Forums / Cameras / Need advice on a good HD camcorder?

There's a few good cameras out there in your price range as long as you understand and are ok with the compromises. You'll either be shooting to tape (which is not forward thinking) or you'll be shooting to HDD or Memory Card which is more forward thinking.

The better cameras (better lenses, better sensors, etc.) are still using tape however. It's a crappy compromise.

Look at the HV30 and the HC-5/HC-7 (I guess these have been discontinued).

...How good is this AVCHD technology? I understand it is new, has anyone seen it's results...

I've you've seen Blu-Ray HD, you've likely seen AVCHD. However, like compression with any codec, it depends on bit rate to have success. The more you give it, the more successful it will be. At the high end, like Blu-Ray, the results are stunning. At the lower end, like the current crop of consumer video cameras, it's not bad.

AVCHD's primary benefit is that it can offer the same quality of Mpeg2 (think DVD) in half the space. Or in the same space, it can give approximately double the quality. Unfortunately, consumer camcorder manufacturers are convinced that their market would prefer a lot more recording time and space, instead of increased quality. Sadly, they are generally correct.

Best of luck with your decision.

Thanks folks. I really appreciate your input.

If you do end up getting a camera that uses tape, don't forget that you can buy DTE hard drives...

expensive, but definitly worth the buy if you make money by shooting what you shoot, or if you use it a lot...

example:
bhphotovideo.com/c/product/553295-REG/Focus_Enhancements_ASYF_1314_01LF_FS_4_HD_Portable_DTE.html

I just went from a GL1 and DCR-VX2001 to a Samsung SC-HMX10c, and let me tell you, one of the best things I have bought in a long time. No tapes, super-small, and even though it is only 720p, the video is amazing compared to the others. I even had to upgrade my video card just to play it! It is also only $400 from CircuitCity. It was cheaper in store than online after shipping, which really surprised me. The lowlight stuff is much better than the cannon, but Sony still rules in low-light sensor technology. I will be buying something in the higher end of the prosumer HD spectrum sometime in February, but I will be keeping my trusty Sammy with me untill the end of time...


Or it breaks. Lol.
Contact me if you want some raw footage to see what you can get.

No new input from me in that price range, but if you're considering the Canon HV20 or HV30, do not pay the extra money for the HV30. There is absolutely NO difference between the two except for the color.

If you don't believe me, go to the Canon homepage and run their specs side by side. Letter for letter everything is the same, even if they try to slow down your comparison by having upper case for one cam and lower case letters for the other.

=)

I'll tell you what I tell everyone else. Get the HV20 but ONLY if you plan on getting an elaborate external mic setup. The tape motor noise is horrendous. And so is the zoom noise.