sony vs canyon

rec.video

9 Sep 2005 5:28 PM

arrayprofile

Hi, I am about to choose a digtal camcordder between Sony DCR-HC42 vs.
Canon Optura 400. Some of the reviews I read said that sony has a poor
low light performance and canon's one does much better
(camcorderinfo.com), but others said sony usually does better in low
light performance (pcworld.com, interestingly at the same time, some
user's reviews there mentioned poor in low light performance). I also
heard that canon's one had eats tape problem (circuitcity.com). Can
anyone share your opinion? I mainly use camcorder for my baby, so many
indoor activity (both day and night)

15 Oct 2005 5:15 PM

Howard Ring

I am not much help in choosing between Sony and Canon, I think they both
make good products. I saw that you want to use the camera to preserve
family memories, and that you are concerned about a possible tape eating
problem.

I think all MiniDV cameras eat tapes now and then. The format just isn't
that
durable. I rarely use my footage for normal playback. Generally, I read it
into the
computer, edit it, and write it to DVD for distribution to family and
friends. The
original is preserved on tape, but rarely used again. If something happens
to the
edited version, I can always start again with the raw footage.

Howard

<arrayprof***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
Show quoteHide quote

news:1126286922.619031.88970@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, I am about to choose a digtal camcordder between Sony DCR-HC42 vs.
> Canon Optura 400. Some of the reviews I read said that sony has a poor
> low light performance and canon's one does much better
> (camcorderinfo.com), but others said sony usually does better in low
> light performance (pcworld.com, interestingly at the same time, some
> user's reviews there mentioned poor in low light performance). I also
> heard that canon's one had eats tape problem (circuitcity.com). Can
> anyone share your opinion? I mainly use camcorder for my baby, so many
> indoor activity (both day and night)
>

15 Oct 2005 6:24 PM

PTravel

"Howard Ring" <newsring@nospam.wideopenwest.com> wrote in message
news:tZGdnTh-DLu7pMzeRVn-rA@wideopenwest.com...
> I am not much help in choosing between Sony and Canon, I think they both
> make good products. I saw that you want to use the camera to preserve
> family memories, and that you are concerned about a possible tape eating
> problem.
>
> I think all MiniDV cameras eat tapes now and then.

I've never had a miniDV camera eat a tape.

> The format just isn't
> that
> durable.

It's extremely durable IF you use a quality tape, camcorder with a solid
transport, maintain your camcorder, properly store your tape, and don't
reuse tapes multiple times.

> I rarely use my footage for normal playback. Generally, I read it
> into the
> computer, edit it, and write it to DVD for distribution to family and
> friends.

I agree, that's the best way to do it. I run tapes through my camera
exactly once -- when I shoot the video. I run the tapes through a second
camera, again exactly once, when I transfer the video to my computer. Then
I store the tape in a cool, dry place. I make a copy of the edited video to
tape (in miniDV DV-25 format) and, of course, can make multiple DVDs when I
want.

Show quoteHide quote

>The
> original is preserved on tape, but rarely used again. If something happens
> to the
> edited version, I can always start again with the raw footage.
>
> Howard
>
> <arrayprof***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1126286922.619031.88970@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> > Hi, I am about to choose a digtal camcordder between Sony DCR-HC42 vs.
> > Canon Optura 400. Some of the reviews I read said that sony has a poor
> > low light performance and canon's one does much better
> > (camcorderinfo.com), but others said sony usually does better in low
> > light performance (pcworld.com, interestingly at the same time, some
> > user's reviews there mentioned poor in low light performance). I also
> > heard that canon's one had eats tape problem (circuitcity.com). Can
> > anyone share your opinion? I mainly use camcorder for my baby, so many
> > indoor activity (both day and night)
> >
>
>

15 Oct 2005 6:57 PM

Howard Ring

I think our definition of durable is different. Yes, if you take care, you
probably won't have any problems. But the MiniDV tape clearly won't
take the abuse that a VHS cassette would. If you try to use them for
multiple viewings, especially if you back up to review a section several
times, you are likely to have problems. Don't plan to use MiniDV as the
viewing format. Dump it to some other format, such as DVD, for typical
viewing.

