Just this week I got my first DV camcorder from Amazon - it's a Sharp VL-WD255U, for $350 (after a $100 mail-in rebate). Quite cheap.
I'm not a photographer at all, so the fact that it was cheap was the most important thing. Apparently, it has a lower-than-normal resolution (CCD ?), but it gets your video into your computer, which is really all I wanted.
It also has video-in, so you can take those old analog videos and get them into your computer as well. I'm a complete novice, so I don't really know how to evaluate it, but it does work!
<strong>I am looking to get a Digital Camcorder for Christmas, and I want to edit on my G4. I would like MiniDV, AV-in/out, and a good ccd.
I would like to get a Sony TRV17. Any similar cameras you can suggest?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Minute I saw this thread I was going to reply with Sony TRV17. Obviously you have done some research because that is a great camera and I would highly reccomend it.
I have a TRV-17 as well. You don't need the TRV-30. You might as well save the money and buy an even better still digicam with the money you save...if you want to take stills.
The TRV-30 supposedly has a better CCD, but I doubt you'd notice the difference for video.
It [Sharp VL-WD255U] also has video-in, so you can take those old analog videos and get them into your computer as well. I'm a complete novice, so I don't really know how to evaluate it, but it does work!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Do you know if you can feed analog video into your computer through this camcorder without copying it to DV tape first?
I'm not sure. I know you can capture to iMovie anything that you're shooting with the camcorder, even if no tape is in the camera. And I know you can view on the camcorder's LCD anything coming into the camcorder from analog, even if you're not taping. So it seems possible, but I haven't actually tried it.
When I get a chance, I'll give it a try and let you know.
My Sony TRV-10 has surved me well for years now. Its great, even though it has an interlaced CCD. Any new model with progressive scan recording will be fine.
<strong>I have a TRV-17 as well. You don't need the TRV-30. You might as well save the money and buy an even better still digicam with the money you save...if you want to take stills.
The TRV-30 supposedly has a better CCD, but I doubt you'd notice the difference for video.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Also I think I read some where that TRV-30 will convert analog to digital. Which if you have a lot of old analog tapes this could save you some bucks rather than buying a converter. I believe you just hook your vcr up to the cam and record onto the digital tape or transfer to your computer.
Also I think I read some where that TRV-30 will convert analog to digital. Which if you have a lot of old analog tapes this could save you some bucks rather than buying a converter. I believe you just hook your vcr up to the cam and record onto the digital tape or transfer to your computer.
Also I think I read some where that TRV-30 will convert analog to digital. Which if you have a lot of old analog tapes this could save you some bucks rather than buying a converter. I believe you just hook your vcr up to the cam and record onto the digital tape or transfer to your computer.
if this model have all this quality buy one immediatly.
Personnaly i have a sony DV tri CCD DV 900, with analogic and numeric input and output. I am very happy with this camera. This is a very good choice. At the time i bought it (2 years ago) that was the only one to have this features.
Yes, the analog plug on the side of the TRV-17 is both an input and output. I've recorded off of devices with composite out many times.
Pogue is mistaken when he says small camcorders take the same quality video as larger ones. Optics do matter, and the tiny lenses on the palm-sized cams will capture less detail.
Comments
I'm not a photographer at all, so the fact that it was cheap was the most important thing. Apparently, it has a lower-than-normal resolution (CCD ?), but it gets your video into your computer, which is really all I wanted.
It also has video-in, so you can take those old analog videos and get them into your computer as well. I'm a complete novice, so I don't really know how to evaluate it, but it does work!
<strong>I am looking to get a Digital Camcorder for Christmas, and I want to edit on my G4. I would like MiniDV, AV-in/out, and a good ccd.
I would like to get a Sony TRV17. Any similar cameras you can suggest?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Minute I saw this thread I was going to reply with Sony TRV17. Obviously you have done some research because that is a great camera and I would highly reccomend it.
The TRV-30 supposedly has a better CCD, but I doubt you'd notice the difference for video.
<strong>
It [Sharp VL-WD255U] also has video-in, so you can take those old analog videos and get them into your computer as well. I'm a complete novice, so I don't really know how to evaluate it, but it does work!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Do you know if you can feed analog video into your computer through this camcorder without copying it to DV tape first?
When I get a chance, I'll give it a try and let you know.
<strong>I have a TRV-17 as well. You don't need the TRV-30. You might as well save the money and buy an even better still digicam with the money you save...if you want to take stills.
The TRV-30 supposedly has a better CCD, but I doubt you'd notice the difference for video.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Also I think I read some where that TRV-30 will convert analog to digital. Which if you have a lot of old analog tapes this could save you some bucks rather than buying a converter. I believe you just hook your vcr up to the cam and record onto the digital tape or transfer to your computer.
<a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/digitalimaging/P_Feature_TRV30.shtml"; target="_blank">http://www.sonystyle.com/digitalimaging/P_Feature_TRV30.shtml</a>;
<strong>
Also I think I read some where that TRV-30 will convert analog to digital. Which if you have a lot of old analog tapes this could save you some bucks rather than buying a converter. I believe you just hook your vcr up to the cam and record onto the digital tape or transfer to your computer.
<a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/digitalimaging/P_Feature_TRV30.shtml"; target="_blank">http://www.sonystyle.com/digitalimaging/P_Feature_TRV30.shtml</a></strong>[ /QUOTE]
You can do it with the TRV17 also
<strong>[QUOTE]Originally posted by <jeff>:
[qb]
Also I think I read some where that TRV-30 will convert analog to digital. Which if you have a lot of old analog tapes this could save you some bucks rather than buying a converter. I believe you just hook your vcr up to the cam and record onto the digital tape or transfer to your computer.
<a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/digitalimaging/P_Feature_TRV30.shtml"; target="_blank">http://www.sonystyle.com/digitalimaging/P_Feature_TRV30.shtml</a></strong>[ /QUOTE]
You can do it with the TRV17 also
if this model have all this quality buy one immediatly.
Personnaly i have a sony DV tri CCD DV 900, with analogic and numeric input and output. I am very happy with this camera. This is a very good choice. At the time i bought it (2 years ago) that was the only one to have this features.
Escher
Pogue is mistaken when he says small camcorders take the same quality video as larger ones. Optics do matter, and the tiny lenses on the palm-sized cams will capture less detail.
How many GB of Hard disk space would it take to put 6 hours of VHS to digital video???
<strong>Now that we are on the subject of analog to digital.
How many GB of Hard disk space would it take to put 6 hours of VHS to digital video???</strong><hr></blockquote>
DV is 200MB / min or 12 GB / hour so 6 hours of video results in 72 GB of HD space.
Since the source is VHS there may be some way to compress this but I couldn't help you with that.