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LORisAwesome

By LORisAwesome
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LORisAwesome Member

LORisAwesome

Posted
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I'd like to get a video of my 2010 display. I borrowed a camcorder from work last year, but was disappointed with the colors

Can someone recommend one that produces good results?

Thanks

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jem5136 Member

jem5136

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I am going to be using the Kodak Zi8 for my display this year. I have seen videos of displays taken with this camera, and they are pretty good. It is an HD camera, and its about $100 where I found it.

Here is a link to the site I am getting it from:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800704115-USE/Kodak_8796062_Zi8_Pocket_Video_Camera.html#reviews

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KenL_MCSE Member

KenL_MCSE

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I found out the hard way you want one that records fireworks. If you look at the video's on my site - the polar express was done with one of the ones like that one posted above. Look what happens when I zoom in and out. Then look at the other video's that were done with this camera when on Fireworks mode

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5682629&Sku=C925-1538

This link is to a refurb unit - mine was brand new. It also has an input jack when you can go directly from your fm walkman to your camera - no background noise.

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jimswinder Member

jimswinder

Posted
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Mountainwxman wrote:


I'll just borrow yours William...

1511765.GIF


The one I used last year (a Sony) had a fireworks setting, which I used, and still got horrible colors...everything was pretty much a blue blob of colors...
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Guest wbottomley

Guest wbottomley

Posted
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The best camera's to use are 3CCD's, that have manual white balance and manual focus.

HD is good but in low light, they can be troublesome.

ADD: this comes from a person that shoots video for a living. Check out some of my video on my facebook video page.

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toddmoon Member

toddmoon

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For 19 grand I think it would be cheaper to rent or borrow. It does look like a nice camera.

One thing thing I have learned with a large zoom lense is when zooming in you have to be really slow and careful when zooming way out there and still maintaining a decent picture.

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jimswinder Member

jimswinder

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Mountainwxman wrote:

The best camera's to use are 3CCD's, that have manual white balance and manual focus.

Yes to the 3 CCD's...but you also want the bigger chips...1/3" vs the 1/4".

The bigger the chip, the better it is in low light...

Like this Canon:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800668063-USE/Canon_0967B001_XL_H1_3_CCD_High_Definition.html#specifications

This is the one I have been drooling over for a LONG time!!!

1511522.GIF

Just won't come down in price!!
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jimswinder Member

jimswinder

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Mountainwxman wrote:

Nice camera but I prefer 2/3" chips. Now, we're talking business.

But the 1/3 chips do work very good.

Here's the one I really would love to get: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/682219-REG/JVC_GYHM700L17S_GY_HM700L17S_ProHD_Solid_State_Camcorder.html

when does it get to the point that we are paying for bells and whistles we would never use? :shock:
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Keith Adams Member

Keith Adams

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I used a Canon HF10 last year. It was pretty decent. I still had to tweak the colors with software as leds at a distance don't look as bright in a video as they do in person. The non led bulbs looked fine.

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csf Member

csf

Posted
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How I wish I had a good video camera... I did video production for 4 years in HS and miss it quite a bit (my college has no video program I am a Computer science major). Hopefully after college I can get a pretty decent video camera.

I did some filming with my Nikon D90 last year and the colors came out rather nice.

Nikon now has D3100 which should have even better quality and has full hd and an audio import jack.

DSL cameras are not quite video cameras but they do have rather good quality for the price. But you lose things like zoom controls.

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jimswinder Member

jimswinder

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csf wrote:

DSL cameras are not quite video cameras but they do have rather good quality for the price. But you lose things like zoom controls.

My friends Canon Rebel T1I takes HD video with sound and you can zoom in and out...
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csf Member

csf

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But you have to turn the lens to zoom correct?

I don't believe canon makes any lenses for DSLR cameras the have a zoom mooter in them. I am talking about how on a video camera you have buttons you can press for zoom.

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jimswinder Member

jimswinder

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csf wrote:

But you have to turn the lens to zoom correct?

I don't believe canon makes any lenses for DSLR cameras the have a zoom mooter in them. I am talking about how on a video camera you have buttons you can press for zoom.

Don't know...I thought it had a "zoom motor"

will have to ask him.
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GaryBo Member

GaryBo

Posted
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I recently purchased a Panasonic SDR-S50. It uses an SD card. I haven't used it on Christmas lights yet, but have “tested” it in low light and on the Casino lights here in Las Vegas. I have been pleasantly surprised with it so far. It does well in low light, it has good quality and an outstanding 78 times zoom, YES, 78x. It has a wide angle lens.

It also can be used as a "still" camera.

I had purchased it from Sam's Club, online. It was on sale then, and I got it for $199.00.


Down side, battery lasts about 45min to an hour, so you should use ac power cord. It has an “outside” mic, and does pick up a lot of the environmental noises. ( I would suggest shooting near an outside speaker or FM radio broadcast)

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Bob Wingert Member

Bob Wingert

Posted
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GaryBo wrote:

“tested” it in low light and on the Casino lights here in Las Vegas.


ahhhhhhh Vegas! Oh how I miss thee'

Got any video of what you shot in low-light? I'm considering one of these (inxepensive) one's just for shooting my display.
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GaryBo Member

GaryBo

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Got any video of what you shot in low-light? I'm considering one of these (inxepensive) one's just for shooting my display.
The video starts out with a zoom shot of the Circus Circus Casino, which is about 5 miles (as the crow flies) from me. The flare (light) also at the start is auto headlights coming towards me and glaring in the camera.
The rest of the video is shot across the street from some of the houses in my neighborhood. Only house
porch lights and yard lampposts are on. There are no Street Lights, and no moon. Shot about 7PM


http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee309/GaryBo42/?action=view&current=MOV001mp4video.mp4
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gizmomkr Member

gizmomkr

Posted
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I was going to try a "flip" camera, but I dont think any of the flip series has an external mic. Kodak however makes the Zi8, and it does have an external mic jack.

Has anyone had any luck with any of the "pocket" cameras ?

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