Does anyone know how to hook up a camcorder to a mac computer, so I can edit things?

Question

see I recorded some footage of things but want to get the video onto my mac power book laptop but don't know how can anyone explain it to me, its for an intro to video class and I want to edit and put music. what software is good. all I have is combustion and other software that came with my mac for video.

Answer 1

Check with the manufacturer support site for your camera compatibility with Apple products. Consult your manual!! There is a whole section devoted to the answer to your question!!

Answer 2

Hai!,

Macs are blessed with FIREWIRE port as a STANDARD port! (Firewire also known as IEEE-1394 / i-LINK / DV-Link) . Your worry should be on the camcorder. Not all camcorder have this Firewire Connection.

Most DIGITAL camcorder will have either Firewire and/or USB port. Since you fail to mention the model of your camcorder, I assume that you are either using MiniDV Tape Camcorder or MiniDVD or HardDisc.

MiniDV Camcorder:-

Most MiniDV Camcoder will have FireWire Port. Connect a firewire cable (4pin to 6pin firewire cable) to your Mac.

MiniDVD Camcorder:-

First Method. Some has a FireWire port and some will have an USB port. If it came with firewire port, connect like the MiniDV above. Some camcorder came with USB port. You need to connect a Mini USB (4pin) to your Mac USB port. You need to set your camcorder to become 'an external DVD Player'. Your Mac should see the camcorder as an external DVD player.

Second Method. Finalised your disc from your camcorder. And just pop-in into your mac...(Oops! I forgot, most mac laptop are using the 'suck-in' DVD Drive (called Slot Loading DVD Drive).... This will only work on PC or Mac with 'tray' type DVD Drive.)

Hard-disc Camcorder:-

Connects using USB Port. The camcorder will became an External Hardisc to your Mac. Copy in your video clip as you normally do with any external Harddisc.

If you have an ANALOG camcorder, it is still possible but a more difficult and expensive option for a Mac.  

Next if you manage to get your Video in your Mac, depending on your level of expertise and the video output quality, you could use the iMovie which came with your Mac OS. I would recommend Final Cut Express (or Final Cut Pro for more punch!). If you have Discreet Combustion, well get creative and impress your student in your class!

Best Regards.

Answer 3

It depends on the camcorder.

If it is a miniDV or Digital8 tape based camcorder, you will connect it to your computer with a Firewire (IEEE1394a, i.Link - all the same thing) cable. Launch iMovie (Apple Macintosh) and with the camcorder in edit/play mode, import or capture the video. USB will not work. You will need a 4-pin to 6-pin firewire cable to connect the DV camcorder port to the Firewire400 port on your PowerBook.

If it is a hard drive or flash memory based camcorder, you will connect the camcorder using USB. For Apple Macintosh, you need to download and install StreamClip.

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

Connect the camcorder to the Mac. The camcorder memory will mount like any other mass storage removable USB device. Copy the video files to your PowerBook. Launch StreamClip. Import the copied video; export the video as DV or .mov. Quit StreamClip; Launch iMovie, drag the converted files into the clips pane or the timeline.

If you have a choice, PLEASE DO NOT USE A DVD BASED CAMCORDER. The video quality is horrible (especially for editing), the small discs should NEVER be put in a slot-loading optical drive and the discs are a pain. BUT if you don't have a choice, you will need to buy drawer loading DVD drive (LaCie makes good ones)... because then you can download and install HandBrake

http://handbrake.fr/

and rip the video. If you have only the built-in slot loading optical drive - or that drive ONLY does CDs (not DVD) or if the camcorder is analog (VHS, VHS-C or Hi8), then you will need to use an "analog/digital bridge". Canopus bridges are great:

http://canopus.com/products/videoconvers...

If the camera is actually a still camera that happens to take highly compressed video, take the memory card out of the camera, use a card reader to copy the files and follow the instructions for hard drive or flash memory based camcorders.

"Combustion" is not software that comes with a Mac - unless you bought the computer used. iMovie has been bundled with MacOSX for several years.

Answer 4

Using the standard video editing software on your mac you need to hook the camcorder to your make via the firewire port and your computer should automatically recognize it. Good luck!