Christmas Camera Dilema

25 Dec 2006 11:14 PM

Errol Groff

I have been thinking about a video camera for quite some time now.
reading, researching and so on. From what I have read on this group
and others I had settled on a mini DV model for ease of editing. Not
that I know anything about editing at this stage!

My wife presented me with a Sony DCR-DVD405 camera for Christmas. It
records to a mini disc rather than miniDv tape. How much does that
affect editing? My needs are fairly simple (I think) with examples
shown on this web site I run for the New England Model Engineering
Society. http://neme-s.org/NEMES_2005/NEMES_2005.htm

As you can see these are short video clips of model engines running at
different shows. Of course I realize that once I start using the
camera I may find more uses than that. Prime example is, since I
teach machine shop at a vo-tech high school, making "how to" videos of
various machining operations.

So, what is the verdict? Should I trade this camera for a mini DV
model or stay with this one?

Your thoughts and suggestions sincerely appreciated!

Errol Groff

Instructor, Manufacturing Technology
H.H. Ellis Technical High School
613 Upper Maple Street
Danielson, CT 06239

New England Model Engineering Society
www.neme-s.org

27 Dec 2006 7:32 PM

Tzortzakakis Dimitrios

Show quote Hide quote

? "Errol Groff" <errol.gr***@snet.net> ?????? ??? ??????
news:q7m0p2phubih2e0n92fgrah1nav13kgme0@4ax.com...
>
> I have been thinking about a video camera for quite some time now.
> reading, researching and so on. From what I have read on this group
> and others I had settled on a mini DV model for ease of editing. Not
> that I know anything about editing at this stage!
>
> My wife presented me with a Sony DCR-DVD405 camera for Christmas. It
> records to a mini disc rather than miniDv tape. How much does that
> affect editing? My needs are fairly simple (I think) with examples
> shown on this web site I run for the New England Model Engineering
> Society. http://neme-s.org/NEMES_2005/NEMES_2005.htm
>
> As you can see these are short video clips of model engines running at
> different shows. Of course I realize that once I start using the
> camera I may find more uses than that. Prime example is, since I
> teach machine shop at a vo-tech high school, making "how to" videos of
> various machining operations.
>
> So, what is the verdict? Should I trade this camera for a mini DV
> model or stay with this one?
>
> Your thoughts and suggestions sincerely appreciated!
>

I would say, with mini dv you can do very easily literally frame-to-frame
editing even on a crap computer like mine, and the free ulead video studio 8
that came with the firewire card, as I did.On the other hand, with a dvd
camcorder is very difficult to do editing.Think of the mini dv tape as the
negative of the movie, at the studio, while the dvd of the dvd camcorder is
the copy at your local cinema, just 10 mins before show.The reason, is that
mini dv is more "raw" than dvd, alas not temporally compressed, while the
dvd or mpeg 2 is, and can therefore be edited with much more difficulty.

Hope this helps,

--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering
mechanized infantry reservist
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr

28 Dec 2006 12:34 PM

Crunchy Doodle

While this mini-DVD camcorder is not the most optimal choice for
shooting video to edit into a small production, it may well serve you.
I suggest looking at www.womble.com for their inexpensive video editor
MPEG Video Wizard. Since you should be getting MPEG files on the
mini-DVD, this will directly edit them and can produce a very nice
final product.

Idealy, you would have a mini-DV camcorder and off-load via Firewire
into a more general video editor. I use Avid Xpress Pro HD.

Bye.

Errol Groff wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

> I have been thinking about a video camera for quite some time now.
> reading, researching and so on. From what I have read on this group
> and others I had settled on a mini DV model for ease of editing. Not
> that I know anything about editing at this stage!
>
> My wife presented me with a Sony DCR-DVD405 camera for Christmas. It
> records to a mini disc rather than miniDv tape. How much does that
> affect editing? My needs are fairly simple (I think) with examples
> shown on this web site I run for the New England Model Engineering
> Society. http://neme-s.org/NEMES_2005/NEMES_2005.htm
>
> As you can see these are short video clips of model engines running at
> different shows. Of course I realize that once I start using the
> camera I may find more uses than that. Prime example is, since I
> teach machine shop at a vo-tech high school, making "how to" videos of
> various machining operations.
>
> So, what is the verdict? Should I trade this camera for a mini DV
> model or stay with this one?
>
> Your thoughts and suggestions sincerely appreciated!
>
> Errol Groff
>
> Instructor, Manufacturing Technology
> H.H. Ellis Technical High School
> 613 Upper Maple Street
> Danielson, CT 06239
>
> New England Model Engineering Society
> www.neme-s.org

28 Dec 2006 8:03 PM

Errol Groff

Thank you both for your comments. I will be heading out in about an
hour to return the Sony to Ritz Camera which is where my wife
purchased it.

Their web site shows them carrying only a couple of models of miniDV
cameras to I may have to go elsewhere to get what I think I want.

Again, thank you for your thoughts on the subject.

Errol Groff

Instructor, Manufacturing Technology
H.H. Ellis Technical High School
613 Upper Maple Street
Danielson, CT 06239

New England Model Engineering Society
www.neme-s.org

29 Dec 2006 7:29 PM

Gerry

On 2006-12-28 12:03:19 -0800, Errol Groff <errol.gr***@snet.net> said:

> Thank you both for your comments. I will be heading out in about an
> hour to return the Sony to Ritz Camera which is where my wife
> purchased it.
> Their web site shows them carrying only a couple of models of miniDV
> cameras to I may have to go elsewhere to get what I think I want.

I have long had unlimited faith in the two Ritz salespeople that have
sold me my last 3 or 4 cameras. I was most impressed after taking back
three unacceptable digital video cameras when they recommended a
Panasonic GS300 (mentioned elsewhere). Particularly since she knew
they did not carry the camera. They gave me a full refund on the last
of the cameras I had and off I went. Amazing...

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