video/camcorders

[TrishandAlex]

I'm looking for a high quality videocamera or camcorder. I'd like to take a lot more videos while on hikes, and I'd like those videos to be of reasonable quality (HD a must).

Any advice from those who take videos on a regular basis? Specifically, my ideal camera would:

be lightweight
work in winter conditions
be reasonably tough
not incredibly expensive
have at least 2-3 hours of battery power

I'm also open to getting a still camera that can record high quality videos...but I don't think one exists that matches the quality of a video/camcorder (if I'm wrong please let me know).

Thanks!

 

[Peakbagr]

Take a look at the Panasonic Lumix. 24x Optical zoom and HD movies.
I don't know what the recording time is, but with an 8Gb card, it goes for a long time. The camera has a great lens, is small and light, and does much of what a DSLR does except for the fixed lens.
I have some friends who have the Lumix and watching the photos they take, gave 2 as Christmas gifts to my wife and daughter.
The HD movies of our grandchild have had clear video and audio.

Would the Lumix be as versatile as a full featured video camera? No way, but it combines both a camera with sharp, long telephoto with an HD video in one small package.
Panasonic Lumix FZ40. The FZ100 is slightly larger and takes 1080HD.

Just my thoughts.

 

[nartreb]

A couple of my relatives have the Flip. I've been impressed enough with the quality of their results to consider getting one of my own. Probably not as good optically as the Lumix, but affordable (about $100) and portable.

Cisco will stop making them soon, or maybe already has, but you can still find them at most online and brick retailers. 8GB -> about two hours.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Take a look at the Panasonic Lumix.

Agreed ... good camera plus HD video. This way you carry one toy rather than two.

 

[J.Dub]

A couple of my relatives have the Flip. I've been impressed enough with the quality of their results to consider getting one of my own. Probably not as good optically as the Lumix, but affordable (about $100) and portable.

Cisco will stop making them soon, or maybe already has, but you can still find them at most online and brick retailers. 8GB -> about two hours.

+1 on the FlipHD.

It worked great for me on Rainier last summer, as well as hiking/climbing/ice climbing locally. As nartreb notes, Cisco isn't making them anymore, but they're stupid easy to use. (The girls could probably shoot some stuff with the Flip -- I know my kids have had fun with it.) One thing I like about the FlipHD is that it accepts regular AA batteries, which is key on long trips or when you're shoosting a lot of footage. Proprietary battery packs that need recharging can leave you stuck when they're out of charge halfway through the climb/hike/trip.

You might also wanna ping Dangergirl, as I think she has the GoPro Hero HD and could prolly give you an unbiased user review on that model.

 

[TrishandAlex]

Thanks, folks. We have a Flip and I've been experimenting with it today. Will take it with us on our next hike. If that doesn't do what I need it to do, then I'll look into the Lumix.

Much obliged.

 

[David Metsky]

Linux is the product line, there are lots of models that carry the name. For occasional video I agree that a still camera is the way to go. If video is the prime goal then a dedicated video camera is the way to go for ergonomics and features.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Panasonic Lumix FZ40. The FZ100 is slightly larger and takes 1080HD.

Peakbagr was fairly specific

 

[Billy]

Linux is the product line, there are lots of models that carry the name...

Linux camcorders??? Man, that little penguin does everything.

Hey Trish, if you get an HD camcorder, pay attention to the file format. For example, Canon HD camcorders create .MTS files. Not necessarily like MPEG or AVI files that you can just dump to your PC and watch as is. Might need a .MTS converter. It takes a little figuring out. I just got a Canon HF21. The vivid color and sharpness of the video are outstanding. The features on the unit (and there are lots of features) are great.

HF21 vs. your requirements:

be lightweight....yes
work in winter conditions....as well or poorly as a camera would; depends on the winter conditions
be reasonably tough....nope...fail
not incredibly expensive....no idea what your $ threshold is; BH Photo often runs instant rebates on some models
have at least 2-3 hours of battery power....nope....good luck finding that in a camcorder. Mine gives about 1.5 hours max. LCD screen is a power hog; always close as quickly as possible.

Good luck.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Another vote for the Panasonic Lumix series. I have the DMC-ZS5, which is a step or two below the FZ40.

My DMC-ZS5 takes superb pictures. Had been a Canon fan for many years, but Canon's quality isn't nearly as good as a Lumix, IMO.

 

[TrishandAlex]

All this is incredibly helpful, thanks!

