Camcorder for mac?

Question

what type of camcorder is easy to hook up to a mac, and has a ton of memory (enough to shoot a movie)

Answer 1

I find that any camcorder that saves its data on a memory card works well on Macs.

I have a Sanyo Xacti E1.that saves its files on a sd memory card.

I find it easier using a card reader than hooking the camera directly to the computer... and imovie still works weather the camera is connected or you use  a card reader. The MPEG-4 file opens in QuickTime.

Answer 2

They are all easy to hook up to an Apple Macintosh if you get the right tools (cables, drives, software) - after you connect... what happens?

MiniDV tape (best option - preferred camcorder type): You need to also buy a 4-pin to 6-pin firewire cable because there will not be one in the box with the camcorder. Connect the camcorder's DV port to the Mac's firewire 400 port, connect the AC power adapter to the camcorder, put the camcorder in "Play" or "VCR" mode, Launch iMovieHD and import.

If you get a high definition camcorder, you may need to install the Apple Intermediate Codec (from the system discs that cam with your Mac).

MiniDV tapes - in best quality SP mode - can record 60 or 80 minutes for standard definition; 63 or 85 minutes in 1080i high definition. Do not use LP mode. Do not reuse tapes because they are your archive for the future. One hour of standard video DV uses about 14 gig of space on your hard drive; HDV uses about 4 times more than that.

Need more recording time? Carry extra tape.

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Flash memory and hard drive (HDD) camcorders typically copy highly compressed MPEG2 files (standard definition) over USB. In order to use those files, you need to convert them with Streamclip

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/vi...

to something iMovieHD or FinalCut can deal with.

Then, you should make the archive files - BEFORE you star editing. All that time you saved copying the files over USB just got used up burning data DVDs.

HDD camcorders have finite memory - when the hard drive fills, you are done - until you offload the files from the camcorder to the computer. Some consumer grade HDD camcorders have pretty large hard drives allowing multiple hours of capture. If you get a 45 minute sequence, it will be broken into 3 sections... two twenty minute and one 5 minute section. You put them back together during editing.

Flash memory card camcorders are flexible like miniDV tape in that you just need to carry more spare memory cards. The memory cards are still fairly expensive. They split long clips into sections like the HDD camcorders do.

If you get into high definition HDD and flash memory camcorders, they typically use a relatively new compression format known as AVCHD. You MUST have the MOST current version of iMovieHD07 (that ships with iLife08) or the MOST current version of FinalCutPro2 or Express - and you MUST be using an Intel-chip based Mac.

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Consumer DVD based camcorders are the worst for any computer environment... The miniDVD discs hold only 20 minutes of video; the file format compresses more than HDD or flash memory; you should NEVER put an odd-sized disc in a slot-loading optical drive. If your Mac has a drawer loading optical drive or if you are using an external drawer loading optical drive, then you will rip the video with a ripper like HandBrake. DVD based camcorders are strongly discouraged. My opinion: They make fine paperweights but should not be used for capturing video you plan to edit.

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Set a budget.

Get and use a tripod.

Consider getting a high capacity rechargeable battery or two. No camcorder comes with  a "good" battery in the box.

Get a sturdy case to protect your investment.

Save $ for some mics. Best audio happens when the mic is close to the person speaking. If the mics are built-in, that means the camcorder needs to be next to the person speaking - you might not want that. Shotgun mics and wireless lavaliere mics need to be investigated. Be sure the camcorder you select has a mic-in jack. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not be able to do what you want.

Suggested camcorders:

Entry:

Canon ZR800, ZR900, ZR930 (all are standard definition only; have a mic in jack - but no manual audio control)

Mid (recommended):

Canon HV20, HV30; Sony HDR-HC7, HC9 (all are standard definition and high definition; have a mic in jack and manual audio control - Manula audio control is really important for REALLY LOUD or really soft audio becuase it lets you bypass the "automatic mic gain" circuit. If too loud, the circuit will be overdriven and the audio will sound muddy - this cannot be fixed. If really soft, the circuit turns up the gain to listen for sound - this results in a "whooshing" noise - this can be edited out, but that's just one more post-production problem to worry about.)

High: (this is where all camcorders have mic in jacks, some are standard def; some do both standard and high def. These are "prosumer" or low-end pro camcorders)

Sony DCR-VX2100, HVR-A1U, HVR-HD1000U; Canon GL2, Panasonic DVX100B

OMG: (All are low-end pro or high end prosumer; all do stahdard def and high def.)

Sony HDR-FX1, FX7, HVR-V1U, HVR-Z1U

Canon XHA1

Panasonic HVX200

There are others, but this is a good start.