I need a camera that is good for recording live events with an audience, that will also allow me to edit.?
I prefer something that comes with the software for editing on PC, and I need to be able to make dvd’s and upload to google or youtube. Will be used in comedy industry, so editing is most important. I prefer dvd recorders but am open to tape recorders. If the camera also takes still digital photo that would be great too.
There is no camcorder that comes with useful software for editing. The included video editing applications that are included in the box with any camcorder will typically be a “lite” version of some sort of low-end software. And the camcorder company does not know if you are a Windows XP, Vista, *nix, Macintosh or other operating system user.
Presuming you are a Windows or Vista user, MovieMaker can provide rudimentary editing if the video to be edited is in a format MovieMaker can deal with. In the Macintosh environment, iMovie can also provide a video editing environment that if the video is in a format that iMovie can deal with. These are much better than the anemic, reduced functionality software included in the box with any camcorder. For the *nix environment, there are several open source editors…
You “prefer” DVD recorders? In the consumer camcorder environment – for standard definition video capture, these compress video the most into DVD player format video. These are the most challenging to get into a format a video editor can deal with, typically provide short (20 minutes per “side” of the small 8cm DVD) for best video quality – and actually provide the worst quality video due to the high amount of compression.
If you want to edit, it is strongly suggested you stay in the flash memory, hard disc drive – or preferably – miniDV tape based camcorders. Most consumer camcorders can take stills as well – though they generally don’t do a very good job.
For flash memory and hard disc drive standard definition camcorders, they typically save to a very high compressed MPEG2 file format. To edit the video, the first thing you need to do afer copying the video from the camcorder to the computer will generally be to convert – transcode – the video to a format the video editor can deal with.
For flash memory, hard disc drive and DVD based high definition camcorders, they typically save to a very high compressed AVCHD (MTS) file format. MovieMaker cannot deal with this. iMovie ’08 or newer running on an Intel Mac can. For Windows/Vista, Sony Vegas or Adobe Premiere are good options. For more advanced editing on a Mac, the current versions of FinalVCut can also deal with AVCHD files.
For the most part, there are pretty much no flash memory, hard disc drive and DVD based with manual audio control. Most do not have a mic jack. Video is only part of the equation… Audio plays a large role. Controlling the audio is important.
In the miniDV tape based environment, the standard definition DV or high definition HDV video formats are the least compressed found in consumer cideo storage – and it continues to be the media of choice for professional videographers… for lots of reasons I won’t go into detail here – but in addition to video quality and cheap storage and ease of editing… MovieMaker can deal with DV – but not HDV. iMovie has been able to deal with DV and HDV for several years at this point. To import video from a miniDV tape based camcorder, the computer needs to have a firewire port – firewire, IEEE1394 and i.LINK are all the same thing – and they are not USB. USB won’ work. USB-to-firewire converter/adapter/hub/cable things won’t work. If your computer does not have a firewire port and you are unwilling or unable to add one, then your only real option is to go with hard drive or flash memory media.
I am not a hard disc drive fan for a number of reasons and DVD based camcorders barely make useful doorstops, so I’ll just stick with flash memory and miniDV tape…
So… What is your budget?
Entry consumer – standard definition only:
Flash memory: Canon FS series (FS100)
MiniDV tape: Canon ZR900, 930, 960
All have a mic jack – but no manual audio control
Mid consumer – standard definition and high definition:
Flash memory: Canon HF series; Sony HDR-CX series
MiniDV tape: Canon HV30; Sony HDR-HC9 (the HV30 and HC9 are the least expensive camcorders with a mic jack AND manual audio control)
Beyond this, all camcorders have a mic jack and manual audio control.
Prosumer – standard definition only:
MiniDV tape: Sony DCR-VX2100; Canon GL2
Prosumer – standard definition and high definition:
Sony HDR-FX1000
There is no flash memory prosumer camcorder (for that matter, there are no hard disc drive or DVD prosumer models, either – that should tell you something). Prosumer camcorders use a 1/8″ stereo mic jack – use of XLR mics can happen with an XLR adapter like those form juicedLink or BeachTek. Prosumer lenses and imaging chips are typically larger than consumer-grade camcorders’ which allows them to do well in low light environments – which could be your club situation. Small lenses and imaging chips in consumer grade camcorders will not do so well in low-light.
And then you get to the pro grade cams…
Canon XL series, XH series, XLH series; Sony HVR series (but not the HVR-HD1000 or the HVR-A1; Panasonic DVX series and HDX series…
In ALL cases, once you get
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