any recomendations on a digital video camera?

[JohnnyB]

We have a baby on the way in a couple months and want to get a video camera.

I really don't want to have to deal with tapes and so on so I was thinking of getting a digital cam.

Anyone have one that they love?

 

[Thomas Rogers]

I have the Sony HC30, which does use the mini-DV tapes. It is digital video. It also has a firewire output, and that, combined with the Sony VRD-MC1 stand-alone DVD recorder makes it so I can easily dub my tapes to DVDs with the push of a button.



I looked at those that used HDD, and DVD and at the time (2 years ago) they were too expensive, and too limiting (30 min DVDs only, media was too costly, etc).



TJR

 

[kil roy]

i bought a cheap optimus digital video camera

off of Ebay just to experiement with.

this same camera

http://cgi.ebay.com/OPTIMUS-MPEG4-DIGITAL-VIDEO-CAMERA-4-PIXEL-SD-16-3845_W0QQitemZ250094612119QQcategoryZ48514QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

it only takes up to 512 of SD because its the older model where some of the newer units will take the 2 gig chips and offer higher resolution.

so far i couldnt be happier, for a cheap unit i can shoot up to 48 minutes on the 512 and as the weather gets warmer i will be using it a lot more, im trying to figure

out a way to mount it on both my motorcycle and in my 78 corvette and of course i have already shot quite a bit of the kids hamming it up for the camera.



it comes with decent editing software also so you can burn DVDs

 

[James FreemanJr]

I have a Kodak EasyShare CX7430 with a 2gig SD card in it. It records unlimited video at 640X480 with sound as long as the battery can go (I have high powered mah chargeable batterys) The video looks really sharp and crisp. Pictures look really great also. I picked this model up at a pawnshop acouple months back with a printer dock for like $25 and it has worked like a charm. I also have a Minolta DiMAGE G500 which takes great pictures but only records video for 30sec

 

[Greg Stuhlsatz]

I am getting ready to switch from my Hi8 to one of the new Sonys with a hard drive. No tapes and plenty of record time.

 

[JohnnyB]

I have been looking at the new sonys also. One has a 30 gb drive and anohter has a 60 gb drive. Which model are you looking at?

 

[JohnnyB]

Another question: Can you view the video from HiDef camcorders on a regular TV?

 

[Thomas Rogers]

JohnnyB,



I don't have an answer for you on the Hi-Def camcorder.



However, I ran across this deal on a Canon Mini-DVD camera, though it is refurb, the price is compelling...$219.