How much should i spend on a camcorder?

[BkCountrySkrMO2]

i am looking for a camcorder to film my ski footage with, i want the MiniDV kind. I don;t need like a mad expensive professional camcorder, but i want semi-good resolution and very sturdy. I was thinking like $350, what do you think?

 

[slice_of_mustard]

spend more than 500, anything less will probably look like shit, if you want to buy a camera, spend around 1000 and get a vx1000 or something.

 

[ericski]

500 cAMCORDER IS 100 TIMES BETTER THAN A 100 CAMCORDER

 

[BFINO13]

500-1000

 

[eastAR5]

message me if u want if u got questions

 

[sowstochd]

the sony handycams r easy to hook up to stuff and hsve all round sweet feats theyr around 575 if not the handycams get a sony theyr products are great

 

[sowstochd]

^have*

 

[Gnarshred]

hey anyone know what kind of camera those are in the vids that have like a handle on top? Pretty much anytime there is a shot of someone being filmed they have one of these cameras...?

 

[foodisfun]

canon zr600 for around 210, zr700 for like 245ish. message me for details. brand new

 

[my_ar5_steeze]

i was in the same position as u man, and i ended up gettin a sony, 450 for camera, and has all the features i need for wat i wanna do, and a good price

 

[Ryanvdonk]

if you want a quality camera your going to have to spend some cash. i have experience with the GLs and can say that they are a good line of camera and have heard from my friend (froms funland productions, its snowboard) that panasonic makes good cameras for the money, this is really something you have to research for yourself and talk to people, it is deffinitely worth it to buy a higher end camera.

 

[tom_nz]

below 850

 

[Crock360]

Here's the thing. How much you need to spend depends on what you're using it for. If you're just going out and taping with your buddies, and not going to make any professional-looking edits, then just to to the mall, and spend a few hundred bucks on one. The biggest difference between a $300 camera and a $600 camera is the 3 extra bills it's going to cost you. the picture quality might be better, but for those purposes, anything will do.

Now, if you're serious or even semi-serious about being a videographer, then you dont want a camera that doesn't have 3CCD's. The Panasonic PV-GS70 is one of the cheapest 3CCD cameras out there, and run about $900-$1000. It's got pretty good quality, and is a solid camera overall. however, I have to reccomend getting a Canon GL, or a Sony VX1000. they're a little more expensive, but for the money, they have amazing quality.

I have a Canon GL2. i have made music videos, experimental stuff, narratives, and the almighty skiing edits with this camera, and the quality is great. It's pretty user friendly. Other people swear by their Sony VX cameras. Bottom line; shop around, ask a lot of questions and try to learn as much as you an about what each camera you're considering will be able to do for you.