• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Camcorder Recommendations??

DubSac06

DubSac06

New member
Joined
Jun 3, 2006
Location
East Bay
Moto(s)
06gixxer
So I thought I would invest in a camcorder to record some of my rides and share them with my dad back east and bought a Sony Handycam which turns out to be a crappy dvd model. I mounted it and about 30 secs after I was riding it skipped and went blank. Does anyone have any recommendations on a hard drive camera thats not going to break the pocket but also wont skip?? :thumbup
 
You need one with a second gen hard drive or memory card. I'm looking for one also, but just haven't done any serious research. But, HD or memory card is a must. I have an excellent camera mount that works for both my Triumphs, :cool. So let's hear it, cause I need a good, somewhat inexpensive camcorder as well.
 
Does this camcorder have two wheels?

No?

Hmmm...kitchen sink, or geektalk maybe?

T-1 for mod!
 
imurdaddy415 said:
how exactley do you mount them can anyone show some pics of theirs? i wanna do the same
Click to expand...

Approaching this project blank, I would start with a tripod.
Cut the top part away from the rest of the tripod.

Now you got the part that screws into the bottom of the camcorder.

Last step is simply to affix the bottom platform piece to your bars(hoseclamps for the hick-way).

PS: OP - MiniDV is the best. Forget the dvd, forget the HD. Quality is crappier on HD.
 
Well.. I can tell you as a person that worked close with a lot of the major-brand camera makers, that getting an HDD camcorder isn't necessarily the best option, especially if you had your DVD model skip.

HDD cameras are what they are - HDDs. A minor mistep or drop could easily shock your camera's HDD, rendering the camera useless.

So if you want to go safe, go with tape. They are the most flexible and can last for about an hour until you need to switch tapes.

If you have the money, then your best bet would be a memory card based camera. They have high premiums and can last for well over an hour (depending on your memory card) and the content of the camera is extremely secure, unlike a HDD.

I gave you the info, now you can choose the type of camera.

As for brands -

For the most bang for your buck, I would go with Panasonic. Most of the latest Panasonic models have optical stabilization, unlike other brands where you have to pay a heavy premium for such a feature. Optical stabilization is necessary, as you don't want your video to look like a vibration fest. Also, some of the higher end Panasonic cameras feature 3CCD, which in short intensifies the color, giving you a much more crisp and brilliant video. For more information -->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3CCD. Panasonics also feature Leica lens. For more information --->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_Camera.

If you want the whole name brand thing, then go with Sony and pay the high premium for having the Sony name. Like the Panasonics, higher end Sony cameras feature their choice of color enhancement known as CMOS. Unlike Panasonic, however, you do pay a premium for having optical stabilization. For more information ---> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMOS. Sony cameras also come with Carl Zeiss lens. (go wiki it yourself dammit)

With all that information, I will now present to you my choices.

Panasonic

DV (tape) Camcorder -3CCD Panasonic PVGS320 - retail price - 499.99 (On sale at Circuit City for 374.99)

SD Camcorder -3CCD & High Definition Panasonic HDC-SD9 - retail price - 799.99 (On sale at Circuit City for 749.99)

Pick your poison.
 
Last edited:
reaLst said:
Well.. I can tell you as a person that worked close with a lot of the major-brand camera makers, that getting an HDD camcorder isn't necessarily the best option, especially if you had your DVD model skip.

HDD cameras are what they are - HDDs. A minor mistep or drop could easily shock your camera's HDD, rendering the camera useless.

So if you want to go safe, go with tape. They are the most flexible and can last for about an hour until you need to switch tapes.

If you have the money, then your best bet would be a memory card based camera. They have high premiums and can last for well over an hour (depending on your memory card) and the content of the camera is extremely secure, unlike a HDD.

I gave you the info, now you can choose the type of camera.

As for brands -

For the most bang for your buck, I would go with Panasonic. Most of the latest Panasonic models have optical stabilization, unlike other brands where you have to pay a heavy premium for such a feature. Optical stabilization is necessary, as you don't want your video to look like a vibration fest. Also, some of the higher end Panasonic cameras feature 3CCD, which in short intensifies the color, giving you a much more crisp and brilliant video. For more information -->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3CCD. Panasonics also feature Leica lens. For more information --->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_Camera.

If you want the whole name brand thing, then go with Sony and pay the high premium for having the Sony name. Like the Panasonics, higher end Sony cameras feature their choice of color enhancement known as CMOS. Unlike Panasonic, however, you do pay a premium for having optical stabilization. For more information ---> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMOS. Sony cameras also come with Carl Zeiss lens. (go wiki it yourself dammit)

With all that information, I will now present to you my choices.

Panasonic

DV (tape) Camcorder -3CCD Panasonic PVGS320 - retail price - 499.99 (On sale at Circuit City for 374.99)

SD Camcorder -3CCD & High Definition Panasonic HDC-SD9 - retail price - 799.99 (On sale at Circuit City for 749.99)

Pick your poison.
Click to expand...

Thats what Im talking about now..:thumbup:thumbup
now quick question......do you have a hookup on these? :laughing
 
rsrider said:
I was reading on WIRED that the second gen camcorders were suppose to have fixed that problem.

As for the camera mounts: http://stores.ebay.com/Cycle-Machine-Works
Click to expand...

yes they have improved, but I still would not put on a motorcycle. I've seen enough people complain about even the second gen cameras all of a sudden "stops turning on" or "can't review or store my videos."

DubSac06 said:
Thats what Im talking about now..:thumbup:thumbup
now quick question......do you have a hookup on these? :laughing
Click to expand...

A hookup.. perhaps I do.. perhaps I don't. I can tell you, though, unless someone works directly FOR the manufacturer, chances are anybody's "hook-ups" will not be any better than a sale price for a camcorder.
 
Last edited:
I have a Panasonic HD records to SD card, Advanced Image stabilization, (I wanted the tiny-est full featured Cam Corder out there) Gotta say, If I was to choose now, I'd get Sony digital tape. Sony has a high speed (4X speed) recording mode, so you can play it back in normal speed and it looks like 1/4 speed (slow motion) and tape records the info of the picture (pixel info) about 5 times faster than the class 3 SD card (unless there is a class 4 card now).

If that is mumbo jumbo, bottom line, if you can hack the added bulk of the tape Cam corder, it is better at this point than the solid state new trick Cam Corders. That will change, any minute, of course, but for now.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top