Author Topic: camera help needed (Read 1982 times)

groucho · « **on:** January 02, 2008, 09:30:24 PM »

Hey all -
I thought this would be fairly simple: find a camcorder for a few hundred bucks that I can use to shoot some skate vids of my friends and me. I just want reasonable quality - doesn't have to be superduper (hey, I kinda like the quality of the VHS-shot skate vids of the early 90s) - I just want it to be better than the super pixilated crappiness of my little Olympus digital camera's "video" setting. And I want to be able to transfer to PC via usb. Simple, right?

Stupid me. I've been researching these things for hours and I'm no closer to nailing one down then when I started. Everytime I think I've found one it turns out that they use stinking firewire to transfer (which I don't have on my computer).

Can anybody nudge me in the right direction?

gracie -

asdfdsa · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2008, 09:10:15 AM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-Optura-20-mini-DV-Camcorder_W0QQitemZ180202572426QQihZ008QQcategoryZ20330QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

fisheye is cheap too

groucho · « **Reply #2 on:** January 03, 2008, 10:25:39 AM »

The more I read the more it sounds like none of them really use USB. I'm looking at these cameras that record directly to DVD now - anyone have any thoughts on those?

thanks -

somekid · « **Reply #3 on:** January 03, 2008, 02:38:23 PM »

dvd camcorders suck. the quality is good, but you're putting a high precision optical drive in something that gets shaken around a lot. fine for putting on a tripod and recording junior's birthday, but a nightmare for filming skateboarding.
there aren't any usb camcorders out there, because usb isn't fast enough to transfer video in real time.
you're gonna have to just sack up and buy a firewire card. they're not that expensive.

asdfdsa · « **Reply #4 on:** January 03, 2008, 08:59:01 PM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/PCI-6-Port-USB-2-0-IEEE-1394-FireWire-Combo-Card-D6B_W0QQitemZ360009213813QQihZ023QQcategoryZ74940QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

comes with the cable too, well worth it

groucho · « **Reply #5 on:** January 03, 2008, 10:35:20 PM »

Yeah, it's looking like firewire is the way to go. Oh well, the cards are cheap, so no biggie I guess.

I'm looking at the Panasonic PV-GS85 right now. Good reviews. Seems to have the basics covered. Not too expensive.

Anyone have any experience with that one?

Say Hi · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2008, 02:45:29 AM »

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the PV-GS85 is a 1CCD. Try to get a Panasonic 3CCD one like the GS120, GS150, GS180 or GS320. They are all good cameras with 37mm threads, so you can put any smaller Fisheye on it. Get the Kenko SGW-0,43x for it.

blazini · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2008, 09:41:15 AM »

mine is usb shit. i got it in 2003 i think.

groucho · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2008, 10:11:33 AM »

Quote from: Say Hi on January 04, 2008, 02:45:29 AM

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the PV-GS85 is a 1CCD. Try to get a Panasonic 3CCD one like the GS120, GS150, GS180 or GS320. They are all good cameras with 37mm threads, so you can put any smaller Fisheye on it. Get the Kenko SGW-0,43x for it.

Thanks man - good thought on the CCD issue. I didn't notice that. Now I'm leaning toward the gs320.

cold budweisers · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2008, 06:38:07 PM »

i have a gs320, i transfer shit onto my computer with usb all the time

Say Hi · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2008, 12:57:22 AM »

Nah man, USB is pretty bad for capturing the Footage. Just get a Firewire Card with a Cable on eBay für like 10 bucks and you'll be fine. The quality's gonna be so much better..

grimcity · « **Reply #11 on:** January 05, 2008, 08:42:38 AM »

Quote from: Say Hi on January 05, 2008, 12:57:22 AM

Nah man, USB is pretty bad for capturing the Footage. Just get a Firewire Card with a Cable on eBay für like 10 bucks and you'll be fine. The quality's gonna be so much better..

No doubt! Firewire cards are super cheap, the transfer rate blows USB out of the water, and it will only take you about 10 minutes max to install the card into your PC. The only thing that'll cost you is the firewire cable, but I've seen some really good deals online (in the stores here, a 3 foot cable can run around $25 but you can pay half that if you find the right online store).

asdfdsa · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2008, 08:46:00 AM »

Quote from: grimcity on January 05, 2008, 08:42:38 AM

Quote from: Say Hi on January 05, 2008, 12:57:22 AM
Expand Quote
Nah man, USB is pretty bad for capturing the Footage. Just get a Firewire Card with a Cable on eBay für like 10 bucks and you'll be fine. The quality's gonna be so much better..
[close]
No doubt! Firewire cards are super cheap, the transfer rate blows USB out of the water, and it will only take you about 10 minutes max to install the card into your PC. The only thing that'll cost you is the firewire cable, but I've seen some really good deals online (in the stores here, a 3 foot cable can run around $25 but you can pay half that if you find the right online store).

actually you can find a lot of deals on ebay where you get the card and the cord for under 10 bones

grimcity · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2008, 09:54:00 AM »

Quote from: asdfdsa on January 05, 2008, 08:46:00 AM

Quote from: grimcity on January 05, 2008, 08:42:38 AM
Expand Quote
Quote from: Say Hi on January 05, 2008, 12:57:22 AM
Expand Quote
Nah man, USB is pretty bad for capturing the Footage. Just get a Firewire Card with a Cable on eBay für like 10 bucks and you'll be fine. The quality's gonna be so much better..
[close]
No doubt! Firewire cards are super cheap, the transfer rate blows USB out of the water, and it will only take you about 10 minutes max to install the card into your PC. The only thing that'll cost you is the firewire cable, but I've seen some really good deals online (in the stores here, a 3 foot cable can run around $25 but you can pay half that if you find the right online store).
[close]

actually you can find a lot of deals on ebay where you get the card and the cord for under 10 bones

Then there's no excuse...

