How We Do Video
November 26 | Posted by Vinny | Technology Tags: camera, canon, flip, flipvideo, mino, powershot, sony, Technology, video
My house is filled with videos of the family. I have 8mm video tapes I took on my first video camera. Well, it’s not actually my first camera. The first one my wife and I bought from Tops Appliance City. It was not really very good, and it had clearly been opened before. When we decided to go with a different camera (from Jersey Camera) we took that first one back to Tops. They wanted to charge us a restocking fee of 15%. Luckily, my wife was pregnant at the time (we wanted a camera ready for when Skippy was born) so with a little rubbing of the stomach and a lot of looking sad, we got it waived.
And so we have the early years of Skippy’s life (and our Italy trip) preserved on 8mm video tapes taken on that first/second camera. When that camera’s batteries crapped out and could not be replaced, we bought a 8mm Sony Handicam, in the interest of keeping the same format. Well, saying that 8mm camera’s have the same format is like saying that all you need is one lid for all your pots. Just because they are the same shape doesn’t mean all the pots and lids work together. Luckily, I kept the old camera, which works fine with the adaptor (or it did 7 years ago the last time I tried it.) We can still ostensibly view those videos.
The Sony is still our family video camera, but we never use it. I have a drawer filled with video tapes from that camera, and the camera sitting in a bag in the corner. We never use it because we really don’t watch videos after we make them. It’s just not convenient to do. We have to set up the camera with all the cables, hook it to the TV, and watch.
It’s also been usurped by our digital still camera. The Canon Powershot A-series camera does video and stills. They are all saved on an SD card, and can be uploaded, edited, and shared on the computer. This is by far the most convenient way to deal with video. I can edit it together with still pictures, titles, music, and even screen captures. Who wouldn’t want to do that? With iDVD, I can even make DVD’s for the grandparents.
The Canon PowerShot is still not the best video camera (the video is a little low resolution) but it may end up being the solution for the time being. I’d love to upgrade, but I’m not ready to spend $300+ on a camera. That and I don’t have $300+ to spend. I looked at the cheaper FlipVideo Mino camera, but the quality doesn’t appear to be THAT much of and upgrade and I don’t want to be a slave to USB. I like being able to bring a pocket full of SD cards and sort it out at home. Plus, I already OWN a pocket full of SD cards.
What solution are you using? It looks like the Canon PowerShot A-series will have to be the one for us, for now. We need to buy another still camera. The budget says we may be getting a second PowerShot. It’s a great multi-purpose platform, if you want good still and decent video in one inexpensive package.
Tags: camera, canon, flip, flipvideo, mino, powershot, sony, Technology, video
I was recording video of the kids non-stop for so many years — and edited very little. This year, I mainly take photos.
I suggest saving up for a higher quality camera, specifically an entry-level DSLR like a Nikon D40 or Canon Rebel. The quality of photos is amazing compared to any of the point-and-shoot digital cameras we’ve had. The larger aperture (which lets more light in) makes a big difference, especially in doors (low light situations).
Form factor is larger — won’t slip into your pocket — but I got used to it.
The battery in my Nikon is better than any I’ve ever had. I took hundreds of photos before I needed to recharge it the first time.
There’s a lot of functions to learn on a DSLR, but the entry-level models have auto functions to make it easy for amateurs.
Hope that helps.
-R
I use the Sony Cybershot to shoot short, meaningful videos onto mini SD. It’s so much more convenient than my Sony Handycam, which never gets out of the house anymore.
I’ve been using Pinnacle to pull video from any old source into digital format. If you want to rescue your old video before that camera stops working, I might be able to help.
The Canon G9 has been my go-to camera of choice. All (most) of the features of the Rebel, except for the interchangeable lenses. Amazing control, takes great shots, and pretty good video too. Now that the G10 has been released, the G9s can be had for much cheaper…
Otherwise, I have a good Sony DV camera I don’t use anymore, we can make a deal?
Sadly, my Rebel was stolen a year ago, but I’ve hardly missed it.
B