affordable HD camcorder for home movies - Blu-ray Forum

iownu · 07-18-2008, 10:31 AM

We will be making special home movies

and home videos of trips so we need a good all purpose HD cam.

What is light, affordable, plays nice with Macs and making DVDs and has no tape? Preferably just hard disk based. Oh and what format do you recommend? HDV? AVCHD blah blah blah.

Thanks

p.s. why did this get moved to Blu-Ray Camcorders? HD doesn't necessarily mean BR. Can just be HD video edited on my Mac. And the camcorders certainly don't say Blu-Ray on them. Do they?

Big Daddy · 07-18-2008, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iownu

We will be making special home movies

and home videos of trips so we need a good all purpose HD cam.

What is light, affordable, plays nice with Macs and making DVDs and has no tape? Preferably just hard disk based. Oh and what format do you recommend? HDV? AVCHD blah blah blah.

Thanks

p.s. why did this get moved to Blu-Ray Camcorders? HD doesn't necessarily mean BR. Can just be HD video edited on my Mac. And the camcorders certainly don't say Blu-Ray on them. Do they?

This Sony camcorder is High Definition and records on DVD. Read the user reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-HDR-UX5-D...380899&sr=8-16

More options:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw...+hd+camcorders

Chevypower · 07-18-2008, 07:27 PM

Sony HDR-SR11 or HDR-SR12. AVCHD over HDV anyday... we have a few SR12s and a HDR-CX9 HDV camcorder. The AVCHD is better for picture quality (1080x1920) versus HDV's 1080x1440, PCM audio on AVCHD or 5.1. Better workflow, no dropouts, imports in to iMovie very easily (though iMovie converts 5.1 audio to 2 channel, but does it very well. I have rendered in to Quicktime 1080x1920 file, then imported the file on to a PC laptop and made a Blu Ray with Sony DVD Architect 5, played it on the PS3 to XBR6.... worked great!

iownu · 07-19-2008, 03:00 AM

And Final Cut Express or Pro accept AVCHD too. [have both but haven't used them yet]. Anyone edit AVCHD on those systems?

Chevypower · 07-19-2008, 03:44 AM

I have Final Cut Studio 2, Adobe CS3 Master Collection, Final Cut Express 4 HD and Sony Vegas Pro 8. I have tried pulling in HDV in to FCP, but it needs converting from m2t files to an Apple codec... haven't tried AVCHD on FCP yet. Feel free to private message me, if you want me to have a go at something specific... I am trying to become a pro at all these.... Adobe doesnt like native AVCHD files, but once iMovie has automatically converted them on importing, CS3 will then be able to access those files.... I would lean more towards Final Cut Express over CS3.

neveu · 07-19-2008, 03:57 AM

I have a Sony HDR-SR11. I like the picture quality but little bit heavy and big comparing with other brands. And I don't think you can play movies with avchd format on regular dvd player. So far, avchd movies can be played on bluray players supporting the format, PS3 or PC. Videos work great on my ps3. In addition, isn't hdv better than avchd? Most of professional camcorders are hdv not avchd. Am I wrong?

Chevypower · 07-19-2008, 04:27 AM

There are semi pro HDV camcorders, but HDV was around before AVCHD. HDV is MPEG 2 based, and is only 1080x1440 (non-square pixels), HDV is very susceptible to dropouts, being at standard DV tape speed on standard 6mm mini dv tape. The workflow is a pain, as I have been experiencing on FCP. Our next semi-pro camcorder purchase will be either the Sony PMW-EX1 or the EX3, which are also MPEG 2 based, but 35mbps 1080x1920, and uses solid state recording, so non-linear workflow, which is a lot nicer than working with tapes.
You can only watch your Blu Ray files (MPEG 2 or AVC) that are recorded on standard DVD on Blu Ray players as you said. It will access it like a data disc, and won't play the movie automatically. If you are using a PS3, you load the disc, then go down to BD Disc on the menu, and find the movie file. If you burn it to BD-R, it will play automatically.

cykeen · 10-14-2008, 07:03 AM

I was interested in getting a semi pro camcorder for presentation and web video, and had settled on the Sony HVR-A1U, now looking for Sony HDR-SR11 with a hard drive, I know that the AVCHD is not quite as good as HDV, but this camera has a higher data rate than previous AVCHD camcorders and had pretty good reviews for image quality.