GO FIREWIRE!

cold budweisers · « **Reply #14 on:** January 05, 2008, 01:18:17 PM »

i just might have to

Quote from: grimcity on January 05, 2008, 09:54:00 AM

GO FIREWIRE!

Guinness · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2008, 12:42:45 AM »

Quote from: the king of r&b on January 05, 2008, 01:18:17 PM

Quote from: grimcity on January 05, 2008, 09:54:00 AM
Expand Quote
GO CAPS!
[close]

groucho · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2008, 10:48:21 PM »

Thanks for the input all - just ordered the Panasonic gs320. Youtube will soon be inundated with me doing manual tricks... woo-hoo...

blazini · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2008, 09:18:44 AM »

Quote from: Guinness on January 06, 2008, 12:42:45 AM

Quote from: the king of r&b on January 05, 2008, 01:18:17 PM
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Quote from: grimcity on January 05, 2008, 09:54:00 AM
Expand Quote
GO CAPS!
[close]
[close]

grimcity · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2008, 09:52:50 AM »

Quote from: blazini on January 07, 2008, 09:18:44 AM

Quote from: Guinness on January 06, 2008, 12:42:45 AM
Expand Quote
Quote from: the king of r&b on January 05, 2008, 01:18:17 PM
Expand Quote
Quote from: grimcity on January 05, 2008, 09:54:00 AM
Expand Quote
GO CAPS!
[close]
[close]
[close]

florida16 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2008, 05:31:18 PM »

I have a gs320 but i dont know how to transfer videos from usb i dont think its possible but i can use firewire.

grimcity · « **Reply #20 on:** January 11, 2008, 12:58:17 PM »

Seriously, using USB to transfer video is like trying to push a brick through a garden hose... raw DV footage takes up a LOT of bandwidth, and USB is like a straw, wheras firewire is like a tunnel.

On top of the faster transfer rates of your video data, you also get a more responsive camera when you have to rewind/fast forward or go through something frame-by-frame. There's very little lag, unlike USB. Going Firewire is a cheap upgrade, but if you're halfway serious about video, or plan on compiling footy on a regular basis, it's a must.

These are some data rate comparisons from a USB and Firewire external hard drive (as an example):
Read Test:
* 5000 files (300 MB total) FireWire was 33% faster than USB 2.0
* 160 files (650MB total) FireWire was 70% faster than USB 2.0
Write Test:
* 5000 files (300 MB total) FireWire was 16% faster than USB 2.0
* 160 files (650MB total) FireWire was 48% faster than USB 2.0

Piracy · « **Reply #21 on:** January 14, 2008, 08:04:01 PM »

Does anyone have imput on a 3ccd?

grimcity · « **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2008, 08:26:32 PM »

Quote from: Piracy on January 14, 2008, 08:04:01 PM

Does anyone have imput on a 3ccd?

...like, what kind you should buy? What's your budget?

Piracy · « **Reply #23 on:** January 14, 2008, 08:30:01 PM »

Quote from: grimcity on January 14, 2008, 08:26:32 PM

Quote from: Piracy on January 14, 2008, 08:04:01 PM
Expand Quote
Does anyone have imput on a 3ccd?
[close]
...like, what kind you should buy? What's your budget?

anywhere from 2-3 hundread

Say Hi · « **Reply #24 on:** January 15, 2008, 02:10:42 AM »

Get one of the older Panasonic 3CCD like the GS120 on eBay. You can get them for like 200$ if you look around for a while. Then get the Kenko SGW-0,43x for it. It's a really good setup.

Piracy · « **Reply #25 on:** January 15, 2008, 05:29:42 AM »

i meant to say 20-30 hundread

Say Hi · « **Reply #26 on:** January 15, 2008, 07:26:37 AM »

So you mean 2000$-3000$?

Then get VX2100, Century Optics Mark1, Bayoring or VX1000, Mark1, Bescor 50/100.

stagefright · « **Reply #27 on:** January 17, 2008, 03:57:17 AM »

shoulda came in here a while ago, i bought a gs320 on boxing day. never thought anyone else but a soccer dad would have it, but so far im happy with it. was looking at this fisheye

http://cgi.ebay.ca/0-38X-FISHEYE-LENS-PANASONIC-PV-GS320-GS400-GS300-GS500_W0QQitemZ120210272216QQihZ002QQcategoryZ73444QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
because it was the only one i could find that says its compatible. i dont know shit though, so i didnt buy it yet. did get a 80 dollar battery for 2 bucks though, that was cool.

looking at that kenko one now though, so basically any 37 mm camera works with it? whats the benefits of the SGW-043 compared to others in that price range? never used e-bay before recently, i love how every company puts the retail price at 300 or so dollars and then sells it for 30.

grimcity · « **Reply #28 on:** January 17, 2008, 08:24:26 AM »

I don't know anything about that particular lens, but I'm a fan of Raynox and Kenko... they're no Century Optics or anything, but they make decent enough lenses, and if they get dropped or smashed, you won't have to kill yourself or eat plain crackers with no toppings for a year.

Say Hi · « **Reply #29 on:** January 17, 2008, 09:21:07 AM »

Get the Kenko SGW 0.43x for sure. Compared to all the other crappy Fisheyes it's the widest out of it. Even tough they all say they're like 0.38x or something, but they aren't. Theres only 2 options: The Kenko or the Century Babydeath. And the Kenko will fit directly onto your Camera.