coachmann Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Back in 1989 I started using a Sony Video-8 Camcorder to film trains and eventually settled on a Sony Hi-8 machine with manual iris and manual shutter speed, features that prevented the picture going under-exposed as one zoomed back and more sky entered the scene. Being out of the game since 1997, I am seeking advice from members who regularly go out filming on digital camcorders. These are the features I used to need but maybe technology has improved such things as exposure....(?) Good quality lens with manual overide focus. Manual settings (if possible). Variable speed zoom. 125th sec shutter speed. Mike socket to take external microphone. Prices would also assist along with any recomendations and even shots you may have put on YouTube. Thanks, Larry Goddard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldknotty Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Larry being of simple tastes and equally simple when it comes to tekkie stuff i chose a Sony Handycam Digital 8 .It is easy to use and easy to transfer to my computer .I like easy stuff as i get frustrated too quickly with the fancy gizmos :-) I got it on sale here for about $80.00 or so back a year or so ago ,If you get any prices let me know I can probably beat them for you here , if you don't mind paying shipping !!! !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Thanks Martin, I'll see how this thread gets along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I don't know if it will do what you want - but I have a Sanyo Xacti, which I am very pleased with - it records directly onto SD cards http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/ - mine is the older version of the VPC-CA100 - it just tucks away in a pocket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Thanks for the link Shortliner. Its smaller than I want really. I really need one with a screw mount so that it can be mounted onto my fluid head tripod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted July 23, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2011 Something like this maybe, although it looks like you can only manually control one parameter at a time:- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-LEGRIA-Definition-Digital-Camcorder/dp/tech-data/B001P30CYU/ref=de_a_smtd 1/4" tripod mount I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Thanks spamcan...I think this is closer to the mark judging by the spec. I have just been on the Sony website and it looks like the current equivalent of my old £1000 Hi-8 machine is now £1,900. So technology has moved on but it hasn't brought prices down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted July 23, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2011 This one looks like a contender as well:- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-HDC-MDH1-Professional-Camcorder-warranty/dp/B004JJ2FEM/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_2 Edit: Although with all these cameras it's difficult trying to find the actual specifications amongst the marketing waffle e.g. mega this, super that yada yada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted July 23, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2011 Thanks spamcan...I think this is closer to the mark judging by the spec. I have just been on the Sony website and it looks like the current equivalent of my old £1000 Hi-8 machine is now £1,900. So technology has moved on but it hasn't brought prices down. It does seem the top of the range price point doesn't move much, you just get more and more features (some of dubious merit no doubt) thrown in for the money. EDIT: Funny this thread should come up now, Sony announced this week they're killing off 8mm hardware:- http://www.reghardware.com/2011/07/22/sony_stops_producing_8mm_recorders/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 23, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2011 Thanks spamcan...I think this is closer to the mark judging by the spec. I have just been on the Sony website and it looks like the current equivalent of my old £1000 Hi-8 machine is now £1,900. So technology has moved on but it hasn't brought prices down. The equivalent of your old Hi-8 machine is probably about £200 these days, the ones at the top just get more and more complicated to keep the price up. I had a £1000 Svhs-C machine and my later digital cost 1/2 as much and is loads better but even that is totally outclassed by the current £200- £250 price band offerings. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfoundry Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Pretty much anything you can afford with the Sony name on it is likely to be the best. They are also the only brand out there manufacturing broadcast cameras these days, so they know the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted July 23, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 23, 2011 I use a Panasonic HD camera, not specifying the model as it's quite old (in technology terms) now, almost as good as my Sony professional quality in most comparisons, check out the latest version, the lenses are Leica, does most (all ?) of what you require, My Youtube user is beast66606, over 1,000 videos to view, lots taken with the Panasonic range. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Thanks for that information Beast. I have seen some of your work on here and was impressed. I will check those YouTube videos out you mentioned. I've been checking out the following Panasonic and so anything you would like to add re this machine would be greatly appreciated as I am still finding my way around the various abreviations concerning digital equipment. http://www.simplyele...