loaf Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 been looking into getting one. Saw these two: Samsung SC-D363 and this one: JVC GR D347US anyone have any comments on either or others I should look into. Hoping to spend in the $250 range. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitem0nkey Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 (edited) Per consumer reports. The Samsung got the lowest rating on the consumer report site. I could not find a review for JVC GR D347US. this is what they recommend Best values in digital tape: • Sony DCR-TRV280 , $275, CR Best Buy • Canon Elura 85 , $465 Best value in a DVD camcorder: • Hitachi DZ-BX35A , $380 • Hitachi UltraVision DZGX3200A , $430 • Sony DCR-DVD105 , $435 • Canon DC100 , $370 If small size is paramount: • Sanyo Xacti C6 , $495 Best values in hard-disk recording: • JVC Everio G Series GZ-MG77 , $715 • Toshiba GSC-R60 , $660 here are some othere in the 200-300 price range. Sony DCR-HC26, Sony DCR-TRV280, JVC Compact Series GR-D270 Edited February 15, 2007 by whitem0nkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 (edited) I got this one about 8 months ago: http://www.abtelectronics.com/product/21921.html Does a good job. A lot of nice features, 20x zoom. I stayed away from the DVD ones as re-recording is easier and cheaper w/ MiniDV. I think it was Atomic who also recc'd the mini DV. Mine also has a slot for a memory stick. I don't do stills w/ it, but use the stick for short stuff and a BU. Here is some reviews: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126166-page,1/article.html but they are 6 months old. Edited February 15, 2007 by rocknrobn26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I'll be following this thread as we put a camcorder on our registry but the one I picked has recently gone into back-order at Target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 Woot.com has this JVC right now for $159.99 + $5 shipping.....I don't know much about these but sounds like a heck of a deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 Woot.com has this JVC right now for $159.99 + $5 shipping.....I don't know much about these but sounds like a heck of a deal. Guess it was... it sold out fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithkt Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 http://www.camcorderinfo.com You can find a lot of reviews of many different cameras here. Just bear in mind that they are a little more picky than the average consumer. Their reviews of the consumer level cameras tend to be a little harsh. You can also find a lot of very helpful people in their forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 Guess it was... it sold out fast. I saw the Woot oval bouncing so I knew it was goin.........It was on there since at least last night though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgaddis Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 As long as you can discretely film up womens skirts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 As long as you can discretely film up womens skirts... What else would you buy one for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 Woot.com has this JVC right now for $159.99 + $5 shipping.....I don't know much about these but sounds like a heck of a deal. that's what prompted this thread though it wasn't sold out this morning. dammit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 You guys realize it was a refurb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I am also in the market for a new camcorder. Recreational use only. Was wondering if a hard-drive based is a better option than DVD. I know Sony has one for around $500 with a 30GB drive on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I am also in the market for a new camcorder. Recreational use only. Was wondering if a hard-drive based is a better option than DVD. I know Sony has one for around $500 with a 30GB drive on it. My opinion is yes. The MiniDV's hold 1 hour I think (30mins-~8gig). a 30gig HD, maybe 4 hours? I didn't want to spend $500 so my choice was simpler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 You guys realize it was a refurb. I knew and mostly why I hesitated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitem0nkey Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 here is another consumer report article about it. You can do a lot more with videos shot on digital or analog camcorders than play them back, unedited, on your TV. You can edit and embellish them with music using your computer, then play your productions on your DVD or PC. Or even send them to friends or family via e-mail. Digital camcorders, now the dominant type, generally offer very good to excellent picture quality, along with very good sound capability, compactness, and ease of handling. Making copies of a digital recording need not result in a loss of picture or sound quality. You can even take rudimentary still photos with most digital camcorders. Analog camcorders, now a small part of the market, generally have good picture and sound quality and are less expensive. Some analog units are about as compact and easy to handle as digital models, while others are a bit bigger and bulkier. WHAT'S AVAILABLE Sony dominates the camcorder market, with multiple models in a number of formats. Other top brands include Canon, JVC, Panasonic, and Samsung. Most digital models come