Canon HG10 vs sony dvd-sr200 ?

Question

I'd like to purchase a HDD camcorder but having hard time to decide which to go for. Features that I require are: quick shutter, dual recording mode (take still images during video recording or from a recorded video), nightshot, shooting/pic modes like black+white, colour accent, etc.

Answer 1

Personally, I would not pick either of these.

Any DVD based camcorder will provide you horrible video for editing.

The HG10 is an OK camera, but because it uses AVCHD compression to store video to its hard drive at the point you capture the video, anything you do with it after that will not have optimal video quality. Also, not all video editors will work with AVCHD compressed video from all cameras - so you need to be careful and check BEFORE you start buying.

The BEST camcorders will be those cameras which:

1) store their captured video with the least amount of compression.

2) have an easy video archive process so you don't have an extra step.

3) have an external mic jack so you can connect external mics.

4) have manual audio control, exposure/iris, zoom and focus - but also can go auto while you are learning to use the camera.

When you start looking you will find miniDV tape based camcorders will meet all of these requirements. Hard drive, flash memory and DVD based camcorders cannot meet these requirements.

DO NOT BUY A DVD BASED CAMCORDER.

Canon HV20, HV30; Sony HDR-HC7, HD9 (have everything on the requirements list). These last four cameras are in your price range and provide for high-definition and standard definition video capture.

DO NOT BUY A DVD BASED CAMCORDER.

You should also include a firewire port addition to your computer (unless you are using a Mac - they have had firewire ports for years), firewire cable (USB will not work to transfer video from miniDV tape based camcorders - this is for all computers), high capacity rechargeable battery, sturdy carrying case and tripod on your immediate shopping list...

You may not be a pro, but that does not mean you do not have to use tools similar to theirs. Look at what they use - miniDV tape:

http://bssc.sel.sony.com/BroadcastandBus...

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/contro...

http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/categ...

http://www.panasonic.com/business/provid...

In Panasonic's case, they have 1 hard drive camcorder compressing to AVCHD - and I would not consider that a "pro grade camera" - and the HDX200 uses P2 cards - but it saves in the format miniDV tape does... DV and HDV.