Which video cam to buy ?

[tigler]

Although I have considerable experience with 35mm still camera's and photography in general I have virtually none with video cams.

Upto now I've never had a requirement or even desire to own one but I have an an upcoming project that makes one essential.

So for those of you here that have good experience of these things, which would you recommend I buy ?

Looking for high quality results with a particular need for high quality sound.
Predominant use will be motorsport, mostly trackside but some in car.
Will also be using it for static on tripod footage for project records.

Budget can be upto £1000 but I would prefer to spend less if poss.

So, all suggestions and advice would be welcome

 

[W4yne]

My preference!

Go for the Canon 7D, excellent reviews. This is an excellent digital still camera, but with the added advantage of being able shoots moving footage in HD as well.

I have the Canon 5D mk2, with a good primary lens the quality blows that of camcorders away. Hope this is of some help?

 

[tigler]

Thanks but I don't think a DSLR will do it as it won't have a multi positional viewfinder, well I don't think so anyway. Also, no power zoom and the need for lens changes. And, even the body only will be over budget.

 

[gavuk]

Gadget show has tested a number of cams ,could do worse than check their reviews ,at least to give you a start

 

[tigler]

Good call mate !! Had a look and it will get me upto to speed on all the jargon etc. I'd given up watching the GS, it was becoming irritating and about anything but gadgets, like since when has a TV been a gadget ?!
Still looking for personal recommendations though.

 

[Baloo]

hi

well l have a panasonic sdr-sw21 and its no where near your £1000 budget yet it has given me fantastic service, strapped into buggies, rolled over shoved under water, and driven over and it still works as new, results seem ok to me but then l know jack about cameras and filming really

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/SDR-SW21/Overview/6251819/index.html

here are some of the results from the camera and dont forget youtube "dumsdown the quality, when l watch it on my computer its like the telly

http://www.youtube.com/user/andyhaycock1#p/u/16/ToMh2p8TqSU

www.youtube.com/user/andyhaycock1#g/uhttp://www.youtube.com/user/andyhaycock1#p/u/16/ToMh2p8TqSU


and here it is strapped on the roof about to be rolled on

 

[Baloo]

forgot to say that l went looking for one with no moving parts, ie record straight to sd card so as it wouldent be affected by vibrations from hi revving engines or being bounced about

Andy

 

[boydy1989]

if you want something to mount on the vehicle itself, consider a gopro...

sound may be the let down though.

youtube 'gopro hero' for some videos

 

[tigler]

Have been doing some research and it's apparent that you get what you pay for !
Amazon is good because the reviews are by actual users. Although there are some quite high end camcorders that don't perform as they would be expected to for their price. Looks like a grand is the minimum to get what I need and even then the sound quality will be a compromise, external mikes will be required to achieve the quality that is essential for the needs of this project.

 

[boydy1989]

could you not buy a seperate sound recorder, and record the two simultaneously, dubbing one over 'tother in 'post' processing?

 

[Robotstar5]

could you not buy a seperate sound recorder, and record the two simultaneously, dubbing one over 'tother in 'post' processing?

It might be easier in the "digital age" but many years ago I tried to sync an audio tape to a video tape - no chance

 

[the snooper]

It might be easier in the "digital age" but many years ago I tried to sync an audio tape to a video tape - no chance

i did that years ago i used the vcr to record eveything separate sound input and used video cameras just for the camera not to record no sync issues

 

[Robotstar5]

i did that years ago i used the vcr to record eveything separate sound input and used video cameras just for the camera not to record no sync issues

I was trying to sync a cassette player (remember those ) for audio and a VCR for video.

 

[the snooper]

yeah i remeber those i dont think they were the best engineering going and i think the speed varied on them aswell

 

[boydy1989]

yeah it does - wildly. Normally you won't notice it (unless you have 'perfect pitch) but if you tried to keep it in sync you would struggle. One of the speed and capacity limiters for using them as data storage.

As for in the digital age... software is readily available for anyone to do some pretty nifty results, but you really pay for the top stuff...

Wonder what 'post processing' stuff the OP has access to?