# Good Camcorder



## PirateLady (Jul 23, 2010)

Ok we are looking to buy a camcorder to capture our haunt this year. Any one have any recommendations for a good one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?? :xbones:


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

I like Sony, you might find a really good deal on a High8...all digital, very good picture quality.


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## mroct31 (Nov 10, 2007)

Many factors to consider, do you want HD video, what do you consider not to expensive, tape or solid state storage. I personally like Canon camcorders and I use their HV30 HD model and I love it. It's a tape style however and many people don't like those anymore so if I was to go with a new one I'd pick an SD storage model, maybe the Canon HF20, for the simple fact you can still have a hard copy backup after you've edited it. I wouldn't trust my video memories to hard drives only! If you want to save a ton of money you should look at the filp style camcorders which are made by more than one company. My son has the super cheap Creative Vado and it does a pretty good job but there are better models that do a very good job for under $200. This is a pretty good list and review of different models in their respective categories, you start with the "best" in each category but just click on the left tabs for the best 5 in each category:
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-camcorders/

For a very cheap flip style model the Kodak Zi8 looks pretty darn good at only $125 on Amazon. There's a test video in the review sections on the Amazon site and like the reviewer I agree, sample video is the best way to review camcorders.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Yes the Zi8 is pretty good, I have one.
Draw back on most flip style are options, mine is very poor in low light.
What I like about sony is the infrared shots. While editing, put everything to grey scale.


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## remylass (Sep 18, 2008)

I love my Sony. I really like that it has built in Night Shot.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

I had asked the same thing a while back HERE. So far I like what I've heard about the Samsung SMX-F43BN but we haven't made a decision yet.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

does it have good night shot as well?


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## PirateLady (Jul 23, 2010)

Thanks for all the imput. We are looking for something that works good in low light and nite shots since we want to video our work on Halloween nite. I'll look into your suggestions and thanks again...


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

If you are primarily concerned about Night Shot, go with the Sony. I went through the same decision process last year, and since Halloween is only 3 hours out of the year, I figure I better get something that support the other 99% of what I'll be filming. So I got the Canon HF11. Doesn't have the grainy green night shot, but the built-in light makes for good full-color night video.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

I'm personally looking for something that allows me to control shutter and iris. I want to be able to capture the color of the haunt lighting itself without the rest of the scene looking too dark. My old Sony did get the colors but the rest of the scene was too dark to tell what was going on. I don't like using night vision (the funky green) or the head lamp light that makes everything all lit like you used flash. But I also don't wanna pay more than $300 bucks for it.


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## Just Whisper (Jan 19, 2009)

I was looking for a new camcorder last year. ALL my videos from years past were horrible. I went looking for one strictly with that in mind. I tried all of them. I finally got the SONY handycam 60xoptical/2000x digital zoom. If you want it for taking photographs save your money. They suck. But my camera will focus and take beautiful video in the dark. Too bad that last year my actual haunt sucked so bad I never took any video that I will show. But this year...I will have a good camcorder with which to catch it all.


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## mroct31 (Nov 10, 2007)

PirateLady said:


> Thanks for all the imput. We are looking for something that works good in low light and nite shots since we want to video our work on Halloween nite. I'll look into your suggestions and thanks again...


I have yet to see a consumer video camera that looks "good" in low light. Some are better than others but without enough light from whatever source it's going to be dark and perhaps grainy. I previously had a Sony and like what was stated earlier in the post for a few hours a year the night vision wasn't worth having for me, not to mention those shots look like crap IMO anyway. You don't see colors in NV, everything is green, peoples eyes glow, it's just not good video, but to each their own.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Good point mroct. some tips on editing...take normal dusk shots with your still camera add in your scares with your nightshot camera, that is if you do a walk through of sorts.
It's that simple.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Also, like Mr_Chicken said in the thread I asked, it basically comes down to getting the camcorder with the most manual control. It can be done providing you can get one that allows you to manually control shutter speed and iris. Then tweak the gain in post-edit as needed but as little as possible (too much gain will make the video grainy).


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Poking around its pretty tough to find a consumer grade camcorder with manual iris control, at least in the sub $300 range.

While I don't have any experience with it myself (still shopping as well), Best Buy has the JVC Everio GZMS-230-BUS going for less than $269. While it doesn't offer manual iris it does have manual shutter and gain as well as a few other manual controls. There's also some presets that might work as well, namely one called Night-Eye (it's not green lit night shot either). I only know this because I dug up the user manual over on JVC's site. The manual is for the 110-BUS model but it looks like the 230-BUS and 110-BUS are essentially the same except the 230 comes with 8gb onboard memory and a couple extra bells and whistles in the build-in editing functions.


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

I just bought a jvc with hi lux. Suppose to be good in low light. But it does have night vision. But didnt want that anyway. And it is hi def.


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## BellaVega (Sep 23, 2010)

Has anyone tried using their DSLR photo camera to take HD video? I know the newer Canons had HD video and I think some of them allow you to manually control the aperture and other stuff. I was looking at the flip models especially the Kodak one but I ended up with a iphone4 and it takes pretty good videos. It's not great video but I don't take much videos in the first place.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

BellaVega said:


> Has anyone tried using their DSLR photo camera to take HD video? I know the newer Canons had HD video and I think some of them allow you to manually control the aperture and other stuff. I was looking at the flip models especially the Kodak one but I ended up with a iphone4 and it takes pretty good videos. It's not great video but I don't take much videos in the first place.


If you can use a DSLR to shoot your video, do it. best bang for the buck these days (though still quite a bit of buck). Because you have so much control, they are excellent in low light situations, from what I've seen.


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