Ian C Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Righto, you knowledgable consumer electronics peeps. I'm after a handheld video camera that's got the right media (hi8? Digital8? wtf?), a DV in for bullet cams, firewire out, and some sort of image stabilisation and doesn't cost a zillion quid. As I know nothing about this sort of stuff, I'm throwing the question open to the floor -Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelfill Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 media: (limiting to consumer) Hi8 is analogue 8mm tape Digital8 is digital stored on 8mm tape. The same quality as minidv and more robust storage media but leads to very bulky cameras miniDV is digital micromv is digital but a very frail thin tape not as robust as minidv, but leads to very small cameras HDD stores digital but in MPEG2 (typically). You will struggle to edit this if you want to. edit: DVD stores digital but in MPEG2 so you will not have full resolution, and you won't be able to edit this easily either. Only buy this if you don't want to edit/author footage, and you want to play in you consumer DVD player that can read the mini DVDs. I'm not aware of any bullet cams that output DV so you'll need a camcorder that takes analogue in. These tend to be above the budget end. All minidv camcorders will have firewire out, but only the more expensive ones will have firewire/dv in. If you want to put editted film back onto the camera. As for recommendations - I don't know what is good at the moment. I'd be looking for one with a decent Optical zoom, and with a "true" 16:9 mode. If your budget extends to HiDef I might consider that to be future proof. edit: The Sony steadyshot seems to work pretty well for image stabilisation, and I believe is standard on all Sony camcorders. Simon (Greenpeace) will have much better suggestions as to good quality cameras available at the moment. Good luck Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 My 2ps worth... Panasonic NV-GS500EB-S £997.99 ish Mini DV e.cam with 3CCD and Optical Image Stabilizer, 4 Megapixel stills and pro-cinema mode Product Features 12x Optical Zoom 4 Megapixel Still Pictures 3CCD Camera system Crystal Engine Pro - cinema mode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted May 27, 2006 Author Share Posted May 27, 2006 Cheers dudes. OK I'm leaning towards Sony anyway as that's the brand I've used before and they were very good, and I've experienced their image stabilisation feature which also rocks (except it doesn't ahaha). It looks like Mini DV is what I'll be after media wise - I can edit MPEG2 as that's what I use for the end results anyway but I want raw AVI as the source media anyway. I'm not fussed over size, but miniDV will probably be quite dinky compared to the old Hi8 units, hurrah. The limiting factor in my choice looks like the analogue in (thanks for the correction on that) for remote bullet cameras. I'd be a fool to get one without that seeing as it'd mostly be used for car stuff Ewen - that's about double my maximum budget, sorry guv -Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Ewen - that's about double my maximum budget, sorry guv Sorry Ian, I pushed 'not costing squillions' a bit didnt I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 I've just ordered a new JVC GZ-MC500 camera/video camera 5 megapixel camera with 60 mins high quality MPEG video £590. I just mine for £250 fro Jessops Special deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted May 27, 2006 Author Share Posted May 27, 2006 Having said Sony I just bought this: http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3LHS&CategorySelectedId=11249&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11249,40230000&InMerch=1 A canon MV850i. A friend has a slightly earlier version and it's really good and does everything I want it to, and it's £230, hurrah Thanks for your help -Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Having said Sony I just bought this: http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3LHS&CategorySelectedId=11249&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11249,40230000&InMerch=1 A canon MV850i. A friend has a slightly earlier version and it's really good and does everything I want it to, and it's £230, hurrah Thanks for your help -Ian I was going to say Canon MV...If you don't mind I'd like a butchers when you get it as I was hoping to get one for my hols later in the year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mk47 Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 I've just ordered a new JVC GZ-MC500 camera/video camera 5 megapixel camera with 60 mins high quality MPEG video £590. I just mine for £250 fro Jessops Special deal thats a great camera! we sell them at currys for 499.99. ed thats a bargain maybe u can bring it into currys and i can refund it for u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 the aliens have a good system it has a hand held phazer thet you point and shoot and it captures 1,0000000000000000000000000 hours of footage all in SUPER HD quality hope that helps next time i get abducted i will ask if they want to sell and we can reverse engineer it and you can map the fook out of it with your E managers support tool plug in module i love stellar xxx xx x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 thats a great camera! we sell them at currys for 499.99. ed thats a bargain maybe u can bring it into currys and i can refund it for u LMAO. Don't tempt me mate! Doubt my dad would be as impressed with a cheque for £150.00 for his Birthday! on second thoughts. HOLD ON!! Flippin eek,.. thats a bargain. Let me think about that one LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 One of these would solve your external analouge video in problem.... http://www.firewire-1394.com/canopus-advc-110.htm Or you could just get a small firewire camera (Some thing like the apple ivideo camera, it is firewire, not sure if it would work tho) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Man Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 bullet cam in car is my on going project too, I got a sony miniDV cam and it has AV in, haven't used it in my car yet but used it as CCTV in my shop before. China Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 the aliens have a good system it has a hand held phazer thet you point and shoot and it captures 1,0000000000000000000000000 hours of footage all in SUPER HD quality hope that helps next time i get abducted i will ask if they want to sell and we can reverse engineer it and you can map the fook out of it with your E managers support tool plug in module i love stellar xxx xx x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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