in the MiniDV format, but there are also the disc-based DVD-RAM, DVD-R, and DVD+RW formats. Newer models record to flash memory or a hard drive. Some digital models weigh as little as 1 pound. MiniDV. Don't let their small size deceive you. Although some models can be slipped into a large pocket, MiniDV camcorders can record very high-quality images. They use a unique tape cassette, and the typical recording time is 60 minutes at standard play (SP) speed. Expect to pay about $6.50 for a 60-minute tape. You must use the camcorder for playback--it converts its recording to an analog signal that can be played directly into a TV or VCR. If the TV or VCR has an S-video input jack, use it to get a high-quality picture. Price: $350 to more than $1,000. Disc-based. Capitalizing on the popularity and capabilities of DVD movie discs, these formats offer benefits that tape can't provide: long-term durability, compactness, and random access to scenes as with a DVD. The 31/4-inch discs record standard MPEG-2 video, the same format used in commercial DVD videos. The amount of recording time varies according to the quality level you select, from 20 minutes per side at the highest-quality setting for DVD-RAM to about 60 minutes per side at the lowest setting. DVD-RAM discs are not compatible with most DVD players, but the discs can be reused. DVD-R is supposed to be compatible with most DVD players and computer DVD drives, but the discs are not rewriteable. DVD-RW and DVD+RW are reusable, rewriteable disc formats. Disc prices range from about $4 to $20. Price: $600 to $1,000. Most analog camcorders now use the Hi8 format; VHS-C and Super VHS-C are fading from the market. Blank tapes range from $3.50 to $6.50. Analog camcorders usually weigh around 2 pounds. Picture quality is generally good, though a notch below digital. Price: $200 to $300. HOW TO CHOOSE Pick your price range and format. The least-expensive camcorders on the market are analog. All the rest are digital. Once you've decided which part of the price spectrum to explore, you need to pick a specific recording format. That determines not only how much you'll be spending for tapes, discs, or memory, but also how much recording time you'll get. The tape-based digital formats are typically superior in picture quality to analog tape-based formats. With analog, you can get 120 to 300 minutes of recording on a Hi8 cassette. With the SVHS-C or VHS-C formats, you can get only 30 to 120 minutes. With digital formats that use MiniDV, Digital 8, or MicroMV tapes, you can get at least 60 minutes of recording on a standard cassette. MiniDV and D8 cassettes are the least expensive and easiest to find. Digital DVD camcorders from Panasonic and Hitachi can accommodate DVD-RAM discs, which can be reused but aren't compatible with all DVD players. All brands also use DVD-R, one-use discs that work in most DVD players. The standard setting yields 60 minutes of recording; the "fine" setting, 20 to 30 minutes. With digital formats using memory cards, the amount of video you can record at the highest quality level can vary from 15 minutes to 1 hour on 256-MB to 2-GB cards. (To get a more precise estimate, check a camera's specifications.) Hard-drive based camcorders are limited only by the capacity of the hard drive and the quality settings. On typical models, you can store several hours of video at the highest-quality setting or more than 10 hours at lower-quality settings. If you're replacing an older camcorder, think about what you'll do with the tapes you've accumulated. If you don't stay with the same format you've been using, you will probably want to transfer the old tapes to an easily viewed medium, such as a DVD. If you're buying your first camcorder, concentrate on finding the best one for your budget, regardless of format. Check the size, weight, and controls. In the store, try different camcorders to make sure they fit your hand and are comfortable to use. Some models can feel disconcertingly tiny. You'll need to use a tripod if you want rock-steady video, no matter which camcorder you choose. Most camcorders are designed so that the most frequently used controls--the switch to zoom in and out, the record button, and the button for still photos--are readily at hand. Make sure that the controls are convenient and that you can change the tape, DVD, or memory card and remove the battery easily. Check the flip-out LCD viewer. Most measure 2.5 inches on the diagonal, but some are larger, adding about $100 to the price. If the viewer seems small and difficult to use or suffers from too much glare, consider trading up to a similar model or a different brand to get a better screen. Think about the lighting. A camcorder isn't always used outdoors or in a brightly lighted room. You can shoot video in dim light, but don't expect miracles. In our tests, using the default mode, most camcorders produced only fair or poor images in very low light. Many camcorders have settings that can improve performance but can be a challenge to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 I've quickly found out that $250 won't get me a helluva lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I've quickly found out that $250 won't get me a helluva lot Yeah, I think $325 is more like it. That's about what I paid for mine (above). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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