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Small HD Camcorders

post #1 of 16
1/21/09 at 4:59pm
Thread Starter 
I've been contemplating buying a small, memory-stick based (or internal HD) camcorder. Something very small...

I was thinking a Flip Mino HD

http://www.amazon.com/Flip-Video-Min...2567902&sr=8-1

or a Sony "Webbie"

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MHSCM1-D-...2567920&sr=1-3

thoughts on either of these? Leaning more towards the webbie, just wish they had better colours for them.
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post #2 of 16
1/21/09 at 5:09pm
Thread Starter 
also, if anyone has these...are they collecting dust or are they actually useful?
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post #3 of 16
1/21/09 at 5:32pm
I have tried neither of those, but the Sanyo Xacti 1010 is an interesting camera. The pistol grip makes for pretty decent handling for something a few inches high and half a pound. The video is good on the p60 modes (jittery on the lower frame rates), but there is no way to really deal with the 1080p output other than play it back from the camera. The lower cost 720p60 Sanyo is probably money better spent.
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post #4 of 16
1/21/09 at 5:43pm
http://www.woot.com/ has one on sale for $130 today - might be worth picking up as an "experiment" purchase since it's so cheap. Polaroid DVC-00725F High Definition 720p Digital Camcorder (5MP still)
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post #5 of 16
1/21/09 at 6:37pm
I got some cheap cameras for filming on the outside of a car during races. I haven't had a chance to use them for there intended purpose yet so I can't say if it will work out of not. Not very good audio quality and only acceptable video. I got 3 for now and if they work I will get more. I really want these things to work out, then I can have cameras from several cars at once. Bought aiptek 1080p cameras. Around $100 on ebay.
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post #6 of 16
1/21/09 at 7:16pm
Flip Mino HD. I just bought one for my wife, she loves it and uses it much to my disdain.
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post #7 of 16
1/21/09 at 7:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by princemarko View Post
Flip Mino HD. I just bought one for my wife, she loves it and uses it much to my disdain.

Yeah, I like the size of the flip but I'm thinking the Sony is probably better for footage I would actually want to keep though and edit later.

Do you edit movies together and stuff though or just little 20 second clips for youtube?
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post #8 of 16
1/21/09 at 7:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xericx View Post
Yeah, I like the size of the flip but I'm thinking the Sony is probably better for footage I would actually want to keep though and edit later.

Do you edit movies together and stuff though or just little 20 second clips for youtube?

My wife takes small movies and I edit them together in my Macbook.
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post #9 of 16
1/21/09 at 8:43pm
I like the Sanyo HD10XX series.

The only thing I don't like is the crappy electronic image stabilization. The file format and quality make it up for me though. It shoots directly into H.264 MP4 files which you can upload directly into Youtube / Vimeo without any processing on the computer.

That's much better than say the Sony TG1 (which I also had breifly) where you first have to convert on the computer. Also the Sony records to more expensive Memory Sticks instead of SD cards.

They actually just announced the HD2000 which does 1080p / 60fps, plus a couple other things.

Here are a couple clips. The first one is mine.

http://www.vimeo.com/2155025

http://www.vimeo.com/1029690
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post #10 of 16
1/21/09 at 8:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz View Post
The video is good on the p60 modes (jittery on the lower frame rates), but there is no way to really deal with the 1080p output other than play it back from the camera. The lower cost 720p60 Sanyo is probably money better spent.

The 720p60 video is great, action is very smooth. We play ours on our computer just fine and our PS3 plays then directly from the memory card. We actually upgraded the drive in the PS3 and copy all our movies to it now. SD cards are cheap enough that I never delete anything and just buy more 16gb cards (~$35 or less from Amazon). It seams like I fill up about 1 every 6 months or so.
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post #11 of 16
1/21/09 at 9:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tummy View Post
The 720p60 video is great, action is very smooth. We play ours on our computer just fine and our PS3 plays then directly from the memory card. We actually upgraded the drive in the PS3 and copy all our movies to it now. SD cards are cheap enough that I never delete anything and just buy more 16gb cards (~$35 or less from Amazon). It seams like I fill up about 1 every 6 months or so.

Editing is quite slow compared to DV or even HDV. Apple's video applications actually convert the clip to a more easily edited format called Apple Intermediate Codec. This makes editing tolerable, but you have to wait for the conversion. Editing directly in H.264 or HDV on Windows was one of the most excruciating experiences I have had. The truth is that manufacturers of these cameras don't expect the content to be shown more than once let alone be edited.

Also, it is a little silly to shoot something at 1080 only to have it obliterated by the YouTue compression process.
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post #12 of 16
1/21/09 at 10:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz View Post
Editing is quite slow compared to DV or even HDV. Apple's video applications actually convert the clip to a more easily edited format called Apple Intermediate Codec. This makes editing tolerable, but you have to wait for the conversion. Editing directly in H.264 or HDV on Windows was one of the most excruciating experiences I have had. The truth is that manufacturers of these cameras don't expect the content to be shown more than once let alone be edited.

Also, it is a little silly to shoot something at 1080 only to have it obliterated by the YouTue compression process.

Youtube has HD now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfK8V...eature=related
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post #13 of 16
1/21/09 at 10:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xericx View Post
Youtube has HD now.

The pixel count is HD, but it is crushed into a stream with less bandwidth than needed. There really is no good reason for YouTube to do HD anyway as it just pisses more money down the bottomless hole.
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post #14 of 16
1/21/09 at 10:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz View Post
Editing is quite slow compared to DV or even HDV. Apple's video applications actually convert the clip to a more easily edited format called Apple Intermediate Codec. This makes editing tolerable, but you have to wait for the conversion. Editing directly in H.264 or HDV on Windows was one of the most excruciating experiences I have had. The truth is that manufacturers of these cameras don't expect the content to be shown more than once let alone be edited. Also, it is a little silly to shoot something at 1080 only to have it obliterated by the YouTue compression process.
I uploaded this in HD last week. It was kinda compressed already but I can't say the youtube site does HD justice. I edit on a HP workstation and HDV and even H.264 or not a problem. I do have to buy the Apple codecs now and again where apple users get them free. That can be annoying. I have worked with uncompressed HD and had to upgrade my system to a decklink extreme and sata raid to get proper playback.
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post #15 of 16
1/21/09 at 10:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz View Post
Editing is quite slow compared to DV or even HDV. Apple's video applications actually convert the clip to a more easily edited format called Apple Intermediate Codec...

I actually never edit my videos, just join or split them using quicktime pro which takes only a couple seconds. Copy, paste, save (or export) Then put them on our PS3 or share on YT. Our relatives don't have HDTV so youtube for them is better than nothing. I hope the Quicktime update this evening and the new version of iMovie will fix the conversion process.
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