budget camcorder with manual focus

11 Nov 2005 3:04 AM

larrysulky

My son is looking for a digital camcorder to use for making student
movies. It doesn't have to be anything real special, but he does need
manual focus and a microphone jack. We're told that miniDV is the best
medium for his purposes -- that direct DVD (is that the right term?)
uses a poor compression algorithm and is unsuited for editing.

Can anyone make recommendations? I did see the Canon Elura 85
yesterday, but the manual focus on it is basically a rocker switch that
is way too sensitive; the throw on it is tiny and it's uncontrollable.

Thanks!

11 Nov 2005 3:24 PM

Dimitrios Tzortzakakis

--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering, freelance electrician
FH von Iraklion-Kreta, freiberuflicher Elektriker
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr
? <larrysu***@gmail.com> ?????? ??? ??????

news:1131678255.820410.36470@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> My son is looking for a digital camcorder to use for making student
> movies. It doesn't have to be anything real special, but he does need
> manual focus and a microphone jack. We're told that miniDV is the best
> medium for his purposes -- that direct DVD (is that the right term?)
> uses a poor compression algorithm and is unsuited for editing.
>
> Can anyone make recommendations? I did see the Canon Elura 85
> yesterday, but the manual focus on it is basically a rocker switch that
> is way too sensitive; the throw on it is tiny and it's uncontrollable.
>
> Thanks!
>
Hi,

there is a wide range of mini dv camcorders to choose.IMHO the cassete is
still the way to go.DVD camcorders and generally everything with a laser
pickup is bad when on the run (possible track skipping) and hard disk
camcorders, too, and the cassete is very easy changed when full with an
empty one.And, of course,it's easier to do editing when the source is a dv
cassete.And yes, DVD camcorders have a lossy compression algorithm.

11 Nov 2005 5:36 PM

larrysulky

Thank you, Dimitrios. I haven't found many models with manual focus,
however. Do you know of any?

12 Nov 2005 2:03 PM

Dimitrios Tzortzakakis

--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering, freelance electrician
FH von Iraklion-Kreta, freiberuflicher Elektriker
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr
? <larrysu***@gmail.com> ?????? ??? ??????

news:1131730613.817250.146380@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Thank you, Dimitrios. I haven't found many models with manual focus,
> however. Do you know of any?
>

What do you mean manual focus?A focusing ring like in old fashioned SLR
cameras or just a manual focus <function>?Because even my cheapo 8mm sony
CCD TR 425E has a manual focus small ring near the lens.I don't know though
about more modern dv camcorders, I know this thingy for more than 2 years.We
were selling sony dv camcorders in the store which I work, but unfortunately
I don't remember if they can focus manually.They should, because even the
best AF cannot focus in certain circumstances...

12 Nov 2005 4:13 PM

Krazy Kanuck

The trouble is, that with all the low-end camcorders, you may find a few
still made with a manual focus ring but they'll have a very poor feel to
them and you'll also have a lot of difficulty discerning focus with their
small screens and small viewfinders....

--
.....Order the "Accordion Evolution" documentary of the Las Vegas
International Accordion Convention from my website:
http://users.accesscomm.ca/limbery/
....Del Sur Al Norte...Regina Sk. Canada Latin and South American Folk dance
band:
http://users.accesscomm.ca/limbery/DelSurAlNorte.html

Show quoteHide quote

"Dimitrios Tzortzakakis" <dimtz***@otenet.gr> wrote in message
news:dl4spg$3j0$1@usenet.otenet.gr...
>
>
> --
> Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
> major in electrical engineering, freelance electrician
> FH von Iraklion-Kreta, freiberuflicher Elektriker
> dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr
> ? <larrysu***@gmail.com> ?????? ??? ??????
> news:1131730613.817250.146380@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>> Thank you, Dimitrios. I haven't found many models with manual focus,
>> however. Do you know of any?
>>
> What do you mean manual focus?A focusing ring like in old fashioned SLR
> cameras or just a manual focus <function>?Because even my cheapo 8mm sony
> CCD TR 425E has a manual focus small ring near the lens.I don't know
> though
> about more modern dv camcorders, I know this thingy for more than 2
> years.We
> were selling sony dv camcorders in the store which I work, but
> unfortunately
> I don't remember if they can focus manually.They should, because even the
> best AF cannot focus in certain circumstances...
>
>