparison between the Sony and Pana
**Panasonic is $599
Sony is $519
Panasonic is 3’
Sony is 2.5’(half an inch make slot of difference)
Panasonic is 20x optical zoom (the more the optical zoom the better)
Sony is 10x optical
Both have same still photo size.
Panasonic is lighter by 25grams (pana is 680g)
Sony is 705g
Panasonic cam review:http://www.dvspot.com/reviews/panasonic/pv_dv401-review/
Sony: I dont know**
i found a site which might help…its http://www.dvspot.com/
it has image samples and video samples from a large variety of camcorders…it will be useful to compare digicams… enjoy
Intresting but i want to know about the site you recomend to buy "used: camcoders.
I have visted ebay and once my boss purchased a Dell inspirational form there and experience was good.
Any site u want to recomend for camcorders.
I bought the Sony DCR-PC101 recently. Mostly becuase of its small size and also picture quality is great too. It’s very conviniant to carry a small camcorder, rather than the bulky ones. Worth the extra price.
nice camcorder