Help required in choosing a camcorder.

**Garrett** · 23-01-2002, 7:28 PM

A friend of mine as asked me to find him a Camcorder round the £500 to £600 as I have a Hi8 one. Only thing is a lot has happened since I bought it, and I do not know the terminology used for the following.
Can anyone tell me if one with the following functions are available at his price range and if so where?

still camera mode ( reasonable quality )
easy connection to pc ( either by a cheap card or usb port )
using it like a web cam - ie live picture to pc
low light use if poss ( ie night scope )

Thanks in advance for any help.

Ruby quartz shades.

**Stuart Wright** · 23-01-2002, 7:36 PM

Re the still camera mode, even my £1000+ Sony TRV30 doesn't take still pictures as good as my (now superceeded by a £350 model) Olympus C2000.
It depends on your definition of 'reasonable quality', but I wouldn't want to rely on anything lower quality than my C2000 to capture the important moments of my life.

**Garrett** · 31-01-2002, 6:07 PM

Not getting many suggestions Mmmmm!

Well can any one tell me with the digital camcorders can you get the aperture to stop open, as on my old analogue one it only opens for about 10 minutes then switches of.

Ruby quartz shades.

01-02-2002, 1:44 AM

Hi Garrett,
I think the best specified digital camcorder at the moment, in your price range, --- (just) is the Panasonic NV-DS 38B
It has DV in/out, analogue in/out and captures stills to a seperate memory card. The stills are of a fair quality for a 80,000 pixel single chip, good enough to put on the web, or to print at say 6"*4" after manipulation in a photo programme.
The video footage is excellent of course, and the cam is recognised in most of the popular capture/editing programmes.
But the bonus with this camcorder, are the manual options for focus, shutter white balance, iris, ect.
You can read my amatuer review of this camcorder at
www.simplydv.co.uk
or a professional review at
www.camuser.co.uk
Cheapest price at the moment, --- £599-00
www.ediscount.co.uk
Good luck, --- Alan.

**Garrett** · 01-02-2002, 10:51 AM

Thanks Floandal, for the information I will look into this camcorders, as I say it is for a mate, but as he gives me loads of advice on my computer it is the least I can do for him. May go digital one day myself.
Oh one thing I went to look at your review but when I clicked on it, I got "You followed a broken or out-of-date link."

Ruby quartz shades.

02-02-2002, 9:05 PM

Hi Garrett,
you are right, the main link appears to be broken, will have to go and shout at Colin !
If you click on the "reviews" link, at the very bottom of the page, then look in the text on that page for a link to the members reviews, you will open a review page with a few of our camcorders listed, one of which is my Panasonic.
Cheers, --- Alan.

**Garrett** · 03-02-2002, 5:52 PM

Thanks once again Floandal, I got the review up and sent it to my mate.

Ruby quartz shades.

01-02-2002, 1:44 AM	#4
Floandal Guest Posts: n/a	Hi Garrett, I think the best specified digital camcorder at the moment, in your price range, --- (just) is the Panasonic NV-DS 38B It has DV in/out, analogue in/out and captures stills to a seperate memory card. The stills are of a fair quality for a 80,000 pixel single chip, good enough to put on the web, or to print at say 6"*4" after manipulation in a photo programme. The video footage is excellent of course, and the cam is recognised in most of the popular capture/editing programmes. But the bonus with this camcorder, are the manual options for focus, shutter white balance, iris, ect. You can read my amatuer review of this camcorder at www.simplydv.co.uk or a professional review at www.camuser.co.uk Cheapest price at the moment, --- £599-00 www.ediscount.co.uk Good luck, --- Alan.
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02-02-2002, 9:05 PM	#6
Floandal Guest Posts: n/a	Hi Garrett, you are right, the main link appears to be broken, will have to go and shout at Colin ! If you click on the "reviews" link, at the very bottom of the page, then look in the text on that page for a link to the members reviews, you will open a review page with a few of our camcorders listed, one of which is my Panasonic. Cheers, --- Alan.
	Quote