I am getting into Film Making and I would like a good video camera to load onto my computer and edit,under 300

Question

I already have a flip, but I would like a video camera that can do more for me. I would like to get a video camera that has these things:

Easy to load onto a Computer and edit.

Audio Plug

Under $300

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

The only camcorder that comes to mind is the Canon ZR800.

As a miniDV tape based camcorder, it provides the least compression which results in best available video quality (store in DV - not compressed MPEG2). Your computer will need a firewire port - if you don't have one, it is cheap and easy to install if your computer has an available PCI slot (desktop) or PCMCIA slot (laptop). Macintosh computers have had firewire for many years.

Be advised that this camcorder does not have any manual audio controls, so while the external mic is nice, loud sounds will over-drive the automatic audio-leveling and the sound will be very muddy sounding - and not useable. The resolution to this is to use an external device like a BeachTek DVA-6 (with XLR based mics) or get a camcorder with manual audio control like the Sony HDR-HC7 or HC9... or Canon HV20 or HV30 which are more than you want to spend.