Camcorder for wedding

flossy_splodge

Can anyone make any comment for me on whether this is a good bet for a novice camcorder user.
SAMSUNG T10 CAMCORDER FULL HD 10X OPTICAL ZOOM 2.7IN LCD
Any pluses or minuses would be appreciated.
Thanks.:)

flossy_splodge

Or this one?
JVC GZ-MS210SEK FLASH CAMCORDER 39X OPTICAL ZOOM 2.7 INCH LCD

This seems to have a huge advantage in the 39x optical zoom (at least to a rookie camera person like me) but does NOT say it is HD like the one above.
Any thoughts anyone please?

vax2002

Neither will work in low light indoors, equipment to provide decent pictures at normal indoor lighting is expensive stuff.

spakkker

Don't get the sd only cam - it has only an 800mp sensor, the smallest you can get. There is an HD version, £130 ebay - http://www.trustedreviews.com/jvc-everio-gz-hm30sek_Camcorder_review_controls-performance-and-verdict_Page-2 - but has v. fiddly buttons.

Just google reviews before you buy. A new model bloggie , ts20, or similar, might be more useful.

Edit -Still photos are very important as well - but often overlooked -do think about this capability .Also bloggie type cams are much more discrete and easier to use without distracting anyone.

pinkteapot

High zoom is next to useless without decent image stabilisation. I have a Panasonic HD camcorder with a 40x zoom which is wonderful and the stabilisation on it is very good. Panasonic cameras are also known for good image stabilisation so if you're going to be zooming in a lot then it's worth checking out. My one is this one but Panasonic do make cheaper ones - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-SD90-1920x1080p-Ready-Camcorder/dp/B004I1KPI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321531370&sr=8-1 OIS = "optical image stabilisation"

Having said that, I took some video at a friend's wedding and went nowhere near the maximum zoom on any of it. I probably didn't zoom in more than 20x.

Best bet is to go to a shop where you can play with them (John Lewis are good for this) and try zooming in while holding it steady in your hand, panning around, etc.

Re indoor lighting levels, my camcorder takes very good video indoors with no external equipment attached so it may not be necessary.

flossy_splodge

spakkker wrote: »

Don't get the sd only cam - it has only an 800mp sensor, the smallest you can get. There is an HD version, £130 ebay - http://www.trustedreviews.com/jvc-everio-gz-hm30sek_Camcorder_review_controls-performance-and-verdict_Page-2 - but has v. fiddly buttons.

Just google reviews before you buy. A new model bloggie , ts20, or similar, might be more useful.

Edit -Still photos are very important as well - but often overlooked -do think about this capability .Also bloggie type cams are much more discrete and easier to use without distracting anyone.

Thank you to you both for your responses.
spakker, what on earth is a 'bloggie'??:o

The attraction of the ones I've posted about is the price. Didn't intend to consider such an item but at under £90 they may just be do-able. Anything more, whilst undoubtedly better, is simply not a possibility.:(
So I'm picking up the message you get what you pay for (surprise) and these two options would be a waste of money?

flossy_splodge

pinkteapot wrote: »

High zoom is next to useless without decent image stabilisation. I have a Panasonic HD camcorder with a 40x zoom which is wonderful and the stabilisation on it is very good. Panasonic cameras are also known for good image stabilisation so if you're going to be zooming in a lot then it's worth checking out.

Best bet is to go to a shop where you can play with them (John Lewis are good for this) and try zooming in while holding it steady in your hand, panning around, etc.

Thank you for that, good to know.
However, as I've just posted, price is a huge factor so whilst I never doubted there was better out there, if more expensive then a 'no go' I'm afraid. Thank you tho.

pinkteapot

Worth seeing if any high street shops stock the ones you're looking at. Some cheap ones will do a decent job; some are a bit naff. Best bet really is to have a play.

However, some video is certainly better than none. I hadn't thought about video of our wedding. We had a wonderful photographer and I wasn't really fussed. My brother had my digital camera on the day and I'd told him to take as many pics as he wanted. Didn't realise till I downloaded them that he'd taken a short video clip with it of our first dance. It's wonderful - brings back the memories so much more than photos. It's a short, grainy, shaky clip but absolutely better than nothing. If you've got a digital camera, try out the video function on it and compare that to cheap camcorders...

flossy_splodge

pinkteapot wrote: »

Worth seeing if any high street shops stock the ones you're looking at. Some cheap ones will do a decent job; some are a bit naff. Best bet really is to have a play.

However, some video is certainly better than none. I hadn't thought about video of our wedding. We had a wonderful photographer and I wasn't really fussed. My brother had my digital camera on the day and I'd told him to take as many pics as he wanted. Didn't realise till I downloaded them that he'd taken a short video clip with it of our first dance. It's wonderful - brings back the memories so much more than photos. It's a short, grainy, shaky clip but absolutely better than nothing. If you've got a digital camera, try out the video function on it and compare that to cheap camcorders...

Great idea pinkteapot, will have that as a fall back position too. Would go play but have NO idea how to tell if one is better than another!!:o

spakkker

Pocket cams are smaller phone like camcorders.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/sony-bloggie-touch-mhs-ts20k_Camcorder_review
http://www.trustedreviews.com/JVC-PICSIO-GC-FM2_Camcorder_review
You should try and check out something like a flip mino HD. It's the original,trendy pocket cam andis now discounted because no longer made. ~£50 but no stills and only 1 or 2 hours video.
You can get the bloggie for £80.

edit - I have a mino and a kodak zx1 both older models but they are great and only cost 40 quid each last year. I paid £500 in the late 1980's for a camcorder - never again!!