I'm looking into buying a 1 CCD camera in the $500 USD range. I was actually looking at this Samsung camera. I haven't heard much about their camcorders. I guess it's mainly because they don't make higher end cameras. However, everything I have heard about it has been positive.

http://www.samsung.com/Products/Camcorder/Mini_DV/Camcorder_Mini_DV_SCD87.htm

I really like the features, esp the smart shoe and manual settings.

In my opinion, you should get the biggest digital camcorder you can find.
The bigger, the better. I'm talking sheer size and weight. If you can't find a very big one, get yourself a shoulder-mount. Hell, get yourself a shoulder mount anyway. The most it'll cost you is like 30 bucks for a really nice one. Make sure it has an external mic jack. After that, just get the one with the most extras.

The camera's not nearly as important as the guy behind it. If I were you I'd look at some of Sony's cheaper cams. I had a Sony for a long time and my friend shoots with one, and for the money I haven't seen anything that matches up. Just make sure you get that external mic jack.

I'd also go used, if I were you. See if I can't find one on Ebay for less than 3 or 400 bucks. Spend the extra cash on a nice mic and an XLR-to-Minijack adapter. With Sony's you usually need the ones that cancel out stray voltage, so the adapter will be like 40 bucks. A good mic will run you 100 bucks minimum, used. So don't get stuck on the camera like I did. I ended up with a nice camera and no accessories until I could save up the money months later to get'em. I'd rather have a mediocre cam and mic today than an excellent cam today and a decent mic tomorrow. But anyway, don't get bogged down with equipment. The most important thing is that you start filming!

In my opinion you should save up a little bit more..because if you continue to film and get to the point you want to make a very well done productions, you'll probably need something better. Always save up a little extra and go for a bit better of a camera, becasue technology is chaning so fast and in no time your camera will be crap compared to whats out there for the same price. So just think about it and I really dislike Samsung. Good camera companies are Canon, Sony and JVC. All really good video camera companies that no what they are doing

Good luck with your camera shopping!

I'm well aware that a better camera means better production, but I'm upgrading from an 8mm Sony I've been using. If I'm going to go even higher, I don't see any reason why to just not go to a 3CCD camera which is something way out of range for me. An XL1 or DVX1000 sound nice, but they are for super director people, and I'm just a regular director person.

You're making an incorrect assertion, friend. A camera does not a super director make, and a super director does not a super camera need. Just get whatever you can afford. And think in terms of a kit, not just a camera. You need more than a camera to make a movie ... You need lights and mics and tripods and all sorts of other things. So don't worry about getting the best camera on the block. I've seen some great movies filmed with consumer camcorders at film festivals. If you produce something good enough, you can send it to film festivals and win prizes, and apply for grants with a great film on your reel and you'll get it. Then you can buy all the nifty gear you want. For now, focus on technique, grasshopper.

In beginning photography classes, oftentimes a professor will have the students make a camera out of a shoebox or a coffee can. You know, the kind with a little hole in the front and you control exposure by controlling how long the hole stays uncovered. That way the students learn technique without being able to compensate or get bogged down with expensive gear. I think you should sort of do the same thing. A nice simple camera that lets you focus on the story. When it gets right down to it, on a computer monitor most people can't tell the difference between an XL1 and a Handicam. Since most of your releases will probably be on the internet through sites like this and ifilm and online film festivals, that means it doesn't really matter what you use. If saving up for a GL1 or XL1 or DVX-100 or whatever means you have to wait 6 months to start filming, do you really think it's worth it? I don't. You'll NEVER get that 6 months back. Time is invaluable. Experience is invaluable. Cameras do nothing but get old and less valuable with time. The Sony Handicam you buy today for three hundred dollars is better than anything they had ten years ago, and there were kids making great films with DV ten years ago. They would KILL for your little 300 dollar camera.

All of the above is just opinion, just something to consider.

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A camera does not a super director make, and a super director does not a super camera need.

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Yeah, listen to Yoda. Use the money you got now and buy what you can. The Canon ZR series cameras are cheap and have good enough quality. With excellent lighting and audio, many people won't be able to tell the difference between your cheaper camera and a more expensive one, anyway.

