Video Camcorders

stevefoobar wrote on 2/20/2012, 10:40 PM
Hi everyone. I'm sorry if this is off-topic but I didn't see where else to post.

I'm looking for advice on a consumer camcorder. I'm very technical but have a limited budget since this is just an advanced hobby for me. My requirements seem rather simple to me on the surface:

Required
* Optical Image Stabilization
* SDHC/SDXC Media
* Min. 3 lux light sensitivity
* Min. 12x zoom
* Mini mic jack
* Full 1920 x 1080 HD
* 1/4 inch sensor
* Under $400 Street Price


Preferred
* 20x zoom or more
* 1.5 lux light sensitivity
* 1/3 inch sensor
* 60i
* 24p
* Mini Headphone Jack

Is this even possible?

I've also read that Canon has fallen behind in consumer camcorder features and is now surpassed by Panasonic but don't know the specifics of this claim. I have an older Canon DSLR so have some brand loyalty but not if they aren't competitive. I can't afford the DSLR route for video (Rebel for example).

Thanks!

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 2/21/2012, 7:20 AM
It's certainly possible -- starting at between $700 and $800 dollars.

How much is in your budget?

And do you have a computer that's powerful enough (ideally a quad core or i7) to edit AVCHD without constantly struggling?

BTW, I sure wouldn't say Canon has been surpassed by Panasonic in consumer cams by any means! You simply can not go wrong with any of the big three in the AVCHD category: Sony, Canon or Panasonic. (Although, with Panasonic, you do want to make sure your camcorder has the option to shoot in 60i or 50i. At least one cam in their line only shoots in 50p and 60p, which is not supported natively in virtually any consumer video editor, including Vegas Movie Studio 11!)
Chienworks wrote on 2/21/2012, 12:43 PM
http://www.walmart.com/ip/JVC-20-x-GZHM300BUS/14147545 only $280

That's got pretty much everything you asked for except the mic jack. I picked up one when they were selling for $395 and it's one of the nicer investments i've made. The picture quality is nothing short of stunning. The low light capability blows away the Panasonic DV camcorder i purchased only a few years ago.

It's a tough little bugger too. It survived full immersion in a lake with no lingering effect whatsoever, though it did take about 3 months to completely dry out and regain all functions, but even after only a week it was shooting very nicely.
stevefoobar wrote on 2/22/2012, 11:25 AM
Steve, I stated in my "Required" section that I'm looking to keep it under $400 street price but I should have been more clear. I think what I meant was "Used or Refurbished" street price.

Having said that, I've already seen that it's impossible to get anywhere near what I'm looking for new and that's partially because I left off some strong "Preferred" items like manual controls (focus, exposure, shutter, etc.). When you add these items it becomes even more unlikely except getting a two-year old prosumer camera "maybe".

You are correct in your warning about the format. I was looking at a used Panasonic HDC-TM700, which is rather high-end and you occasionally see for just over $400 (more likely $600) but after finding a native video clip from the camera (which wasn't easy) I discovered that I couldn't even edit it on my 5 year old, Intel dual core, 4 GB Windows XP computer! I'm using Vegas Movie Studio HD 10 but I doubt the newer version would be any better. This particular camera records in 1080p60 AVCHD AC3 5.1 audio and the streaming rate of 28 Mbps is actually higher than the AVCHD spec of 24 Mbps for some reason.

Then again, the common 1080i60 that Canon (and maybe others?) use annoys me because I don't want to have to deal with interlaced video, which seems absurd to me today with every common display device using progressive circuitry (computer monitors, HDTVs, etc.).

If I could find a nice camera that shot native 1080p30 video (and maybe 24p) with something other than AVCHD (MPEG-4, MJPEG) I think I would be very happy but I don't know if such a camera exists.
stevefoobar wrote on 2/22/2012, 11:29 AM
Chienworks, I'm sure this is a nice camera and you are getting nice video. For me though, the lack of mic input and optical image stabilizer are immediate deal-breakers. The reality is that the features I'm looking for are more in the mid- to high-range camcorder area, not the low end, which is why I will have to find one used or refurbished I'm quite sure now.