JVC camera? Make DVD for sale & shoestring $$$

[mdvaden]

I'm in a position, where I started business again in a new area. I had planned on an easier job.
But instead, I'm back at it, and did so having no funds set aside for start-up. So the budget is tiny.

I'd like to make a video DVD on Tree Care, to sell from my site, garden centers and on the internet.

Even if I had $50,000 to pay a pro photographer, I couldn't do it anyway, because each image or video clip shows it's face as I'm working on a daily basis. It's not like I can outline 100 things I want to video and narrate and just go out and film them all.

So this looks like it will be like a documentary of my work. The important part is that I capture and convey the information. But it's got to look reasonable.

I saw a JVC camera with a 20 gig hard drive, which would enable nice file transfers.

Do you think I could pull off this project with that camera? It's about $500.

Even if I had a few thousand dollars, I'd be leary about taking it to work in the truck on a constant every day basis for the next 6 months. Some of the stuff has to be shot hiking and in the forests.

What say ye?
But it's hard work and I need to switch to something easier. In the meantime, I had to start again with no funds set aside, so all funds are used up

[Skyman]

I am assuming you will be editing it yourself on a pc. I would point you away from hard drive based cameras to the mini dv format (you will need a firewire port though but they are cheap these days) any reputable brand will do and they are becoming very cheap these days. If you can afford to a 3 ccd camera will give you more professional looking results - to that end panasonic are good and cheap. other than that a really good tripod is probably the best thing to improve the quality of the video. I hope that helps.

[MarcusK]

Hey there!

I would definitely agree with skyman about steering away from Hard disk cams, within a budget (tight budget) Mini DV is your best bet...going for 3 CCD cams if they are within budget would be nice!


A good bag, some extra batteries (1 or 2 really) and a hefty tripod and you're set!

Firewire port definitely a must, as well as some considertion about graphics card for better output!

So yep, Skyman is right! don't go for the JVC or any other hard disk cams...not yet anyway, maybe they will make them better soon!

Cheers

[mdvaden]

In that case, I could afford the mini dv, since I can afford the JVC w/ hard drive.

The Circuit City guys last week were steering me toward the hard drive, but I found a couple of reviews contrary, on the internet.

Right in the middle of typing this, I called a local camera specialty dealer, and his first words were to avoid the hard drive right now too.

Since I need short 15 second to 5 minute intervals, the mini dv should do great for how much recording time it has.

Now, what I think I've gathered from two camera sellers, is that I can "snag" what I need off these mini DVs and rearrange on a final DVD version.
What I'm recording will be a hodgepodge - from one thing to another. Originally, that's why I thought the hard drive would be great, because each fragment would be a file that I could name and find "planting" "3 cut method" etc..

But if I can get them of the mini dv and rearrange, that's fine. The only exception would be if rearranging would be such a task of hid and seek that I'd be better off with whatever the disadvantages of the hard drive JVC are.

This is different, how does this fit your approval

http://www.bizrate.com/camcorders/pi...formation.html

Is this different that the 3 CCDs that you mentioned?

I'm also going to check out the Panasonic you replied about, tomorrow when I drive into town.

Right now, I have an exceptional tripod that I bought for my Canon camera. So that's one down.

[MarcusK]

Well yeah its still different, basically you wanna steer clear from digital recording...at least until they perfect the technology...


As for the hide and seek you can easily take care of it by having a Timecode sheet!

Just write down the time codes and give it a title and comment, this would make your life so much easier in post...

Some softwares allow batch import (the big ones basically) and all you need to do is type in all the timecodes you wanna capture and it does all the rest, but I think the camera may need some sort of compatibility for this!

Hope this helps!
Marc

[Skyman]

batch capturing is the way to go. most video editing programs support it. I have yet to see a mini dv camera that doesn't support device control so you are fine in that respect also. keep a log of the timecode (not the real time but the time on the tape) of the scenes you want and a brief description of their contents. this will be in the format hh:mm:ss:ff (hours, minutes, seconds and frames) some where in the capture window you can enter the start and end times of each scene and give the file a name. this also helps you in the editing process as not everything you want to use will be ok and some stuff you hadn't thought of will be gold. there is one trap with this, if you are fast forwarding and rewinding your tape to check what you have recorded and you don't rewind far enough you can get what is know as a gap in the timecode (where the tape counter resets itself) and it makes it problematic to batch capture anything after the break in the code. the solution is to "stripe the tape" that is to record an unbroken timecode before you shoot anything you might want to use. to do this simply put the camera in a quiet room with the lens cap on (so it is recording black) and record till the tape runs out. you can then rewind and use the tape and you will never have a problem with gaps in the timecode!

[mdvaden]

Found a way to experience both cameras.

Costco's guys, told me I could buy the JVC hard drive camcord and return it if I didn't like it.

And, it was as bad as the negative reviews.

So I bought a Sony mini dv. I liked a Panasonic, but the Sony fit my hands very well and the controls were located near my fingertips.

I would have skipped the Everio completely, but with Costco's offer, I thought it was worth the experience so that I could answer the questions I had, if someone asks me.