video cameras

eeyore · #1 (**permalink**) 26-12-2006, 10:48 PM

Inspired partly by boddies gigrin farm film , and partly by charlie hamilton (hes the guy who did the otter film , and my halcyon river - phillipa foresters other half) i'd like to get into wildlife filming as well as stills

googling arround the canon xl1s looks superb but out of my price range , while the cheapest decent one i can find is the canon xm2 which is still over a gorrila

so question does anyone have a top end camcorder / digital video camera ? what would folk reccomend ? and does any one know where you can buy quality equipment second hand ?

Ta muchly

Boddie · #2 (**permalink**) 26-12-2006, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

Inspired partly by boddies gigrin farm film , and partly by charlie hamilton (hes the guy who did the otter film , and my halcyon river - phillipa foresters other half) i'd like to get into wildlife filming as well as stills

googling arround the canon xl1s looks superb but out of my price range , while the cheapest decent one i can find is the canon xm2 which is still over a gorrila

so question does anyone have a top end camcorder / digital video camera ? what would folk reccomend ? and does any one know where you can buy quality equipment second hand ?

Ta muchly

Buy a really dear one. Do your credit card and then worry about it later

eeyore · #3 (**permalink**) 26-12-2006, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boddie

Buy a really dear one. Do your credit card and then worry about it later

nice plan but I havent paid for my 20D yet (on interest free credit til may) , and i'm about to do my dough on a 580ex flash and a 10-20mm lens , plus i need to buy a new computer

realistically speaking absolute max for a video camera will be a K and I would like to get away with less if I can.

I know its only a days wages for some people

but its a lot of bar for little old me

Boddie · #4 (**permalink**) 26-12-2006, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

nice plan but I havent paid for my 20D yet (on interest free credit til may) , and i'm about to do my dough on a 580ex flash and a 10-20mm lens , plus i need to buy a new computer

realistically speaking absolute max for a video camera will be a K and I would like to get away with less if I can.

I know its only a days wages for some people

but its a lot of bar for little old me

A days wages? A days income tax

eeyore · #5 (**permalink**) 26-12-2006, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boddie

A days wages? A days income tax

well that makes me feel sooooo much better

i'll remember this when i'm working on spring watch and copping for the lovely kate

spideyj · #6 (**permalink**) 29-12-2006, 02:07 PM

Hiya,

I do quite a bit of wildlife filming. I use a Sony DCR-22E mini DV camera. The reasons are as follows:

1. It was relatively cheap. It cost around £200 a couple of years ago.
2. It uses mini DV tapes rather than DVD discs. It records the image and sound together which makes it easier when I run it back through the computer to edit.
3. I have no problems transfering film from my camera to my computer and editing.
4. It's very lightweight and will attach to my scope.
5. It has a nightshot feature for work in complete darkness (although this infra red led needs boosting with a lamp and a filter)
6. It has 20x optical zoom which is near the bottom range of my scope.

Before I bought my camera I spoke to a lot of people about filming and they suggested it was a lot easier to edit with tape then on DVD and I have found this to be the case.

Hope this has been helpful

Lee

Boddie · #7 (**permalink**) 29-12-2006, 02:16 PM

Yep I have the Sony DCR-HC90E.

A really simple piece of kit to use and transfer to PC to edit

Gaina · #8 (**permalink**) 29-12-2006, 04:25 PM

I have a canon MV630i, which I am very happy with. Any of that MV rage are worth looking at. The MV800 is currently £178.99 (inc P&P) from Pixmania.

antdg · #9 (**permalink**) 29-12-2006, 05:34 PM

Hi

I have the MV400i its about 5 years old now. I have never thouhgt of using it to view wildlife. Has anybody got any tips (maybe in a new thread).

Sorry I dont want to hijack this thread, which Im very interested in the outcome.

Cheers

Tony

badgerwatcher · #10 (**permalink**) 29-12-2006, 06:42 PM

I have just been given a Sony DCR-HC24 for Christmas, which I haven't used yet, still reading the book!
It is small enough to stick in my birdwatching coat pocket, and lightweight, and I am excited about the nightshot feature for filming me badgers!

I'm hoping the lightness won't make smoothness of movement more difficult, if it does, I'll put it on a tripod.