HD Camcorder Recommendation

[doodab]

Filming in HD is different, you need to think ‘big screen’ and keep the camera still and let the subject mover on the screen. Don’t follow them around and keep zooming in and out.

Amateur camerawork will upset the stomach at any resolution. You can move the camera if you have a tripod and you do one smooth movement that has a purpose, and handheld can work in some contexts (although I though Coriolanus was in desperate need of a few extra tripods) but zooming during a shot almost never works. Apart from that famous shot in jaws.

[Old Hack]

We bought a Sony Hard Disk HD cam. £585 iirc. Very, very good.

Jessops were doing a £2 for £1 on Tesco vouchers not long ago, that may be worth a peek as the whole thing only cost us 280 or so.

[Old Hack]

Whichever you get make sure you buy a set of infrared filters for filming when the lights are off, and they are gagged.

HTH

Wilmslow

FTFY

[Spacecadet]

Had thought about it and have looked at the movie functionality on our DSLR but the movie quality is not brilliant and probably not as good as a camcorder from what I have been reading.

I've got a sony NEX and the film quality is really good.

obviously its way above the £250 budget you specified but if your SLR is due for an upgrade anyway then you could think about upgrading that to an SLR with decent video capabilities.

[kaiser78]

Is it worthwhile getting a seperate camcorder or will a normal camera that also does video not do?

Had thought about it and have looked at the movie functionality on our DSLR but the movie quality is not brilliant and probably not as good as a camcorder from what I have been reading.

[Paddy]

I want to buy an HD camcorder, probably spending no more than £250 for a half decent one. Been looking at the usual Sony, JVC, Panasonic etc - can anyone recommend any specific models to go for ?

TIA

You get what you pay for. £250 will only be half decent. Stick to Sony and Panasonic. The camera will be the least of your worries. You will need a powerful PC and good software to edit HD.

Filming in HD is different, you need to think ‘big screen’ and keep the camera still and let the subject mover on the screen. Don’t follow them around and keep zooming in and out.

[Spacecadet]

Just the standard family/home/holiday movie shooting - nothing too extravagent.

Is it worthwhile getting a seperate camcorder or will a normal camera that also does video not do?

[kaiser78]

whats it for?

Just the standard family/home/holiday movie shooting - nothing too extravagent.

[AtW]

Whichever you get make sure you buy a set of infrared filters for filming when the lights are off.

HTH

Wilmslow

[Spacecadet]

whats it for?

[kaiser78]

I want to buy an HD camcorder, probably spending no more than £250 for a half decent one. Been looking at the usual Sony, JVC, Panasonic etc - can anyone recommend any specific models to go for ?

TIA