FIRST TIME CAMCORDER BUYER

Would like a camcorder with still photo capability too. Ballpark budget
$300-400.

Any recommendations (the only definite features I'd want are decent
quality for photos too,
zoom feature auto focus and fairly "dumbed-down" instructions and ease
of use on the camera itself).

Thanks for any recommendations!!

Michael

 

A Consumer Reports rated Best Buy is the sony DVR TRV480 a digital 8. I
have one. But stills are only 1/3rd mp, at that price range there is not
much in stills. For video it is good and offers alot, but dont but it
for stills. Your price range is your limiting factor

 

Thanks for your feedback. What price gets me decent stills too???

 

So far, no amount of money. Video CCD's are fundamentally different
from still-image CCD's - they do very different things, if you think
about it. I heard of a Samsung camera that had two separate sensors,
one for video and one for stills - it still produced sub-standard
output, according to reviews. It was called the Samsung DouCam SCD-5000
- and was in the $600-1000 range, IIRC.

For U.S.$200-250 you could get a basic JVC, Sharp or Panasonic miniDV
camcorder, and then spend $175-200 to get a basic 3-4 Mpixel
point-n-shoot; you'd not be a lot more out of pocket and you'd get far
superior videos and pictures. A single device that "does it all"
inevitably includes compromises.

If you absolutely must carry only one device, then the Canon S2-IS has
gotten good overall reviews - it'll take really good still pics, and
apparently reasonable videos for a still camera. At high resolution (a
bit less than DVD quality) video takes up about 1 GB of memory per 8
minutes - not ideal, especially with cards running about $55 per GB
right now. Any serious filming will require bigger cards - likely
several of them.

I get 1-hour miniDV tapes for about $4 each - cheap enough that I just
leave the footage on them for storage. I put my Sony TRV-22 camcorder
and my Olympus C-5060 still camera, spare batteries, tapes and cards,
all in a camera bag smaller than a kid's lunchbox - it fits easily in a
day pack with a lunch, a rain jacket and a sweater. Perfect for day
outings with the kids, or trips up the mountains.

Good Luck.

 

The Sony Tvr 480 is 640x480= 307000 mp= 490 lines resolution = Dvd
quality. Dig cameras are 5mp average now. I dont know what you refer to
as a decent photo. They fair-decent but it is low resolution and not as
good as a dedicated camera, maybe none or a few are good to very good
and the lenses are not as optimal-good as cameras. I have a 480 and W5
both use memory stick, but now Sony is screwing everyone by going top
Duo, Memory stick wont fit in Duo. If I started over it would be Canon
and SD card. Canon video units are very good and offer 720i vs 490-510
for Sony, Canon is worth a look at even if more money, You get what you
pay for.

 

Shouldn't that be .307MP?
307200 pixels, actually.
And isn't DVD quality closer to 720x480?

 

Not sure Boards encourage thank you postings, but thank you all!!! I
did not realize that what I was seeking with my budget was easier
thought of than done!!

Thanks again.