07-18-2008, 10:31 AM	#1
iownu Member Member since:May 2008 Location:Osaka	affordable HD camcorder for home movies We will be making special home movies and home videos of trips so we need a good all purpose HD cam. What is light, affordable, plays nice with Macs and making DVDs and has no tape? Preferably just hard disk based. Oh and what format do you recommend? HDV? AVCHD blah blah blah. Thanks p.s. why did this get moved to Blu-Ray Camcorders? HD doesn't necessarily mean BR. Can just be HD video edited on my Mac. And the camcorders certainly don't say Blu-Ray on them. Do they? Last edited by iownu; 07-18-2008 at 11:21 AM.

07-19-2008, 04:27 AM	#7
Chevypower Special Member Member since:Feb 2008	There are semi pro HDV camcorders, but HDV was around before AVCHD. HDV is MPEG 2 based, and is only 1080x1440 (non-square pixels), HDV is very susceptible to dropouts, being at standard DV tape speed on standard 6mm mini dv tape. The workflow is a pain, as I have been experiencing on FCP. Our next semi-pro camcorder purchase will be either the Sony PMW-EX1 or the EX3, which are also MPEG 2 based, but 35mbps 1080x1920, and uses solid state recording, so non-linear workflow, which is a lot nicer than working with tapes. You can only watch your Blu Ray files (MPEG 2 or AVC) that are recorded on standard DVD on Blu Ray players as you said. It will access it like a data disc, and won't play the movie automatically. If you are using a PS3, you load the disc, then go down to BD Disc on the menu, and find the movie file. If you burn it to BD-R, it will play automatically. Last edited by Chevypower; 07-19-2008 at 04:30 AM.

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07-18-2008, 07:27 PM	#3
Chevypower Special Member Member since:Feb 2008	Sony HDR-SR11 or HDR-SR12. AVCHD over HDV anyday... we have a few SR12s and a HDR-CX9 HDV camcorder. The AVCHD is better for picture quality (1080x1920) versus HDV's 1080x1440, PCM audio on AVCHD or 5.1. Better workflow, no dropouts, imports in to iMovie very easily (though iMovie converts 5.1 audio to 2 channel, but does it very well. I have rendered in to Quicktime 1080x1920 file, then imported the file on to a PC laptop and made a Blu Ray with Sony DVD Architect 5, played it on the PS3 to XBR6.... worked great!

07-19-2008, 03:00 AM	#4
iownu Member Member since:May 2008 Location:Osaka	And Final Cut Express or Pro accept AVCHD too. [have both but haven't used them yet]. Anyone edit AVCHD on those systems?

07-19-2008, 03:44 AM	#5
Chevypower Special Member Member since:Feb 2008	I have Final Cut Studio 2, Adobe CS3 Master Collection, Final Cut Express 4 HD and Sony Vegas Pro 8. I have tried pulling in HDV in to FCP, but it needs converting from m2t files to an Apple codec... haven't tried AVCHD on FCP yet. Feel free to private message me, if you want me to have a go at something specific... I am trying to become a pro at all these.... Adobe doesnt like native AVCHD files, but once iMovie has automatically converted them on importing, CS3 will then be able to access those files.... I would lean more towards Final Cut Express over CS3.

07-19-2008, 03:57 AM	#6
neveu New Member Member since:Mar 2008	I have a Sony HDR-SR11. I like the picture quality but little bit heavy and big comparing with other brands. And I don't think you can play movies with avchd format on regular dvd player. So far, avchd movies can be played on bluray players supporting the format, PS3 or PC. Videos work great on my ps3. In addition, isn't hdv better than avchd? Most of professional camcorders are hdv not avchd. Am I wrong?

10-14-2008, 07:03 AM	#8
cykeen New Member Member since:Oct 2008	I was interested in getting a semi pro camcorder for presentation and web video, and had settled on the Sony HVR-A1U, now looking for Sony HDR-SR11 with a hard drive, I know that the AVCHD is not quite as good as HDV, but this camera has a higher data rate than previous AVCHD camcorders and had pretty good reviews for image quality.

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