Digital Camera Suggestions

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The Critic

The Critic

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Well, it turns out I'll be needing some sort of modern video camera (something newer than a 20-yr old Sony) for my upcoming senior project. I figure that this would be a good idea to kill two birds with one stone, and buy a long overdue digital camera.
grin.gif


I've been looking at the Canon A710IS or the Canon A570IS. Here's a link to the A710IS:

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Di...TF8&s=photo

Other than video, I just plan to do basic point and shoot. I want something that's a good compromise between video and photo shooting, reasonably pocketable, takes AAA batteries, and has Image Stabilization.

Suggestions? TIA.
 
ive not seen a good camera that does video and stills equally well and is not rediculously expensive.
perhaps you may look at getting 2 cameras, 1 for video and one for stills.
 
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your 20 year old camera will take better video. those are good still camera choices if you are not looking for top quality video.

Click to expand...

The video coming out of my archaic 20 yr old Sony looks much worse than the video clips taken with my friend's several year old, four megapixel bargain Sony, so I'm not sure if I'd agree with you.
 
I am part of the school of thought that dedicated items do a better job, often at a better cost point, considering their performance/quality.

If I were you, and I was satisfied with the friend's 4MP video camera, Id buy the equivalent in spec to that one, same manufacturer, etc... for as good a deal as I could. Id then buy a lower-end digital SLR, which will actually teach you how to take pictures well, and will give you unlimited utility, practically forever, with far superior results than all but the very best ($$$$) point and shoot cameras.

Good luck!

JMH
 
Quote:

Well, it turns out I'll be needing some sort of modern video camera (something newer than a 20-yr old Sony) for my upcoming senior project. I figure that this would be a good idea to kill two birds with one stone, and buy a long overdue digital camera.
grin.gif


I've been looking at the Canon A710IS or the Canon A570IS.

Click to expand...

What do you consider a "modern camera"? You haven't explained what exactly you're planning to film. Keep in mind the maximum video size with this Canon is 1 GB, which is about 8 minutes (640x480, 30fps). If you get a 2 GB flash card, you can fit two such 8 minute segments. Is that enough? Also, you can't operate the optical zoom while the movie is recording.

If your main requirement is video recording, then you should look for a digital camcorder rather than a digital camera that can do video recording on the side.
 
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Best video with a IS ultra zoom camera:

Canon S2/S3 IS. Great cameras.

IF you can handle your video mode without zoom available, then the Panasonic DMC-FZ7 & FZ8 are great choices.

I think you'll find the 12x zoom cameras to be much more versatile than the smaller ones. They can still be pocketable, just a jacket pocket or cargo shorts/pants and not a shirt pocket.

The FZ8 can be had for $300, and the FZ7 is on clearance at Circuit City and can be had for ~$170 with a price match and coupon. fz7
 
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Quote:

I am part of the school of thought that dedicated items do a better job, often at a better cost point, considering their performance/quality.

If I were you, and I was satisfied with the friend's 4MP video camera, Id buy the equivalent in spec to that one, same manufacturer, etc... for as good a deal as I could. Id then buy a lower-end digital SLR, which will actually teach you how to take pictures well, and will give you unlimited utility, practically forever, with far superior results than all but the very best ($$$$) point and shoot cameras.

Good luck!

JMH

Click to expand...

Thanks. Ideally, I would love to have separate appliances (dare I say?) for video recording and photos, but I only shoot movie clips very, very rarely. Thus, I'm trying to get the best of both worlds. My friend actually had a 4MP (I think it was 4, might have been less) Sony Digital Camera, not Video Camera.

Quote:

What do you consider a "modern camera"? You haven't explained what exactly you're planning to film. Keep in mind the maximum video size with this Canon is 1 GB, which is about 8 minutes (640x480, 30fps). If you get a 2 GB flash card, you can fit two such 8 minute segments. Is that enough? Also, you can't operate the optical zoom while the movie is recording.

If your main requirement is video recording, then you should look for a digital camcorder rather than a digital camera that can do video recording on the side.

Click to expand...

I only plan to do video recording "once in a blue moon." In such case, it's not worth investing in a separate digital camcorder. The 1GB limit on 640X480 is exclusive to the A710IS with the Digic II processor. The Digic III processor in the A570IS allows up to 4GB or 60 min, whichever comes first.
 
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