Howard

Show quoteHide quote

"PTravel" <ptra***@travelersvideo.com> wrote in message
news:wPb4f.3977$Zv5.2104@newssvr25.news.prodigy.net...
>
> "Howard Ring" <newsring@nospam.wideopenwest.com> wrote in message
> news:tZGdnTh-DLu7pMzeRVn-rA@wideopenwest.com...
>> I am not much help in choosing between Sony and Canon, I think they both
>> make good products. I saw that you want to use the camera to preserve
>> family memories, and that you are concerned about a possible tape eating
>> problem.
>>
>> I think all MiniDV cameras eat tapes now and then.
>
> I've never had a miniDV camera eat a tape.
>
>> The format just isn't
>> that
>> durable.
>
> It's extremely durable IF you use a quality tape, camcorder with a solid
> transport, maintain your camcorder, properly store your tape, and don't
> reuse tapes multiple times.
>
>> I rarely use my footage for normal playback. Generally, I read it
>> into the
>> computer, edit it, and write it to DVD for distribution to family and
>> friends.
>
> I agree, that's the best way to do it. I run tapes through my camera
> exactly once -- when I shoot the video. I run the tapes through a second
> camera, again exactly once, when I transfer the video to my computer.
> Then
> I store the tape in a cool, dry place. I make a copy of the edited video
> to
> tape (in miniDV DV-25 format) and, of course, can make multiple DVDs when
> I
> want.
>
>>The
>> original is preserved on tape, but rarely used again. If something
>> happens
>> to the
>> edited version, I can always start again with the raw footage.
>>
>> Howard
>>
>> <arrayprof***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1126286922.619031.88970@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> > Hi, I am about to choose a digtal camcordder between Sony DCR-HC42 vs.
>> > Canon Optura 400. Some of the reviews I read said that sony has a poor
>> > low light performance and canon's one does much better
>> > (camcorderinfo.com), but others said sony usually does better in low
>> > light performance (pcworld.com, interestingly at the same time, some
>> > user's reviews there mentioned poor in low light performance). I also
>> > heard that canon's one had eats tape problem (circuitcity.com). Can
>> > anyone share your opinion? I mainly use camcorder for my baby, so many
>> > indoor activity (both day and night)
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

15 Oct 2005 9:28 PM

PTravel

"Howard Ring" <newsring@nospam.wideopenwest.com> wrote in message
news:apWdnd6z0KBtzczenZ2dnUVZ_tOdnZ2d@wideopenwest.com...
> I think our definition of durable is different. Yes, if you take care, you
> probably won't have any problems. But the MiniDV tape clearly won't
> take the abuse that a VHS cassette would. If you try to use them for
> multiple viewings, especially if you back up to review a section several
> times, you are likely to have problems. Don't plan to use MiniDV as the
> viewing format. Dump it to some other format, such as DVD, for typical
> viewing.

I agree that miniDV isn't a viewing format, but VHS is. I don't think it's
really fair to compare the two. I simply don't want people thinking that
miniDV is so fragile and unreliable that they go with one of the crappy new
DVD or hard disk camcorders. MiniDV is a perfectly reliable medium,
provided it's used properly and as intended.

Show quoteHide quote

>
> Howard
>
>
> "PTravel" <ptra***@travelersvideo.com> wrote in message
> news:wPb4f.3977$Zv5.2104@newssvr25.news.prodigy.net...
> >
> > "Howard Ring" <newsring@nospam.wideopenwest.com> wrote in message
> > news:tZGdnTh-DLu7pMzeRVn-rA@wideopenwest.com...
> >> I am not much help in choosing between Sony and Canon, I think they
both
> >> make good products. I saw that you want to use the camera to preserve
> >> family memories, and that you are concerned about a possible tape
eating
> >> problem.
> >>
> >> I think all MiniDV cameras eat tapes now and then.
> >
> > I've never had a miniDV camera eat a tape.
> >
> >> The format just isn't
> >> that
> >> durable.
> >
> > It's extremely durable IF you use a quality tape, camcorder with a solid
> > transport, maintain your camcorder, properly store your tape, and don't
> > reuse tapes multiple times.
> >
> >> I rarely use my footage for normal playback. Generally, I read it
> >> into the
> >> computer, edit it, and write it to DVD for distribution to family and
> >> friends.
> >
> > I agree, that's the best way to do it. I run tapes through my camera
> > exactly once -- when I shoot the video. I run the tapes through a
second
> > camera, again exactly once, when I transfer the video to my computer.
> > Then
> > I store the tape in a cool, dry place. I make a copy of the edited
video
> > to
> > tape (in miniDV DV-25 format) and, of course, can make multiple DVDs
when
> > I
> > want.
> >
> >>The
> >> original is preserved on tape, but rarely used again. If something
> >> happens
> >> to the
> >> edited version, I can always start again with the raw footage.
> >>
> >> Howard
> >>
> >> <arrayprof***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> >> news:1126286922.619031.88970@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> >> > Hi, I am about to choose a digtal camcordder between Sony DCR-HC42
vs.
> >> > Canon Optura 400. Some of the reviews I read said that sony has a
poor
> >> > low light performance and canon's one does much better
> >> > (camcorderinfo.com), but others said sony usually does better in low
> >> > light performance (pcworld.com, interestingly at the same time, some
> >> > user's reviews there mentioned poor in low light performance). I also
> >> > heard that canon's one had eats tape problem (circuitcity.com). Can
> >> > anyone share your opinion? I mainly use camcorder for my baby, so
many
> >> > indoor activity (both day and night)
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>