=12751&sd=specs Melmersby said : The equivalent of your old Hi-8 machine is probably about £200 these days, the ones at the top just get more and more complicated to keep the price up. I think you may have misunderstood my meaning. The Sony Hi-8 camcroder I used to use allowed full manual overide on just about everything, which is what I required. Such facilities will not be on todays £200.00 camcorders, but they are on the shoulder-mount camcorders. Since posting my earlier entry I have come across the relatively innexpensive Panasonic shown in the above link. I'm used to Sony but I am prepared to remove my blinkers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted July 24, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 24, 2011 Thanks for that information Beast. I have seen some of your work on here and was impressed. I will check those YouTube videos out you mentioned. I've been checking out the following Panasonic and so anything you would like to add re this machine would be greatly appreciated as I am still finding my way around the various abreviations concerning digital equipment. http://www.simplyele...=12751&sd=specs Don't know if that supplier is any good but they're certainly a lot cheaper than the Amazon link I posted upthread for that camera. Might be interesting to compare the capabilities of a 1000 pound DSLR with video to these camcorders at that price point. I'm thinking the DSLR will have much better manual control options, but the camcorder will have better zoom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 One thing I am looking for is a variable speed zoom. They were rare if non-existent on under-£1,000 camcorders in video days. I've been viewing some of Beast's YouTube footage and the PQ looks fine. The camera was dead steady so obviously it was tripod mounted. Can an external mic be plugged in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted July 24, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 24, 2011 One thing I am looking for is a variable speed zoom. They were rare if non-existent on under-£1,000 camcorders in video days. I've been viewing some of Beast's YouTube footage and the PQ looks fine. The camera was dead steady so obviously it was tripod mounted. Can an external mic be plugged in? Quick reply - to your last two points, yes it was and yes (on my camera) - the zoom is not variable speed though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Thanks. On topic but also slightly off as well, the Panasonic camcorder I had looked at on a website has miraculously appeared in advertising on my own business website. Same store too! I presume there is some electronic link for this to happen. Clever stuff! Additional info 15.20hrs : Just read Russel Brands website and the same Panasonic and same outlet is advertised there too. Am I being stalked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted July 25, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2011 Here's a fancy Canon, with price to match, variable speed zoom and full manual control:- http://www.pec.co.uk/pecvnew/canon-xa10-ultra-compact-professional-camcorder.html There are 500 quid ones around with variable speed zoom, but I couldn't find one which also had the manual control you want. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted July 25, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2011 Additional info 15.20hrs : Just read Russel Brands website and the same Panasonic and same outlet is advertised there too. Am I being stalked? Same here, every time I look at something on Amazon or Screwfix (to name but two) I get targeted ads. for ever more, even when I'm on completely unrelated sites. I suspect I could stop this happening by deleting cookies but I can't be bothered to be honest. It is a bit spooky the first few times it happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I recently had to unexpectedly operate a fairly new Canon consumer camcorder, and the raw output as seen on a 42" HD TV looked mind blowingly good. Definitely had variable rate zoom and a tripod screw, as it was on a tripod with a high grade damped pan head. a joy to operate and monitor while filming. Not a clue as to the actual model but apparently sells for circa £1500. VERY impressed. .... Am I being stalked? Have you ever watched the film 'Minority Report'? If you are not yet being stalked by advertisers, you soon will be if this dystopic vision is correct... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Thanks everyone for taking the trouble to assist my search. Do others find filming and panning trains using a flip out screen easier or harder than using a viewfinder...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldknotty Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I love the " flippin' ...erm I mean the flip out screen as i wear glasses :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldknotty Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Larry the specs on my Sony are as follows , dunno if they make any sense to you though they sure don't to me LOL it is a sony DCR -TRV280 with steady shot , USB streaming , Optical20x and 990x digital zoom . It shoots in darkness with no lights etc and also stills and just about everything in between .It is light weight and will fit on a tripod .Just thought to let you know . it ill do manual and auto so you have a choice . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Hi Martin, Thanks for the Sony specification. The 20X optical zoom sounds pretty good but USB steeaming means now't to me I'm afraid. I've decided to go for either Panasonic or Canon.. The former because Panasonic is the brand I look for with other electrical goods and Canon because I trust their still cameras and optics. 34theletterbetweenB&D, I havent cone acorss a £1500 Canon camcorder as yet, but the £1000 Canon Legria HSF S21 has a very good spec and review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted July 27, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 27, 2011 34theletterbetweenB&D, I havent cone acorss a £1500 Canon camcorder as yet, but the £1000 Canon Legria HSF S21 has a very good spec and review. Well the Canon XA10 I posted upthread is 1495 quid. so only a fiver short :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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