HDD (hard drive) camcorders.... thoughts?

Willard · Post by **Willard** » September 17th, 2007, 11:00 am

I am looking to pick up one of these soon and wanted to know which brands to look for (and avoid). It will be used to take vids of the family and some motor sports events.

Thoughts?

Q:
-30GB HD ok?
-What MP (Image Sensor) should I look for?
-software required for DL'ing/editing/sharing?
-?

JVC or S0ny or other?

http://www.jvc.com/presentations/everio_g/
or
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... &langId=-1

A friend at work has the JVC MG130 and loves it... I like that one... but if spending a little bit more now on a better version will allow me to have a better camera down the line... I will spend it.

Thanks.

Bbasso · Post by **Bbasso** » September 17th, 2007, 11:07 am

<--- No knowledge of that stuff. sorry.

Dave_B · Post by **Dave_B** » September 17th, 2007, 11:09 am

Sony > ALL!!!!

That's what I have. I'll try to get you some footage from it before "downgrading" quality via youtube.

Mine isn't HD based though, but if I could, I'd have it that way!

Willard · Post by **Willard** » September 17th, 2007, 12:20 pm

I am also a Sony fan boie.... but the JVC caught my eye.

I will need to do some research on the software... I sure would hate to get a fancy machine only to be saddled with a POS interface.

Willard · Post by **Willard** » September 20th, 2007, 3:56 pm

the new issue of consumer reports (electronic edition) did not have much in the way of HHD info/ratings.

Willard · Post by **Willard** » October 4th, 2007, 11:06 am

Does anybody have (or know someone who does) a HDD camcorder?

I am hoping to pull the trigger this weekend or next and would like to know.

Jon D · Post by **Jon D** » October 4th, 2007, 11:29 am

Willis.. as you know i am from PA where every man except for myself likes to shoot as many animals a year legally to eat, stuff, and put on their walls, as possible.

I have yet to start hunting, but have oodles and oodles of friends that all do who all use these camcorders.

I have never used anything but a Sony videocamera, nor know anyone that has anything different. All my hunting buddies use them too as stated above.

I am not up to date on specific models and what not, but it looks like what you have in mind will serve your needs very well!

cwl2373 · Post by **cwl2373** » October 18th, 2007, 12:15 am

Sony has always been good, but I am a huge fan of JVC products...they are excellent! My TV and home theater are JVC. Either way you go, I think you can't go wrong.

I broached this topic with a friend of mine who produces and edits videos for a major office supply chain at their headquarters earlier this year when I was thinking about getting a video camera with a hard drive. He steered me away from it because I wanted to get into editing the videos I shot on my PC. He said that the HDD format had lower quality video than a MiniDVD and that few software editing products worked well with video downloaded from HDD cameras. Something to do with the frame rate of the video. I'm not an expert, but I trust his opinion because he works in the industry. I guess it all depends on what you want to use the camera for and whether or not you want to get into amateur video editing.

Willard · Post by **Willard** » October 29th, 2007, 2:42 pm

well... hhgregg put the jvc on sale (MG 130) ($399 ($50 price break and $50 instant savings)) with no interest till 2009.

if they still have any in stock.... i hope to pick one up tomorrow after work.

thanks for the help/info.
pictures to follow (hopefully).

Willard · Post by **Willard** » November 7th, 2007, 4:50 pm

well... i have had the jvc in my hands for almost a week.
so far so good.

i will try to snap some shots of it this weekend and post them up.

i also hope to transfer some of the recordings from the camera to my home pc this weekend (along with installed the software)... we used the camera for hall0ween and the "fall fest" at the girls school this past weekend.

the 'only' drawback I have found is the battery life (knew that from several on-line reviews). i have my eye on a larger (~2190mAh vs. ~730mah) battery for ~$80... other thing i want to pick up (asap) is a 30.5mm filter kit to keep stuff out of the lens (and it will allow me to keep the lens shutter open all of the time).

http://www.jvc.com/presentations/everio_g/acce.html

Bbasso · Post by **Bbasso** » November 7th, 2007, 6:33 pm

Looks like a nice unit.