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Need help choosing a DV camera.

B

blut3ng3l

n00b
Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
5
I'm somewhat of a ghost hunter. (so I want/need infrared) I also want to get into digital filmmaking for the web. I definitely don't have enough money for the professional 3 CCD camera, like the Cannon XL2.

I heard 1CCD cameras like the Cannon Elura line are good for web DV filming. Great colors. Great lens. I also read the miviDV is what you should choose for digital editing. The Canon Elura 100 only says it has a NightShot mode or whatever.

I was looking at Sony's DCR line, and there camera's actually mention Infrared. For example, the DCR-HC49 "Super NightShot® Plus Infrared System ... Record subjects up to 20 feet away using the built-in infrared system...."

So.. any suggestions? I'm the 400 plus or minus price range.
 
I'd definitely recommend Canon as my experience so far has been wonderful. Great quality on my GL2, can't speak for sub-400 priced cameras.
 
I have an Elura 40MC (about 4 years old), was $1000 retail when I got it, paid $700. It's probably comprable to what's around $400 now. I love it, small and great quality, even blown up on a 20' projector it looked nice. It's broken twice, but it seems to be bad luck with my model in particular, and both time's they've repaired it for free with a smaller turnaround time then I could have ever immagined.
 
Scream And Fly said:
Pass on the Elura and go for the Optura series from Canon.

Greg
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Thanks a lot everyone.

Yea, I was looking at the Canon Optura series, but it's a bit too pricey. :/

With my price range, it looks like I’m choosing between Sony DCR-HC46 and Canon Elure 100. The Sony seems to have the at night advantage. Are there any infrared add-ons for the Canon? How does the video/color quality compare with the two?
 
IMO the infared seems more like a gimmick then a usefull feature, in 99% of circumstances. Not sure how the two brands compare IQ wise, I've always preferred Canon products myself however.
 
n64man120 said:
IMO the infared seems more like a gimmick then a usefull feature, in 99% of circumstances. Not sure how the two brands compare IQ wise, I've always preferred Canon products myself however.
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Gimmicks suck, like the Playstation3 saying it'll be 4D. I was looking at reviews though, and it said the Sony one works in 100% darkness tho. Not to mention the 3 to 30 meter infrared add-on. I'm not sure which Canon model I read about, but one only has led lights. Lights aren’t helpful, since I need actual infrared. The Canon Elura 100 review said it didn't do a great job in nighttime.

Either way I guess i'm down to choosing between video quality with he Sony, and Elura 100.
 
Why do you need infared, if you dont mind me asking?

If in fact you do need it, and plan to shoot in no/slim-to-none light situations... the sony may be a better choice if it has the infared technology. My Canon wasn't fantastic in nighttime either, but it did it's job. For all I know the Sony could be as bad in low light. The infared is a different type of video completely.

Unless you have some strong need to go infared for pitch dark shooting, I'd look into the features and camera itself more. If there in the same price-point, I'd assume the difference in quality to be marginal. If you can find information clearly stating one is much better than the other consistantly, then I'd work off that. If it seems a matter of oppinion and they are really similiar in output, I'd look more into the design and features. Take a trip over to Best Buy or somewhere and try them out, see which you like to hold better, which menu interface you prefer to navagate, etc. Those are the little things that will make you happier with your purchase in the long run. As for me, I've always preferred the layout of the stuff Canon puts out, but thats personal preference so you should try them out yourself.
 
n64man120 said:
Why do you need infared, if you dont mind me asking?

If in fact you do need it, and plan to shoot in no/slim-to-none light situations... the sony may be a better choice if it has the infared technology. My Canon wasn't fantastic in nighttime either, but it did it's job. For all I know the Sony could be as bad in low light. The infared is a different type of video completely.

Unless you have some strong need to go infared for pitch dark shooting, I'd look into the features and camera itself more. If there in the same price-point, I'd assume the difference in quality to be marginal. If you can find information clearly stating one is much better than the other consistantly, then I'd work off that. If it seems a matter of oppinion and they are really similiar in output, I'd look more into the design and features. Take a trip over to Best Buy or somewhere and try them out, see which you like to hold better, which menu interface you prefer to navagate, etc. Those are the little things that will make you happier with your purchase in the long run. As for me, I've always preferred the layout of the stuff Canon puts out, but thats personal preference so you should try them out yourself.
Click to expand...

I'll make use of your suggestions, thanks a lot. To answer your question, I'm a ghost hunter.
 
Well I've watched Ghost Hunters on SciFi, and they use IR thermal cameras like these.
My Sony cam has night vision, but it's just green looking and nothing to do with heat.
And I understand that these cams are pretty expensive, I was just wondering if you knew about them.
Do the new consumer DV camcorders actually have thermal imaging??

Is this something you may be interested in? It's like $830. http://www.maxmax.com/dcr-hc32.htm
 
For night shots, I'd go with a Sony. Actually, I'd go with a Sony before I went with anything else in the sub $1000 range.
We had 2 Canon Optura Xi's but they are terrible in low light, they lower the frame rate to get more light so it gives you that strobe look. We sold one and are in teh process of selling the other and going with a used GL1 or GL2 as second cameras to the XL1 we have.
 
WS6 said:
For night shots, I'd go with a Sony. Actually, I'd go with a Sony before I went with anything else in the sub $1000 range.
Click to expand...

A few months ago (maybe a year now actually) when i was looking for a DV camcorder and from what i recall the Canon's did suck in low light pretty much and the sony's TENDED to be better BUT if you got the older models before all the fancy features came in they were actually better because of the bigger CCD's, etc. AND to top it off they are alot cheaper too assuming you can find one now! ;)

PS: I never ended up buying one as i figured i'd get more use out of a digital camera or two! :p (1st DSC-V3 for a SUPER "carry around" and eventually a Rebel XT! :D)
 
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