Which camcorder do you recommend?

Which camcorder do you recommend?

• I'm starting to get into film making so I will need a camcorder that has good quality and something that is able to connect to the computer to edit the footage. I'm on a tight budget as it's my parents' budget, not mine. (I'm only a teenager.) I don't know how to choose a camcorder since I no nothing of it, but is it possible to find a cheap, quality camcorder?

• Answer:

  If you want to seriously get into making your own stuff, then I would reccomend getting a pretty reasonable camera. That used to mean shelling out millions (not quite millions) on a semi-professional camera, but now there are tons of consumer camera's that have pretty much all the features that you would need. If you get a really cheap one, you will outgrow it pretty quickly, and wish you got a semi-decent one from the start. Firstly look out for a camera that has plenty of manual options. As you get more and more comfotable with the camera, you can switch from the auto settings and have more control over your picture. Secondly, stay away from all these new hardrive/ minidvd/ flashdrive camera's that are around. The hardrive camera is a good idea, but the technology is still pretty new, and they have the potential to crash just like any computer around The mini-DV is awesome quality, doesn't really degrade too much with use, is heaps cheaper than the mini-dvd's, and easy to store. Thirdly, try for a Hi-Def camera. The quality really is awesome, and you DON'T need a Hi-Def TV or anything else to be able to appreciate the difference (as some people are saying). If they are a bit out of your price range, then definately go for any camera that has 3CCD. 3CCD basically means you have much better defined colours. Most camera's (although this is changing) only have 1CCD chip. Panasonic has a good range of 3CCD camera's for pretty cheap. Stay away from brands you haven't heard of, and get a warranty, because no matter how good a camera is, they can break very easily, and you will be up for a repair bill double the price that you paid for the camera in the first place. I have a Hi-Def Sony HDV 1080i HANDYCAM HDRHC3 and it's an awesome brilliant camera. Not sure how much they retail for in the U.S (i'm from Australia) but they are at the more expensive end of the range. But honestly, it's the best value camera I have ever owned (and I have owned a few). Lastly, try and get some decend editing software. If you are on a Mac, go for Adobe Final Cut Pro and if on PC go for Adobe Premiere. They do cost a bit though, so try and factor the cost of software in when figuring your budget. There are heaps of cheap programs around, but you get what you pay for. Hope this helps