What videocam should I buy?

[Cutter]

Havent had one for years but need something I can use at work for generating teaching clips as well as for more general use.
What should I be looking for ?
I know it'll be price dependant but dont know which features are really worth the extra. Guess I'm looking £5-600.
What about waterproof bags for taking it on boat.
Suggestions from the kirk welcome.
Thanks

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

for a small camera I've just ordered one of the Xacti waterproof ones that Dylan recommended.
Not received as yet(Japan etc...) but from what I've seen on Dylans little shoot whilst hacking the counrtyside on Dobbin, it should be good for the price.

 

[dylanwinter]

camera

check to see how cheap the spare batteries are

and the cards it will run off

never been let down by panasonic

excellent

looks for one with a widish lens - deal better with low light

but for every day use I love my xacti

it lives in my pocket

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm9aq-4Yeek


I literally never leave home without it


Dylan

 

[Cutter]

Dylan
Thanks for that - enjoyed the video.
Will it take still pictures?
How much and where from?
Richard

 

[dylanwinter]

£350

Dylan
Thanks for that - enjoyed the video.
Will it take still pictures?
How much and where from?
Richard

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sanyo-Outdo...RPQI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305727923&sr=8-1

the stills are fine- the lens is small - so does bad job insiide a cabin lit by one candle

but its better to have a camera ready to roll and in your pocket than one that is sitting at home because it is too delicate to take sailing

D

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I wonder why the pink and yellow ones are £100 cheaper, they look the same spec' ?

Ah, just looked again they appear not to advertising the yellow waterproof ones at the minute.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Just checked my order confirmation see below.... they have also had a price increase! ?

From Amazon...
Delivery estimate: 9 Jun 2011 - 25 Jun 2011

1 "Sanyo Xacti CA100 Outdoor/Waterproof Dual Camera (14MP, Full HD recordin
g,
12x Double range Zoom, Waterproof to 3m) - Yellow"
Electronics; £219.00
Usually dispatched within 1 to 2 months
Sold by: Amazon EU S.a.r.L.

 

[nimbusgb]

Panasonic are reliable and have good results.

Sony have given me good service over the years.

sample from a £300 panasonic ( HD. SD card here )

Get one that uses SD card recording - lighter, more rugged.

Make sure that there is a proven path from camera to PC. Panasonics software tools work but aren't exactly stellar. Have a function to load direct to youtube.

HD format minimum.

Might be worth looking at Panasonics HDC SD 600 for around £600

 

[tom_sail]

I love the go pro very good camera! But after seeing Dylan's video i miss the zoom and the quilty is very good if you view in 1080p on youtube.

Although I love the go pro's strength and abilty to take abuse i do prefer lthe xcacti screen and zoom. The quailty is about the same but the go pro has a wide angle lens which you'll either love or hate.

I might invest in a xacti, then i have got a camera for mounting at crazy angles and underwater shots (go pro) then an handheld (xacti).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XfUOJrA3aw

So you can compare, i only filmed in 720p as 1080p fills my SD card time for a clear out

It doesn't fill the youtube screen properly i need to convert it to widescreen.

(After uploading this i actually think the Xacti is better quailty or it might just be Dylan's filming skills!

 

[Ru88ell]

+1 for the Sanyo Xacti CA100. Check my YouTube channel out. All I do it turn it on an point. Nothing to it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/YachtZephyr

Mine is a yellow one for whatever difference that makes.

 

[dylanwinter]

wow...

I love the go pro very good camera! But after seeing Dylan's video i miss the zoom and the quilty is very good if you view in 1080p on youtube.

Although I love the go pro's strength and abilty to take abuse i do prefer lthe xcacti screen and zoom. The quailty is about the same but the go pro has a wide angle lens which you'll either love or hate.

I might invest in a xacti, then i have got a camera for mounting at crazy angles and underwater shots (go pro) then an handheld (xacti).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XfUOJrA3aw

So you can compare, i only filmed in 720p as 1080p fills my SD card time for a clear out

It doesn't fill the youtube screen properly i need to convert it to widescreen.

(After uploading this i actually think the Xacti is better quailty or it might just be Dylan's filming skills!

that lens does some pretty crazy things

I also think tha to be able zoom gives ou the power to frame a shot

and camera work is all about getting something that looks either good or interesting in the shot

Dylan

 

[dylanwinter]

well done Russel

+1 for the Sanyo Xacti CA100. Check my YouTube channel out. All I do it turn it on an point. Nothing to it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/YachtZephyr

Mine is a yellow one for whatever difference that makes.

I really enjoyed that

what I liked was the way that the people are so relaxed

ou can hear it in their voices

good stuff

so...buuy an xacti - the other thing is that it is so easy to manage

do you have a tripod

try buying a maplins cheapo - bungee it to a boat hook

all round it was also doing a pretty good job of the sound

again I think it scores over the Go Pro

blimey sanyo should be paying me for this

Dylan

 

[wiggy]

I recorded this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4NeAt-38rI&feature=player_embedded

On one of these http://shop.kodak.co.uk/store/ekconseu/en_GB/pd/PLAYSPORT_Video_Camera__Zx3/productID.170164000
Fantastic.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I really enjoyed everyones vid's.
Do you use a different microphone and plug that in when you'r doing a 'live' commentary Dylan?
I'll also get a cheapo tripod for when it eventually arrives and what other bits n pieces should I get to make life easier etc..?

 

[nimbusgb]

Gorilla pod. Don't buy the smallest one though.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Gorilla pod. Don't buy the smallest one though.

Hi, many rhanks....
I wonder if you could be more specific... as a complete novice at this - which one would be best to have strapped to rigging etc for the size of the Xacti?... and if I want it out on a pole will almost anyhting do as a pole as long as the Gorilla pod held tight?
ta
S.

 

[pteron]

Hi, many rhanks....
I wonder if you could be more specific... as a complete novice at this - which one would be best to have strapped to rigging etc for the size of the Xacti?... and if I want it out on a pole will almost anyhting do as a pole as long as the Gorilla pod held tight?
ta
S.

I used the SLR gorilla pod with mine

 

[nimbusgb]

The smallest model ( original ) is just not secure enough when wrapped around a 1 inch guardrail.

You need a GP2 or SLR at least.

Also a length of line with a snap clip on, tie it to the camera hand or wrist strap and clip to something on the boat. It's a all too easy to fumble when mounting / demounting the camera and like dropped toast falling face down you know that the camera will head for the water!

As for the pole, I'd get a ball head and mount it securely onto a boat hook

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Gorillas
do they all have similar basic attachment system?