HDD vs DVD camcorder

Nefarious

Nefarious

Nefarious

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1 Aug 2003
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I'm looking for a camcorder, fairly easy to use (does anyone ever ask for something really obtuse to use??).

I've seen a few that seem good to me but am unsure of which is currently recommended -HDD or DVD

Specific model recommendations would be greatly appreciated :)
 
HDD - all your 'eggs' in one basket
DVD - discs are kind of fragile

Personally I would recommend staying with tape or getting one that can use memory cards.

Knowing your budget would help.
 
DVD pretty limited in capacity and like me and Hi8 tapes, I want to stop buying them time and time again! Also I dont want to sit around transferring.
HDD transfers to PC better, plus delete things you dont want...
 
Don't touch DVD camcorders with a barge pole they're an absolute pain. HDD cameras are good because you get a lot of storage but if the HDD goes you'll lose all of your footage. I personally recommend tape as they're cheap, reliable and you'll always have a backup of your footage. Same can be said for memory cards but the cards are more expensive although generally you'd only have two cards, one in the camera and one copied over to a computer.

What's your budget?
 
Most HDD cameras also allow you to record direct to a card as well. My JVC uses SD cards. Just use multiple cards, or dump to a portable HDD and the eggs in one basket problem no longer applies.
 
Just to say that I have no issues whatsoever with my dvd camcorder - but as has been said above, capacity can be limited, I get 18 mins from a dvd-ram disc
 
Sirrel Squirrel said:
Have a look at the Canon FS11
Click to expand...

How easy is it to edit the AVCHD video format? What do you use if you have to trim best bits from a clip and can you convert it to another video format too? Most reviews often rate the hardware but struggle when it comes to explaining what issues with working with the recorded footage.
 
The SD file based cameras use MPEG2, it's only HD file based cameras that use AVCHD (MPEG4). Any decent editing program can edit MPEG2 files although if you're using a Mac you'll either need a plugin or have to convert the MPEG to something else. With AVCHD the only two programs I know of that can edit it natively are Premiere CS4 and Sony Vegas, with everything else you have to convert it to something else.

I'm still a firm believer that tape is the best way to go but not everyone wants to carry tapes around even though they're cheap, better quality and you always have a backup of your footage but hey that's just me.
 
Useful to know, thanks S S. I've had only Hi8 cameras and unless I'm doing anything wrong, I have ended up buying more and more tapes because I got really tired of the real-time transfer of footage to PC. Not sure if I am right but I think I was also losing the date/time code once footage was transferred, whereas its still viewable on the tape. Hopefully its just me missing something! :o
I read up on the HF11 but having looked at the FS11 now and also the price difference (:eek:) a Hard Drive would be nice but the built in memory should suffice as will the SD storage which I have already. I dont think I would need the Hi-Definition.
Have read that there are image artifacts on the FS11 so need to do a bit more reading first. Have you tried the FS11 before on best quality?
 
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