recomendations for a mini dv camera?

[dreyfuss]

well after years (started the summer of 97) of recording the concerts i go to with audio i'm thinking of getting a mini dv camera, now concerts won't be the only thing i use it for but i'll definitly use it with the hip and any other band that allows taping

so in short i'm looking for some recomendations, and i figure this group is as good as any for info, there seem to be enough hip video tapers out there already right so i wanna contribute to pile

so any info you can give would be great, reply here or pm me

i'm looking for what brands you recomend, ease of use, battery stamina, pretty much anything you got let me know

i'd like to keep it under $1000 canadian and i'd like to have it before new years

thanks a bunch

[LoftyPines]

well after years (started the summer of 97) of recording the concerts i go to with audio i'm thinking of getting a mini dv camera, now concerts won't be the only thing i use it for but i'll definitly use it with the hip and any other band that allows taping

so in short i'm looking for some recomendations, and i figure this group is as good as any for info, there seem to be enough hip video tapers out there already right so i wanna contribute to pile

so any info you can give would be great, reply here or pm me

i'm looking for what brands you recomend, ease of use, battery stamina, pretty much anything you got let me know

i'd like to keep it under $1000 canadian and i'd like to have it before new years

thanks a bunch

I bought the Panasonic PV-GS55 in September for school. It is very small, light weight and does a pretty good job. I have no complaints, but so far I dont require all the bells and Whistles. I bought it at Henry's and they gave me a great deal because I am a student. ($799 plus tax originally, they gave it to me for $720 all taxes included!)

I am not too sure if this makes a difference, but the removable memory is Secure Digital. So if you already have a digital camera with this kind of memory, that may be a bonus.

Have fun shopping!

[chris]

I've had great success with my Panasonic PV-DV102-K. It's super easy to use, has a great picture and sound. It doesn't have an infrared night vision option, but that wasn't something I was looking for. My only additional purchase was a bigger battery.

Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a camera for recording concerts:
- Side access for the tapes. If it is a bottom access, you have to remove the camera from the tri/mono-pod in order to change tapes.
- Are larger capacity batteries available?
- Are 12bit & 16 audio options available? Useful for mixing in separate audio sources.
- How does it perform in low light situations?
- Can you add a microphone?
- FireWire vs. USB connectivity - what does your computer accept? FireWire is a faster medium, but the video transfers in realtime, so it isn't much of an issue.

Hope this helps...