VideoCams

smudgey SG

hey ppl, I know this is not a videography forum, but was wondering if you can just read this post and provide me with your experiences regarding selecting a good video camera.

I'm thinking of buying this Video Cam Sony DCR-HC26E,

Any first-hand users? or have u heard anything abt it before???

But so far as i read up on HC26E, this is what i gather...

Cons:
1. I kinda get the idea that the control for settings (like exposure, white balance, etc.) are not very userfriendly...

2.the touchscreen sounds good but when i read the review, it seems to become a hindrance...

Pros:
1)I like it's infra-red nightshot thingy...
2) the colour "seems" sharp (but according to the review, it's not too good still)
Question
I'm a beginner, so I'll need one which i can slowly learn from...
My old video cam (JVC) was pretty bad in terms of colours, (a dark red carpet looked Bright blood red instead) so I want one that has relatively natural colours
I also want one with a better night vision (one that the video doesn't "lag" at night)
I prefer if the video cam is relatively light, as i used to use JVC GR-DVM96U (which was about 1.1lbs)

And also, what is a good brand for a video cam... right now i'm pretty confused. Question

can someone advice me on what to look out for when choosing a video cam? and how to test one?

and if possible can someone show me where (website?) i can learn more about the theory and stuff abt videography?

laoda99 SG

Sony is the best.

U won't want to get other brands once u use sony liao.

smudgey SG

is it? I heard quite a lot about Panasonic lei...

which model is good?

smudgey SG

Aren't there any more ppl out there who know a thing or two about video cameras???

Pls Help!!!

SBS9828X SG

before buying sony products, better think again. Once u use sony products, they dun allow u use other brands, like for their cam and stuff works with memorystick only. They are good but expensive lah

chanff8 SG

Regarding the colours, you can get a camera which allows you to set White Balance. So whether you are filming outdoor or indoor, as long as your White Balance is set, your colour should be alright.

crispylips SG

I own a sony video cam bought 4 yrs ago. bought it because of the following reasons.

1)It was the Carl Zeiss Lens that attracted me.

2) Some say Sony has the best LCD screen, so if you want a good screen I guess go for sony.

3) Durable and still in use these days.

4) Battery life is good.

5) Its a Sony. You cannot go wrong.

Also look for optical zoom capability and not digital zoom which is only software based.

However, if budget is a concern, ignore everything above. Mr. Green

laoda99 SG

panasonic color not as good as sony

smudgey SG

ok I can see a lot of ppl prefer Sony,

My budget is about probably $800 and below,

I was looking at Sony DCR-HC26E, like the picture colour and nightvision thingy, but according to the reviews, it is a very "idiot-proof" camera, so much so that it does not have much of manual settings capabilities...

I want to be able to slowly transit from an auto-mode user to a semi-auto to, hopefully, a manual user (I wanna slowly learn how to set and when to set certain controls like white balance, exposure,etc.)

That's the reason i'm having 2nd thoughts...

Have anyone used this Sony DCR-HC26E (or any other cam with it's picture quality but better manual control?) can advise about it's performance, control, etc?