Hi,

I am looking for a HDD camcorder with a microphone input for around £400.
Must admit that I am quite shocked at the price of HDD cameras with mic inputs...

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Leigh

[senu]

They are rare,
I only have the example of Canon HG 10 which costs a bit more and doesnt record SD only HDV
Sonys SR 7 does record SD ( and AVHCD) has externa mic but I dont think £400 is quite enough

Thanks for the reply.

After doing a little more research it seems I may have do go for a miniDV camera. Unfortunately the editing I am doing needs to be fairly rapid, thats why I thought a HDD would be better.

Have seen the JVC EVERIO GZ-MG575 going for £400 and it has a Mic Input. Is it a decent camera or should I just go with a miniDV job?

[redsox_mark]

I've not seen a 575 in action or many reviews. One from down under here
http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/inde...;pid;4436;pt;1

The earlier MG505 was decent... the 575 has a nice large (1/2.5") CCD, so low light should be decent.
Performance probably not much different from the DV Panny GS230 (but the GS230 is cheaper).

Thanks Mark for the advice. Actually purchased the GS230 in the end for an excellent £200 new, so I am well pleased. Thats half the price of the GZ-MG575!

[senu]

That is a bargain.. Well done.

Although Sonys HDV baby HC5 does not AFAIK have a "proper "mic input except via Sonys proprietary interface () , I saw it for £350 today at Comet; they say it is "discontinued!"

[alan55555]

I have been researching for the last few weeks to find the ideal camcorder, but lack some knowledge and experience in this area but seems very interesting.
Purpose:
- Filming an actor about 1 or 2 meters away from the camera with green screen in the background to edit the background.
I have found the Sony SR12. Its 5 mg sensor/hd resolution to me stand ahead compared to other camcorders.
Any views out there on the following requirements/factors?

Requirements:

Video quality:
1. High quality recording

- Audio:
2. Microphone input for clearer sound recording.
3. Camcorder must make no no motor noise as could be filming without using external microphones at time (so no hissing/motor noises in the background). Is this the case?
4. I have read the microphone lacks manual audio control. Can we adjust the volume or sensitivy of the recording? If we can, that should be enough I guess.

- Format:
5. The footage needs to be connected to the PC and needs to work with standard green screen editing software’s like adobe preimere, magic movie, and fx composite lab. The final will be converted to a flash video.

As this camcorder records in AVCHD, does this mean some editing software’s won’t work. Cant this format be transferred to AVI which is quite a standard format which can then work with most editing software’s? This site seems to offer converting tool: http://www.alivemedia.net/hd-video-converter.htm. Is it as simple as reviews seem to suggest it can be complicated, lose quality and time consuming?

Any advice and views on the Sony SR12 would be great :-)

[senu]

The SR12 ticks all those boxes. . However fine audio control is not given to consumer camcorders althoug I believe it has a Menu based Mic input

As this camcorder records in AVCHD, does this mean some editing software’s won’t work

Yes. Also AVCHD is very processor intensive and the poutput AVCHD may not always match the raw file

. Cant this format be transferred to AVI which is quite a standard format which can then work with most editing software’s?

Yes , Sony Vegas has the intermediate cineform codec which was used for HDV in the early days but Im not sure you can use that for all editign software. Also youhave to look at the quality implications of changing format

This site seems to offer converting tool: AVCHD Video Converter, m2ts Converter, Convert AVCHD m2ts, mts, m2t files.. Is it as simple as reviews seem to suggest it can be complicated, lose quality and time consuming?

I would try before you buy. I suspect some of the reviews are being quite honest, not just overly critical

Any advice and views on the Sony SR12 would be great :-)

The SR 12 is one of the best rated Consumer camcorders out there

What you need to be aware of is not the camcorder, but the format as to just what you want from it. Is no where as straight foward as DV AVI ( or HDV)
It isnt your bog standard. "Record, Just use Adobe Premiere and After effects.. and get yourself a shiny BD disc.."