OT-Looking for a new camcorder < $500

dibbkd wrote on 5/13/2006, 8:36 AM
My trusty old Sony TRV-140 1/4" single CCD is finally giving out on me.

I don't do any "professional" work, and only have a budget of about $500 or less. What would you guys recommend in this range? I know the 3CCD's are supposed to be much better, but a friend of mine got one a little while ago, and the difference isn't enough to make me say "WOW". Here's a low-tech comparision we made of my old Sony 1CCD and his new Panasonic 3CCD:

My old Sony 1ccd vs my friends new Panasonic 3ccd

So, what would you recommend?

Comments

jrazz wrote on 5/13/2006, 10:01 AM
Find a camera you like and has the features you want (I don't know what you will be using it for) by checking out the local electronic stores and playing around with them. Then I would go to ebay and either find it on there for cheaper used or find the model right below that one and get it used for a cheaper price. But then again, I don't know what you like to shoot or how you will be using it or what features you are looking for. Maybe if you tell us that information the replies could be more specific. If you ever shoot in low light, you will see the difference of the 3ccd- especially if it has bigger heads.
As for type of camera, it may be more beneficial to have a good old 8mm cam or it may be better to get a mini dv cam- just don't know what you shoot and what you put it on afterwards for delivery (DVD/VHS/Web) etc.

j razz
craftech wrote on 5/13/2006, 10:34 AM
My trusty old Sony TRV-140 1/4" single CCD is finally giving out on me..........my old Sony 1CCD and his new Panasonic 3CCD:

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The Panasonic 3CCD camera is about equal to that one. The camcorder industry has gone the route of adding bells and whistles you really don't need and taking away from the basics. You can't even find a 1/4 CCD camera now in that class. They are all 1/6 and 1/5 CCDs with menu driven adjustments and any little convenient wheels and knobs removed. Look at the user reviews at Amazon.com for the different cameras and you will invariably find someone (usually a little older) who complains..."I thought this camera would be so great, but it doesn't take pictures as good as my old one". The 1/4 CCD consumer camera we used to make fun of that replaced the standard 1/3 CCD consumer camera has been replaced with pathetic 1/5 and 1/6 CCD cameras.
The industry was hoping that the lack of significant generation loss because they are digital would cause people not to notice the lack of light sensitivity.
The Panasonic consumer cameras have three 1/5 CCDs which brings them up to the level of your old 1/4 CCD camera. That is why they are popular, but not a real improvement over what you have.

Get yours fixed.

John
riredale wrote on 5/13/2006, 10:59 AM
Check out CamcorderInfo. They have tons of great reviews, and I believe they also have a buyer's guide for different price ranges.

I would also strongly suggest that you look at pre-owned cameras. I personally like Sony, and if I found a two-year-old model that had great reviews, I would buy it on condition that it could be returned, or else I would have it checked out by someone who really knows camcorders well. I sold a VX2000 miniDV camcorder last month for only about $1,200. It was a great camera and sold for maybe $2,500 when new, but I just didn't have a need for it anymore. I sold it (and bought both it and its replacement, a Sony DV FX1 camera) on eBay. If you are leery of buying stuff that way, try the local papers. As for me, I've bought tons of stuff via eBay and have never had any issues (knock on wood).
vicmilt wrote on 5/13/2006, 12:13 PM
There are amazing cameras to be had for under $500 bucks.

I'd go to the local Best Buy (or other big electronics store) and buy the cheapest thing that had all the features you'd like, plus, that also "felt" good.

Then unpack it carefully, keep all receipts, and shoot with it for a week or so.
The big stores all have a 14 day trial period - use it. For $300 or $400 bucks you can't go too far wrong, especially for non-professional use.
Judge the camera by what you need and what you get.
dibbkd wrote on 5/13/2006, 1:45 PM
Well, good news for me, whatever was wrong with my camera seems to be fixed (at least for now).

It was real shakey the last time I tried to film something, weird, but it's acting fine now.

Maybe by the time it REALLY dies I'll be able to get a 1/4" 3CCD camera for less than $500!

Oh, and I updated my link above to make it active.
JJKizak wrote on 5/13/2006, 3:41 PM
Canon just came out with one that records directly to a hard drive in the camera. So did JVC. Sony has an HDV one really small too. You have to look.
JJK
craftech wrote on 5/13/2006, 4:54 PM
Well, good news for me, whatever was wrong with my camera seems to be fixed (at least for now).
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Fantastic. Glad to hear it. Enjoy the 20X optical zoom, manual focus wheel, the steadyshot that stays on even when the light level drops because it has an adequate CCD size, the solid feel of something well built, the smooth zoom, the reasonable heft so you don't need a tripod to hold it still, plus the firewire and digital pass through to boot.
Enjoy the fact that if you do mount it on a tripod you don't have to remove it to change tapes because unlike many modern consumer cams it doesn't load a tape from the bottom because that was a cheaper mnanufacturing alternative. And enjoy the fact that you don't have to wade through endless menus to perform simple tasks.
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Maybe by the time it REALLY dies I'll be able to get a 1/4" 3CCD camera for less than $500!
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Unlikely.

John
cheroxy wrote on 5/15/2006, 7:42 AM
John, thanks for your details replies. They were both very informational for me as well.

IMH "unprofessional" O the old camcorder's recording was better than the friends 3 chip.