Need a new camcorder, first time posting, girl friendly please!

[kinza]

Hi everyone
My hubby has used this forum loads, please excuse me if I get it wrong or break protocol!
I would like a new camcorder before my summer holidays, typical Mum stuff - on the beach, in the caravan etc.
Problem is my old one is too bulky to take out.
I thought by now they would have moved on from miniDV but there are still loads around, and I have read loads of reviews which still recommend this format.
I'm no expert, but my old camcorder struggles indoors and has a loud motor noise. I want decent family movies, not professional productions, and I only have £200 to spend.
I am going round in circles. One review site recommends a model, and the next one rubbishes it.
Could anyone give me honest advice please.
I have an 'average' PC and an 'ancient' iMac. I have produced passable home movies on my beloved Mac, and I have no idea what editing software I need for the PC!! Do any camcorders come with it in the box, like my Canon camera did?
(ps, I can't afford new software either!)
Thank you for any advice.
Lynn

[jetinder]

I'm in the same boat as you.

I wanted to get mini dv tape over mini DVD and Hard drive simply for the fact you can edit Mini dv footage easier than mini dvd, mini dvds are the size of a match box so you can carry many around in your pocket and you can buy them from any where as they are pretty cheap and they hold more than mini dvd.

Hard drive camcorders are good but if your on holiday and you fill the hard drive up, you need to carry a lap top or PC with you to empty it, where as mini dvs you can buy as many as you want and video as much as you want its as limitless and cheap.

For around £200 you can get the Canon MD101, Sony, JVC GRD760Ek for around £203 inc postage or Samsung VPD375W for around £188 + postage.

The JVC and Samsung are very similar and have a lot of features most others in the price range don't have like using an SD card to save your pictures on etc, 34 x zoom lens etc.

As to which one you want thats down to personal tast.

Sony is the best but you dont get as many features for the £1 as you get with the others. I'd go after the samsung as i feel it has fast auto focus and colour is better.

But go to a Comet etc and play with a few, see which one you like and buy it.

You can get cheap software such as Magix movie edit pro for around £10 - £20 from e-bay, just type in words like video editting software and see how many e-bay shows.

Dont know if your husband has got this on his pc, but you'll need a firewire cable and firewire card to transfer video from camcorder to pc.

[senu]

I would personally avoid any Samsung camcorder

I love their LCD screens and even DSLRs but Camcorders... Nah . Still you lose nothing by going to have a play with them as suggested

As for software.. most camcorders do not come with anything at all or with worth its name TBH
When you are ready repost for suggestions.. Cheap doesn't always mean easy to use or easy on your PC

[jetinder]

Originally Posted by senu

I would personally avoid any Samsung camcorder

Why's that ?

[senu]

Im yet to see a well made Samsung camcorder that did not prove underwhelming in Image quality, Low light ect despite good Paper Specs

Even with JVC the budget offerings ( sub £400) seem to be of varying Quality
The Canon, Panasonic and Sony , whilst often costlier for similar specs appear to be ultimately better value for money in the long term
I am generally not Brand driven but at least for camcorders Ive found the examples of camcorders coming my way to be close to the above observation

I do own a great Samsung DVD player, HDTV and PC monitor and recently handled a well made DSLR from them but unless things have changed lately Ive been unimpressed by their camcorders

This is not the case with say, Sony whose products I think are generally overpriced but do seem to be justifiably popular in the camcorder market
This is entirely a personal opinion and if anyone has a fantastic example of a Samsung .. or pretty dismal Sony pls feel free to mention it
As I stated, the OP has nothing to lose by having a play with them as suggested by you, Her needs and impression may vary

[jetinder]

Originally Posted by senu

Im yet to see a well made Samsung camcorder that did not prove underwhelming in Image quality, Low light ect despite good Paper Specs

Even with JVC the budget offerings ( sub £400) seem to be of varying Quality
The Canon, Panasonic and Sony , whilst often costlier for similar specs appear to be ultimately better value for money in the long term
I am generally not Brand driven but at least for camcorders Ive found the examples of camcorders coming my way to be close to the above observation

With Samsung tvs i tend to disagree as the Samsung Q97 i saw wasnt as good as the Panasonic PX700 and they both suffered from snakes / purple blotching of some kind but nothing as bad as the Panasonic PX60 and 600 series.

Your right Sony are the best of the best trouble is for what you get they are over priced.

These days most mini DV camcorders are now around £250 or less, DVD and HD ones are £400 or more.

In Comet I recently tested a JVC and Samsung mini dv camcorders.

From what i saw the colours on the Samsung was as good as the more expensive Sony version and instant auto focus + locking on to some thing was just as good, because i was in the shop and it had low lighting any way the Samsung looked better. When i tried the JVC on the same thing it took longer to auto focus and colours where more washed out.

JVC on paper looked impressive and pretty but from my point of view it wasnt that good.

Panasonic looks good but if you down load their instruction manual and see what it can do, with Image Stabiliser switched on it cant accurately follow a fast moving thing such as bike riders going past you in the tour de france etc.

So even Panasonic have their good and points.

To me the Canon looks ugly and from a review i read on cnet's UK site the low light capability is bad.

So all camcorders have good and bad points.

From what I saw i'd go and buy a Samsung as places like QVC sell these a great deal.........

If it wasnt good QVC etc wouldnt sell them, but its down peoples own taste.

One thing which really annoys me about camcorders is the lack of reviews.

What hi fi and other magazines review tvs, VCR etc etc, but i havent seen one internet website or magazine which reviews all camcorders from mini dvs up to the lastest High Def versions .................so in the case of the thread if your new to camcorders its pot luck on which is good or bad...........

[redsox_mark]

Best source of reviews I know is camcorderinfo.com.
But you do need to translate from US model numbers where they are different; and it takes them a while to catch up with new models.

If you look at previous Samsung models they have reviewed, they generally do not come out well.

[jetinder]

This is a tricky one as JVC are not that good.

I called Samsung and asked them a few things including auto focus points.

They said the Samsung VPD 375W has 4 auto focus points (more auto focus points = better the camcorder can see), but i really need to test it out before buying it ...............

[kinza]

Oh dear!!
My Canon camera is really good, so that's a name I trust, and although I don't always buy branded goods I think sometimes you get what you pay for.
I was looking at the Canon Md160 but someone said it had excessive motor noise?
Thank you so far, no decision made yet!

[bunyboy]

id be very interested in getting some more info on all this stuff... ive been looking at the canon md101 but the place that has it at the best price is out of stock (amazon £150) and ive found another canon, the mv901 for £150 instore at currys...

this might be a good one for you to get too... if its as good as the md101 then ill be having one i think.. i just cant believe ive found the best price on the high street rather than online!

[Astman]

[hi ive just bought a Hitiachi hs301 great picture and easy to use and the panasonic vdr250 but i have not openend that yet, Has im so impressed with hitatchi even though it hasnt many reviews , it handles motion niceley and the colours with being 1 ccd is amazing, i know its only 8gb but that fine has i record strainght to dics for backup anyway. And dont need manual to plug and play.