[Woods Walker]

I need some help, I am looking for a good camcorder to use while filming wildlife & hunting trips. It needs to perform well in low light & have a Minimum of 10x optical zoom. Willing to pay up to $3000, but cheaper is better.

So far I have done some research & like two Sony's:
Sony DCR-VX2100
Sony HDR-FX1 HDV 1080i

High Def. is a nice addition, but not sure if the extra $$$ is worth it for a beginner like me. I use Photoshop elements / premier elements for photo & video editing so would like to stay compatable.

Any comments or reviews on the two cameras or any suggestions of other camera options would be appreciated.

Troy

[redsox_mark]

The VX2100 will be slightly better in low light, but otherwise the FX1 blows it away; especially if you have a HD display to watch it on. The VX2100 was a good model, but I wouldn't pay that much for a SD cam.. I'd go for the FX1.

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by redsox_mark

The VX2100 will be slightly better in low light, but otherwise the FX1 blows it away; especially if you have a HD display to watch it on. The VX2100 was a good model, but I wouldn't pay that much for a SD cam.. I'd go for the FX1.

you fell for it no normal person films wildlife and hunting them

[Woods Walker]

Originally Posted by chrishull3

you fell for it no normal person films wildlife and hunting them

Sorry I must be slow, I don't quite understand your reply. I have always spent alot of time hunting & but have never filmed a hunt. My son turned 12 last season & therefore is now hunting with me. I will not harvest more animals than I will use, so I want to allow my son most of the oportunities. I love the time we spend together, so I want to start filming his hunts & just wildlife encounters when I am out by myself.

I have always taken still images in the past. I have Nikon equipment & really enjoy setting up the proper compositions. So cameras are not new to me, but video is.

Thanks for the information Mark I was leaning the way of the HD, but was unsure of how easy it is to edit & if my software would be good enough. Also is about a $1200 difference.

Troy

[redsox_mark]

HDV editing support is widespread; I believe all versions of Premiere Elements support it; what version do you have? It needs a bit more PC "grunt" to edit it and play it, but any reasonably modern PC should handle it.

The FX7 is a bit cheaper than the FX1, and still very good; though low light on the FX1 is better.

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by Woods Walker

Sorry I must be slow, I don't quite understand your reply. I have always spent alot of time hunting & but have never filmed a hunt. My son turned 12 last season & therefore is now hunting with me. I will not harvest more animals than I will use, so I want to allow my son most of the oportunities. I love the time we spend together, so I want to start filming his hunts & just wildlife encounters when I am out by myself.

I have always taken still images in the past. I have Nikon equipment & really enjoy setting up the proper compositions. So cameras are not new to me, but video is.

Thanks for the information Mark I was leaning the way of the HD, but was unsure of how easy it is to edit & if my software would be good enough. Also is about a $1200 difference.

Troy

well people who hunt are are not the kind of people i personaly want to start hearing from.hunting is bad enough but filming it is sickening i have seen enough bloated americans and boers stood beside their dead trophys on other sites.if others want to suck up to you well and good,by the way i have the fx-7 and its far too good for the the purpose you require.

[glesgaguyav]

Well said

[Woods Walker]

Originally Posted by chrishull3

well people who hunt are are not the kind of people i personaly want to start hearing from.hunting is bad enough but filming it is sickening i have seen enough bloated americans and boers stood beside their dead trophys on other sites.if others want to suck up to you well and good,by the way i have the fx-7 and its far too good for the the purpose you require.

Well, people who are prejudice are people I don't want to hear from.

I am not going to get into an anti debate, as I know you will not change your mind as I will not my own. I will say that nowhere did I say I was shooting trophy hunts. Just quality time with my son. If you don't like people that hunt then don't open a post that states "Hunting Cameras" in the title block. I am here to aquire information, suggestions, advice, ect... like most others are.

If you don't like me because I am an American Hunter, then please stay away from all my posts.

Thank You,
Troy

[lurcher]

Know what you mean Troy , got some footage of my son catching his first double figure Carp here in UK.
And many years later catching plenty on the St Lawrence near Massena on your side.

[chrishull3]

some great shots to be had near antartica whale butchering troy.
lurcher dont be silly bringing course fishing into this angling is a matter of conscious its not hunting,if people are determined to bring filming cruel bloodlust here i can not be quiet SORRY. apart from filming my great passion is nature and what mankind is doing to the planet ie making other species extinct daily.this is why i do not want to read about cam questions for cams that are any good for filming hunting when it is obvious similar cams to ones used for nature filming are best.

[redsox_mark]

I can understand that hunting is an emovite issue. My comments on the camcorder nature of this thread have been focused on the camcorder questions. I am not "sucking up" to anyone. I suggest we try to respect the lawful activities of others, and focus on the camcorder/video questions. There are other places where hunting (or fishing) can be debated.