nekobi 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 so i'm going to buy a digital video camera at the end of the month, and i need something firewire compatible bc i've got an ibook. any suggestions? Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 what exactly do you want it for? Go with a 3ccd cam. like the Panasonic MX5000. they rock! and less trips to the repair shop than Sony's.. Link to post Share on other sites
nekobi 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Author Share Posted February 12, 2003 i just want to play around and make vids, shoot spring riding in the park. Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard_freak 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Sam got a Panasonic as well - but i can for the life of me remember the model number. It has firewire and is used solely on Mac's. It's a great little camera. I'll see if i can find out the model number/name and get back to you this evening. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 dunno, mine got nicked by some honest Japanese guy. I used mine for the same low level stuff as you, nek. If I buy another I will dispense with the gimmick 100x digital zoom and go for a quality optical zoom. Digital zoom gives poor results and I think one is better paying the same amount for less digital zoom and more optical zoom. Also, ignore all the in-camera effects. Sepia, black and white etc etc etc. All that can be done using iMovie. Buggered if I can recal the make/model I had, but I think it was Panasonic and was one of the rectangle shaped ones. It kind of sat in your hand like an upright cigarette packet. This was not the best for easy filming. If I buy another I will get the longer narrow shape that is more akin to a traditional motion camera shape. This shape is also necessary to accomodate the greater optical zoom. Mine had firewire. To be honest I think nearly all of the do these days. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Yep and like Deebs said leave all the gimmiks in the store! You only need the optical ZOOM. Digital zoom = grainy unclear pics. and for the park you will need an good wide angle lens (sometimes called fish eye) Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard_freak 0 Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 OK i found the model number and a link to an info page. Panasonic Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 But that model (while being ok) is only 1ccd. 3ccd is pro standard and you will notice the quality. 500 x zoom is absolutely ridiculous! I tried mine a DX100 @ 100 zoom and why bother??? most serious cameras wont have a digital zoon over 120 x . Mine has an optical zoom of 12 which for a board park is heaps and combined with a fish eye will give you what U need. I am using mine purely for surf vids, selling footage to the "big companies" and sometimes smaller projects. also the smaller canon is good 2! GL2 i think. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Quote: Originally posted by snowboard_freak It has firewire and is used solely on Mac's. You're telling me that Panasonic would make a video camera that only mac users could use? There is nothing proprietary about digital video and firewire (IEEE 1394) is a universal standard. Maybe it is just also compatible with macs (software wise that is). Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard_freak 0 Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Sorry ender - should have been clearer. I meant that Sam only uses the video camera with Mac's, not PC's. The camera is compatible on both. Link to post Share on other sites
sam_casper 0 Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 My cam, is great, the software it came with was cruddy! but it works with iphoto and imovie and premiere... really every program i have tryed it with... it uses, usb to get the photos of the card and firewire for fast editing...! its a great cam...! nice and compact too! Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 oh, my bad s_f - shoulda known thats what you meant. I'm always lookin to pick a fight with you dif'rent thinkers. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 I just got a Canon FV200 about 3 weeks ago. Works great with firewire on my Macs. I think the western-selling equivalent is ZR40 if you want one with English menus, etc. Cost about 60,000 yen, or a little over. It's the lowest end Canon mini dv, quite cheap. Reviews on the net complain that the night /low light shooting is grainy, but the little I've done of that I like - kinda gives you that 16mm / super 8 effect... doesn't bother me at all, not like I'm making feature films or pro vid productions). The outdoor shots are great. Got some excellent snow footage. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 forgot to mention it has 18 x optical zoom..... Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 'cause I am a sly prick I have almost wrangled an insurance payout for my stolen gear. I have been partially paid for the minor stuff and should be getting credit at a camera shop in sydney in the next few days! It is a pain that I have to get the cameras in sydney as now i need to suss it all out on the internet and ask my contact in sydney to go and get them then courier to me. there you go, some useless info for you. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 whats the diff bewteen 1CCD and 3CCD? All I can find is cameras with 1/6"CCD. I think I am confused. Link to post Share on other sites
nekobi 0 Posted February 26, 2003 Author Share Posted February 26, 2003 3 ccd cameras will have a clearer picture and better color, but they cost a lot more. i think the 1/6 ccd is better than just 1 ccd- but i really have no idea for sure. you can find a lot of info at consumerDVreviews.com and camcorderinfo.com Link to post Share on other sites
nekobi 0 Posted February 26, 2003 Author Share Posted February 26, 2003 http://camcorderinfo.com/ http://www.consumerDVreviews.com Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 thanks nekobi, you are proving to be a first class chick, contrary to what zwelgen said about you. Link to post Share on other sites
nekobi 0 Posted February 27, 2003 Author Share Posted February 27, 2003 thanks, but what?!?! zwelgen couldn't possibly have any bad words to say about me! unless, of course, i couldn't understand her kiwi words Link to post Share on other sites
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