This isn't worth the money is it? (Camcorder)

dn852k4

My girlfriend bought this today:

http://www.woolworths.co.uk/ww_p2/product/index.jhtml?pid=50911736

I noticed it in-store the other day and wondered if it was worth the money, reduced to £99.99 from £199.99:rolleyes:. I knew she was after a camcorder, so, mentioned it to her that evening. I said that I would do a bit of research on camcorders (as I knew nothing about them). I had a little look around the net, there was a Samsung for around £135. Although she only wanted a 'cheap' camcorder to 'mess around with' surely paying the extra £35 would have represented better value when weighing up the specifications? The Woolworths camcorder has 4x digital zoom:o whereas the Samsung has 33x optical zoom and 1200x digital zoom! http://www.tecno.co.uk/Store/s45074/0/Camcorders/Samsung/VP-D361-Mini-DV-Camcorder/details.aspx

I'm trying to convince her to take it back, but she's having non of it, 'I'm happy with it'. Fair enough if she wants a bog-standard camcorder then there's a slightly better specced one available at £58.99 from here http://www.3wisemonkeys.co.uk/proddet.jsp?cat=14. I don't like needlessly wasting money - I'm trying to instill this way of thinking into Amy, not having much luck though.

alanwjones

Just got into videos, and the medion seems very sparse for the price, for decent video you need a mini Dv camcorder and a firewire connection is a must for editing, If she doesn't take it back now she'll regret it in the future, HONESTLY, Hth. ALAN.

real1314

The medion and the mustek are different beasts to the samsung.

The former pair are flash drive recorders, note the fps rate of the mustek (10 fps), and the unstated fps of the medion (might be low too)

Whereas the samsung is a miniDV recorder. Which is very likely to be a much higher quality of recording. They'll be easier to convert to a DVD format too, although this will not be of great quality

The flash drive will provide an easier link to a pc, mainly due t the lower quality and therefore smaller amounts of data, whereas the samsung will need a firewire or usb2 connection to upload, and will then require some processing power to convert to DVD, but will yeild better results.

A clear horses for courses imho. Samsung is better but requires more effort, mustek/medion are lesser but easier to use/more immediate.

I'd go Samsung.

dn852k4

We've got a DVD recorder. Would it be possible to connect the Samsung to the DVD recorder and miniDV video to DVD?

CHR15

Where a Zoom function is concerned... Digital Zoom is completely pointless. The picture quality will plummit by zooming digitally (the same as zooming into a picture on your PC)

Optical Zoom is the only one worth looking at (literally)

Donnie

dn852k4 wrote: »

We've got a DVD recorder. Would it be possible to connect the Samsung to the DVD recorder and miniDV video to DVD?

I see only one solution.
If you're girlfriend doesn't trust your judgement, you have to leave her.
Sorry, it's a hard line, but the only way.

You can connect the Samsung to your DVD recorder with ease. A 'multi cable' is supplied to facilitate this.

For the purposes of editing the video, a firewire connection is provided to enable download to your computer HDD.

The Medion is a toy, suitable for children.

You wouldn't buy a still camera without an optical zoom lens. Why do so with a camcorder?

Take my advice before it's too late and don't even think about getting married until she toes the line.

Seriously though, the Medion is a waste of money.

mmillie

There's a fair chance that her mobile phone takes better video than that thing!

Martin