Need a video camera - can anyone advise...

missimaxo

I'll start by explaining that I have a wealth of knowledge about DSLR still cameras and own quite a few. We have a canon 5d mark 2 which I know can also do video but as we use the camera for pro trading, we do not want to wear out the sensor using it for video.

This year we are having a family holiday of a lifetime. We are not taking any of the dslr's with us - and our taking our little point and shoot camera for still photography. Due to often having camera's in hand - all our family memories are still shots. We do own a video camera but it takes tapes and is pretty archaic (and has barely been used!).

Hence we would like a reasonably compact video camera for the holiday for family stuff. Don't want to spend a fortune but don't know where to start in terms of what I should be looking for. Can anyone give me an idea of features that I useful, and what is just superfluous or gimmicky. I would like decent picture quality (is that 1080p?) and easy storage (I presume it is memory cards these days).

Thank you for any help :beer:

wba31

own an iphone 4/4s/5? I use mine for video (and to avoid using my DSLR) and as long as you hold it in landscape mode and make sure hands aren't covering the microphone, the phone is amazing for video.
It doesnt need to be an iDevice, most new smartphones film in incredible quality, and some can take large SD cards for memory...

I know they are not quite a video camera, but i have seen people with their video cameras on holiday who spend the whole time looking through a viewfinder, whereas for me using my phone means i live the holiday, take the phone out to take little snapshot videos to supplement still photos...

missimaxo

Thanks but we want a proper video camera - we don't have iphones but do have samsung galaxy note 2's. In this case we really want the real deal as the quality of videos from our phones is not enough.

bob_a_builder

we do not want to wear out the sensor using it for video.

How does that happen then ?

isofa

Firstly you aren't going to beat the 5D II for video quality with anything under a 2K. I too shoot with the 5D II, although rarely use it for video. I'm sure you already know it's been used to film top end TV series such as House and various film shorts, so nothing "pro-sumer" will come close, let alone the expense of fixed focal "L" lenses.

Secondly you won't wear out the sensor! The only thing which really "wears" on a DSLR is the shutter, and I've many DSLRs over the years and never once had a shutter fail.

However, I didn't want to take my top end gear on our holiday of a lifetime recently (to a humid climate), so I bought two compacts: an underwater Canon D10 for snorkelling on a reef and a top end Canon Powershot G series for videos and photos, I ended up using the D10 for videos as well. The latest Powershot G models are full HD video and have proper manual controls for those of us used to taking proper photos.

The images are pretty good, I've put together some professional albums using the shots, after tweaking with Lightroom, and it saved getting 3 to 4Ks worth of DSLR and lenses ruined in a humid climate (I still had to let both cameras acclimatise every morning outside from out air-con room for at least 30 mins!

We also own a Flip HD video camera, and the quality from this little fixed lens is very good, it's full HD, tiny and can slip in your pocket.

missimaxo

In terms of the sensor wearing out - I apologise I meant the shutter (100,000 - 150,000 actuation life for 5d) but I had also read that video wears it out. Either way we are not taking the 5ds with us as it they are too bulky.

I am not particularly bothered about top quality - this is not for pro videoing but of our family and simply wanted for memories, and like the poster above - I don't want to risk our top end equipment getting damaged. That said I want the best I can get for my money. I think I have found via HDUK a sony camera my OH is looking at tonight and that we will go for. Full 1080p HD.

Thanks for the advice.

isofa

missimaxo wrote: »

In terms of the sensor wearing out - I apologise I meant the shutter (100,000 - 150,000 actuation life for 5d) but I had also read that video wears it out. Either way we are not taking the 5ds with us as it they are too bulky.

I am not particularly bothered about top quality - this is not for pro videoing but of our family and simply wanted for memories, and like the poster above - I don't want to risk our top end equipment getting damaged.

5D II shutter life is rated at 150,000 but it is replaceable/serviceable. (The Mk III is also 150K, whereas the Mk I is 100K). You'd have to be going some (even professionally) to fire through 150K over a few years, and if you are shooting 1000+ images a week, week on week, you'd be getting your gear serviced every year anyway.

Video won't wear out the shutter any more than taking a single shot, but it will drain the battery as the shutter is up whilst videoing, so most pro 5D II videographers use it powered and tethered.

missimaxo wrote: »

That said I want the best I can get for my money. I think I have found via HDUK a sony camera my OH is looking at tonight and that we will go for. Full 1080p HD.

I spent £650 on the two top end compacts I mentioned for our holiday a few years ago, and it was money well spent. But it depends on your budget (which you didn't mention). I sold the D10 on eBay when we returned for exactly same price I paid too, kept the PS G as a travel camera as it was so good. Worth noting (as I assume you use the 5D II professionally), the Powershot G series shoot in RAW as well as JPEG, which to me was essential.

All the cameras I mentioned (other than the D10) shoot full 1080p HD as do most decent photographic brand top-end compacts. Personally I'd rather take an excellent compact with video mode than a stills and video camera, but I'm speaking as a professional photographer who only uses video occasionally for family captures.

sandsy

We were in a similar position at the end of last year - still had a video camera that used tapes.

I wanted a decent camera that would again last some time and soon came to the conclusion, after reading numerous reviews, that the choice was Sony, Canon or Panasonic.

One thing that came as a surprise was that virtually no video cameras have viewfinders any more. They nearly all rely on screens. Another decision needed to be taken over whether we bought a device with a hard drive only, a removable card only or both.

Usually, I buy this sort of stuff online but this time I did go to shops and test out the feel of the video cameras. Some just don't feel comfy in the hand.

In the end, I got a great deal on a Sony PJ260VE from the Sony shop. While the ability to project video on a wall is gimmicky (a similar model without the gimmick is available), it appeared to have great reviews. We have been happy with it and have been particularly impressed with the sound quality.