|
MiniDV tapes can be swapped out for longer recording. I had to return 2 of them before getting a ZR930 that worked--one had a blown mic port and another had a blown Firewire port. Small enough so that it fits right in a large jacket pocket. Very good audio with the built in mic. Third time was the charm and the ZR930 is a great entry level camera that can be had for less than $300--and it includes a mic port, which is a must.I upgraded to this camera (Canon VIXIA HV30) after alot of research and I am glad I went with the one I did. I bought it for web and other marketing video. I find it to be light and comfortable to use. No problems at all with this camera--it has worked perfectly right out of the box and looks and feel more solid in your hands.
Hard drive or flash cameras have a pretty fixed recording time. I previously owned a Canon ZR930. MUCH better lower light performance than my ZR930. Normal room lighting is good enough to get decent video. My rough estimate is better than broadcast tv and pretty close to cable HD channels and DVD quality.
You are really holding a serious machine.REALLY great picture quality. Very happy with this camera. Nothing bad to say. A camera that is great to turn on and shoot, with alot of options to play with down the road. I use Sony Vegas Studio Platinum 9 to edit video and together, this is a pretty unbeatable combination. Better lighting results is crisp video with great color.Lots of picture setting that I have not even begun to investigate yet. It is a great budget, entry level camera, but the resolution is not stellar and the lower light performance is not great, either.
Includes a microphone input to add an external mic. Th build wuality on this camera is SUBSTANTIALLY better than the lower end cameras like the aforementioned ZR930. I decided on tape because of the flexibility and proven technology and ease of transferring to computer. Imports video directly into my computer, and the quality is breathtaking.
I also must say the the image stabilization is the best I've ever seen as well. I've been buying camcorders since they've existed and every time I've brought a new camcorder home I've had the same experience, that is, the picture I saw on my TV never matched my expectations, it never even came close. Until now.
The can be addressed with an optional long life battery. But that is really being nitpicky, this camera is fantastic.You can read all about the bells and whistles elsewhere, but if VIDEO QUALITY is THE most important thing to you then this camcorder should be your only choice. I guess if I had to pick something it would be battery life of under an hour. Very impressive.I can't really think of anything negative to say about the HV30.
The first time I saw some video I took of beautiful Snoqualmie Falls I kept saying "wow" over and over. Pans can be made easily to look Steadicam solid. I always hoped to see the quality of video I saw on the TV and news shows I watched and was always disappointed when the camcorder video quality always fell well short of that expectation. Rock solid video even at long distance, 10x zoom.
OK, this camera is obviously not of the same caliber of those used for network HD televison, but dang, it comes as close as any "prosumer" camcorder I've ever seem. The Canon HV30's 1080i HD video quality on my 46" LCD screen is stunning, better than I could have ever hoped. The video quality was far above any non-HD broadcast video and, to my eye, on par (or close to) with the video I see on many HD broadcast channels.
Many many uses for it and it works wonders with this camera. However, CS4 does support it)-Suprisingly small size for a camera this good-Manual focus dial-Manual shutter and aperture priority settings-Great low-light performance-Three shooting modes (24p, 30p, 60i)-Both a viewfinder and an LCD screen-Accessory shoe-Lots of ports (mic, headphones, AV, mini HDMI/firewire, USB, I may be forgetting a couple)-Good image stabilizationCons:-Manual focus dial could be bigger-Side strap isn't the softest-Viewfinder doesn't telescope or tilt-Cannot adjust both shutter speed and aperture manually, only one or the other (e.g. Great camera, especially for $[.].Note: I also recommend getting a Raynox 6600Pro lens for this. Overall this camera is GREAT.
This year's version of last year's camcorder of the year ([.].) with a black paint job and the addition of 30p mode. Also, if you want to see what this camera can do, just search HV30 in vimeo or youtube and you will find many videos showing off the quality this camera is capable of. I have the 52mm version with a 43mm-52mm adapter (read the recommendations on [.].). Great camera.Pros:-Amazing quality HD video-Uses more common video format than the AVCHD of it's hard drive and flash memory siblings with less compression artifacting and more compatibility with current video editing software (AVCHD editing is very CPU intensive and resource hungry.
I absolutely love the amazing quality of the pictures; the high resolution and the wonderfully saturated colors. Enjoy. IMPORTANT: Premiere Pro CS3 and earlier DO NOT support this format without buying an expensive codec. you can manually set shutter speed but then the camera automatically adjusts aperture, or vice versa)-Front LED light is either too bright up close, or not bright enough from far away, would prefer IR night vision as an option-Menus take a little getting used to, not the most convenient layoutThere are more pros and cons here, but these are the ones that are important to me.
This is my fourth camcorder, and this Canon is the least handy to use. The shape of the camcorder doesn't facilitate one hand use. The video quality is very good. The camcorder doesn't come with a shoulder strap. The viewfinder doesn't slide out, which makes it very difficult to use.
Come on people, how hard is it to check and see if the shoe works before sending it out of the factory. And they said, that's your problem. A HV30 camcorder.
Sure, send it in and someday you might get it back. Time to start looking elsewhere, people. But I bought it to use now, on the campaign trail, I told them.
They sold me a defective product. I of course contacted customer service and they told me to bit it. Stewart Nusbaumer
The shoe does not work. And the desk top recharger worked for a few days and then died.
|