 

[Peakbagr]

3 of my friends extensively use one of the FZ Lumix models and love them.
That inspired our buying 2 of the slightly later models and our reactions are the same.
The range of the optical zoom is incredible, from a wide angle to something like a 1200mm lens equivalent with Zeiss glassware and HD video to boot. Lot of value in a small, light package.
I know you were just inquiring about the video, but the camera is worth it all on its own.
We thought our daughter and her husband might like a separate camera and video recorder with the birth of her child. After they've seen the videos, neither feel the difference in features, quality and expense is worth it getting a separate video camera.
I don't get paid by Panasonic, but we're now huge fans of the Lumix.

 

[David Metsky]

Linux camcorders??? Man, that little penguin does everything.

I think that was the spell correct on my phone.

Camcorders excel in the ergonomics that allows you to film for extended periods of time and keep the camera steady and focused. They tend to keep focus while zooming better than the still cameras that allow you to use optical zoom while shooting video. But carrying two cameras is a pretty heavy cost, no pun intended.

The Panny's are very good, but the latest Canons are IMO pretty much their equal. And Casio is catching up as well. I'd start with figuring out what size camera you'd be comfortable carrying and work from there.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

The Panny's are very good, but the latest Canons are IMO pretty much their equal. And Casio is catching up as well. I'd start with figuring out what size camera you'd be comfortable carrying and work from there.

An excellent comparison (albeit a year old in a field that evolves fast) is Compact Camera Group Test: SLR-like 'super zoom' cameras, or you can "cheat" and go straight to the Conclusions .

 

[Remix]

I think you should consider getting something that can accept a shotgun microphone..either on a shoe or with an audio input jack. Several of the high end camcorders have optional shot gun mics that work very well. The alternatives are separate mics costing 200+ ea.

Sound is a very important component of nature videography.

Here are some other things I have learned over the past year.

I have had very bad luck with accessories that had 'Vivitar' printed on them.

If you buy cheap batteries, make sure they are labeled "fully decoded" so your camcorder will tell you how much time is left on the battery, and not suddenly shut down.

You won't be able to use full zoom without a tripod; Gorilla tripods are good but usually not good enough at full zoom. If you invest in a tripod, get a fluid head for smooth panning (>$200)

I don't think there is a "rugged" handheld camcorder on the market. Pelican boxes and umbrellas help.

For shots involving motion, the first thing you will want to do is disable any optical image stabilization feature.

 

[TrishandAlex]

All of this is fantastic, folks. Many thanks!!

Just got back from a hike where my digital camera broke after the first mile...I used Sages' Flip camera to record the rest of the trip. Will see how that turns out when I go over the footage this evening or tomorrow. Have a feeling I'm going to need something of a higher quality.

This week, I'll head to a few stores and take a look at everything you folks mentioned.

I appreciate all the advice and comments, much obliged.

Remix -- the girls and I love your avatar!

 

[TrishandAlex]

I used Sage's Flip on our two-day hike last weekend. I was surprised at the quality of that little thing. Still not sure it'll do for what I need, but it's not a bad piece of equipment at all and it couldn't be easier to use. It's all automatic, you just push the button and go.

I'll post a video TR in an hour or so -- I took a bunch of 5-10 second clips and put them all together into a fast pasted 9 minute movie.

I'm heading to the store tomorrow to check out all the other possibilities. I am certain the cameras you all mentioned are of a much higher quality than the Flip -- however, FWIW, if anyone's looking for something that's decent, small, cheap, and incredibly easy to use, I'd say go with the Flip.


ETA: When I view the Flip video using Youtube, the quality seems to diminish. not sure what's up with that.

Looking forward to checking out the other suggestions tomorrow.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

...The range of the optical zoom is incredible, from a wide angle to something like a 1200mm lens equivalent with Zeiss glassware and HD video to boot.

Recently I was on a hiking trip, and became separated from the main group. As I sat on the ground waiting for them to catch up from about 1/2 mile away, I zoomed in on them (not maximum zoom, either) and took several pictures. No tripod, just steadying my hand on my knee. When I looked at the pictures later, I was astonished at their clarity, and that I could easily identify each from that distance.

In this case, I'm sure image stabilization played a large role. And of course, the Zeiss lense was no small factor, either.

 

[nartreb]

YouTube recompresses whatever you upload.

Read this:
http://www.lafcpug.org/Tutorials/basic_you_tube.html

Youtube has relaxed its length and filesize limits since that article was written in 2007 (I believe it's now 15 min or 2 GB, with resolution and framerate limited to 1080p and 30fps), but the basic strategy (anticipate the final screen size, send the max quality you can) is sound.

 

[TrishandAlex]

YouTube recompresses whatever you upload.

Read this:
http://www.lafcpug.org/Tutorials/basic_you_tube.html

Youtube has relaxed its length and filesize limits since that article was written in 2007 (I believe it's now 15 min or 2 GB, with resolution and framerate limited to 1080p and 30fps), but the basic strategy (anticipate the final screen size, send the max quality you can) is sound.

Good to know, thanks.