[TheForge] Video camera ?s

[Grover Richardson]

Whatever you decide on for a camera, find a place that will let you walk
around the store and use it for 15 minutes.

Find out if it has an auto shut down feature if it is left idle for a while.
If this is a problem, find out if the auto shut down feature may be turned
off.  I have lost the first 30 seconds of several shots because it took that
long for the camera to come back on and boot up.  After it had shut down
unexpectedly on me when I was doing something else.

Likely it will come with lots of bells and whistles that you will never use.

I like the ones that are intuitive.  The boss had a digital camera (still)
that I could never get to work.  He always made it work, because he used it
weekly.  I used it once every 4 months (only when I had to) and always had
to relearn how to use it or get him to set it up right before I could use
it.  Yes, most anyone can use a digital camera, but earlier ones were more
complicated and less user friendly.

Select a format that is relatively new, but not too new.  If it's
established you are ok.  Remember Beta vision<G>.

Look at bang-a-bility.  IE how hard is it to break.

How will it survive dust, coal smoke, blowing mist?

Select a model that has been around more than one year.  That way all the
bugs should be out, and some feedback from users should be available.

The consumer model year tends to be 6 months.
 
See if the tapes that it uses are available at the local drug store.  Yes,
you don't want to buy them there, because likely they are more expensive,
but on a Sunday afternoon in an emergency, if they are common, the drug
store should have them.

Find out what kind of battery it uses.  Does it charge the battery while it
is running off of 110 Vac, or does it do only one thing at a time.  This
could be a problem.

All the Best


-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of mpaietta
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 1:53 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Video camera ?s

       Well I would say it depends on how much you want to
spend. I would stay    away from the JVC Everio. I have one
and I am not happy with it. The Everio    does not have a
good picture and the hard drive shutdown happens    easly.
If you want to spend $700 to $1000 you can get a 3CCD
camera.    Popular Mechanics has a review that review
Panasonics 3 ccd pretty high. What    ever you do take your
time to read reviews and test the recording at the store   
and play it. I wish I had done that.
   Cheers
   Martin
> I have been filming blacksmith conferences for years and
> my camera has given up.
> Presently am using a sony Digital 8 and it appears they
> are going away from that format.
> Looking for guidance on what format (digital, DVD, mini
> DVD ect) and recommendations on what camera to buy.
> 
> Only present requirement is an input for external mic and
> zoom
> 
> Conference video can be ordered from www.umbaonline.org
> for $5 each.
> 
> Roger R Degner
> 
> 
> 
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