Camcorder suggestions

[GusMan]

Hello Padders...
Well during my last trip, my trusty Sony DVD camcorder almost died on me. I suspect that the ribbon cable between the flip-out display and the body of the camera is shorting out, causing the 'corder to shut down. Fortunately, I was able to keep it running during the last couple days of my trip, but now I need a new one. I got 5 years of heavy use of the the device so while Im not happy I have to spend $$ on a new one, it did get a LOT of use.

So... trying to find a replacement. Would like to know what others are using.
Here is what I would like:
- Would prefer an HD unit but a strong SD performer is not out of the picture.
- Prefer one that takes good still photos as well.
- Flash for photos.
- Trying to stay away from hard drive based units since I want to stay away from as many moving parts as possible.

Any thoughts, ideas, recommendations?

Thanks much!

[steven]

At MousePlanet we use Sony pro/prosumer gear to cover events at the Disneyland Resort. We use both DV Tape and SSD.

Personally, I'm partial to Sony NXCam. I love the "Exmor R" CMOS sensor for shooting Disney events - I think it's got ideal color saturation for shooting in the park. I use the Sony HXR-MC50U which is marked as pro, but is really a consumer camera with a pro attachments like the shotgun mic. I understand the consumer equivalent is the Sony HDR-CX550. The hardware is the same.

They are both shoot HD, 1080i 60fps with an internal SSD and a combination MemoryStick/SDHC slot. They have flash for still. They are automatic enough for simply shooting video.

This gear has been on the market for about two years so there may be others worth looking at.

Here are three videos I've shot with the Sony HXR-MC50U.

http://youtu.be/63Q5jC9uS54 - This was shot from town square on a tripod.
http://youtu.be/agLi9IZxtpY - This was shot handheld on the ride. I had the advantage of several ride stops in the "Under the Sea" room.
http://youtu.be/9_HNoiyzaak - Shot on a tripod.

I'd check out consumer grade Sony with the Exmor R CMOS sensor. But find a camcorder that interests you and see what's been shot with it on YouTube and Vimeo. Also read the reviews for usability.

[Bytebear]

I looked for a while for a good consumer HD Camera, and ended up getting the Panasonic HDC TM700. It's tiny, but the images are incredible. The only thing it doesn't do well is pan quickly, so you can't spin around quickly without pixelation. Might not be the best for recording on-ride experiences. The camera warns you when you move too quickly. For tripod stuff, it's just fine.

[steven]

Panning is a common problem with most CMOS cameras. Normally you'd get a jello effect where the bottom of the image will lag behind the top when you pan quickly. I understand the problem is worse when folks with DSLR's try to shoot video. My camcorder only shoots 60i, so I get a combing effect because of the interlacing. Here the vertical edges of objects I pan by take on the look of the teeth of a comb. The only solution is to adapt your shooting habits to your camcorder.

[GusMan]

As a follow up, I ended up getting the Sony 560V about a week later. All I have to say is that it awesome! The night shots are superb and the ability to shoot in 60i, 60p or 24p, at different bitrates really opens up options for extending recording time. I love the ability to take nearly unlimited pictures while recording as well, which is also a big thing for me.

So far, I have not seen much, if any issues with panning, but at the same time I have always tried to be smooth with panning, which I know helps the situation. Ill have to post some of my videos on YouTube soon to compare some notes.

Overall, I love it. Im spending my time off here at the end of the year by authoring our trip's video's into a nice compilation. Cant wait to see the results.

Might be something for a separate thread, but anyone have any good suggestions for video editing software?