--Alan

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http://www.alandenton.com
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Don't worry about the nifty little candy extras...as in different types of transitions and sh**...you can do it all on a video editor...my camera has a bunch of nifty crap on it...but I never use it because it doesn't look as good as it would if put on in the editor. The camera you linked too would be a good choice...I have a very similar one...especially since your moving up from that older one you have.

TacoWagonProductions

NiGhT oF tHe ChAiNsAw BrAnDisHiNg NeCrOpHiLiAcS

I've heard the ZR series has poor indoor quality from various reviews and such. All I want to know is what the best camera in this price range would be. I'm well aware a camera doesn't make a movie, but it sure as hell helps. Also by super director, I mean someone who is really serious (or really wealthy).

Also, I actually think the stars that censor swear words make some sentences more offensive than it really is. It's sort of like something being more horrifying when you don't show what's happening.

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Also, I actually think the stars that censor swear words make some sentences more offensive than it really is. It's sort of like something being more horrifying when you don't show what's happening.

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are you f****** serious??? Holy sh**!!! that's funny as a bi***!!!! Sh**....


TacoWagonProductions

I'm gonna be a pilot when I grow up!

I can tell you now that if you plan on breaching the line between picking up a camera and blatently shooting, you dont want the samsung. It only has manual controlls for focus. Id highly suggest anything from panasonic. Just be sure to feed it alot of light, because the lens is quite small. I would really look into the dv202 model. All pana models have full manual white bal, focus, iris, and shutter. These will definatly come in handy when you learn to use them, and are indespensible for making an overall slick video. I dont want to get into all of it but you just have to trust me.

Surprisingly, cannon has the worst consumer models. I use the pv-dv402, which is just an upgraded dv52, at $100 more all I get is a bigger lcd screen, and svideo output. The quality is great. Do comparison shopping. The nessesities are video output, high pixel count, manual settings, and somewhat large glass(over 35mm).

What I do is get a minidv tape and put it into different cameras in the store, later comparing it on my current camcorder.

I can tell you now that if you plan on breaching the line between picking up a camera and blatently shooting, you dont want the samsung. It only has manual controlls for focus. Id highly suggest anything from panasonic. Just be sure to feed it alot of light, because the lens is quite small. I would really look into the dv202 model. All pana models have full manual white bal, focus, iris, and shutter. These will definatly come in handy when you learn to use them, and are indespensible for making an overall slick video. I dont want to get into all of it but you just have to trust me.

Surprisingly, cannon has the worst consumer models. I use the pv-dv402, which is just an upgraded dv52, at $100 more all I get is a bigger lcd screen, and svideo output. The quality is great. Do comparison shopping. The nessesities are video output, high pixel count, manual settings, and somewhat large glass(over 35mm).

What I do is get a minidv tape and put it into different cameras in the store, later comparing it on my current camcorder.

Cool beans, I'll take a look at the panasonic models. I like manual features a lot, but I didn't know that consumer models had all that.

The model you have looks promising except it doesn't seem to have a manual white balance. I found out that most lower end Canons use 1/6" CCDs which is why I guess they are known to have less picture quality. The panasonics have 1/4" which is nice.

Trucci, first off my exact model and all panasonics have manual white ballance, allong with everthing else but manual audio controll.

I suggest you and anyone else about to buy a camera to get their hands on the december 2002 issue of videomaker magazine. It compares ALL of the new cameras out now save for the 3ccd pv-dv953(buy the way a very kickass camera for $1300) and I think JVCs new bottomline 1/2"ccd cam the JVC5000u. I think some other cameras have come out but none worth mentioning.

The panasonic models dont have 1/4" ccds, they have 1/6" chips, as do most cameras under $1000. While ccd size does help depth of feild and low-light, the chip sizes dont affect picture quality much in ideal conditions. The most important thing to look for is the amount of pixels, and actually testing the camera yourself to see which one actually performs best. Thats what going to best buy is for.

If that's so, the Panny 402 sounds great. I got my info from this site which says it has a 1/4" ccd and no manual white balance:

http://www.dvspot.com/reviews/cameraDetail.php?cam=81