Recommend camcorder for very specific use

1. coach_clarke
   Member

   

   This forum has been great for me so far and I'm hoping to get a recommendation on what camcorder would suit my needs best for what I'm trying to accomplish.

   I want to record hockey games with a camcorder mounted and pointed at a single area. So no panning, just a stationary angle. The resolution has to be good enough to read numbers on a jersey up to 100' away. There'll be nobody standing next to the camcorder so I don't need to worry about zooming in and out. Also won't be taking any stills. Just want to mount the camcorder, push record, then hit stop when the game is over. Recording for 90 minutes would be ideal but minimum is 30 minutes and I can switch out memory stick/SD card/tape if needed.

   I've been using miniDV so far (JVC GR-D850) and the results are pretty decent but I'm thinking there's something lighter or better that I should be considering. Maybe stick with tape but move up to HD quality? Or is there something that would give just as good a quality that would allow longer recordings, and be easier to upload to my PC for editing? Uploading the tapes in real time is a pain.

   Also not too concerned about sound quality as I'll likely dub over with music anyway. I'll consider anything under $1000 but don't know how low and simple I can go (Flip UltraHD?) before the quality is gone. I don't need many features, just quality video.

   Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

   Posted 2 years ago #

2. robGRAUERT
   Member

   

   I think something like the Canon HV20/30/40 would be good. Records to tape though. 

   Rob Grauert, Jr
   http://www.robgrauert.com
   http://command-r.tumblr.com

   Posted 2 years ago #

3. coach_clarke
   Member

   

   Out of curiosity, is it the Canon brand that makes you recommend it or the fact that it's HDV? Checking in case I can get a deal on a different HDV model and if it's the tape that would make sure the quality stays superior.

   The miniDV camcorder I have right now only has Firewire but my PC only supports USB, so I'll either need a camcorder that supports USB or add a Firewire port to my PC.

   Posted 2 years ago #

4. XTR-91
   Member

   

   If camcorder stability and picture quality is what you are looking for, I'd go with a consumer quality camcorder that records in High-Definition. The best resolution is 1980x1020 which is supported on most HD camcorders, though I would still check the specific camcorder specs (usually specified as "1980i" or "1080i") if you want the highest quality. Despite the size of the image, you will not be able to see jersey numbers if they are too far away (probably more than 700 feet) with no pans or zooms.

   For a miniature-sized consumer camera, I'd check out JVC's Everio HD models:

   http://camcorder.jvc.com/product.jsp?productId=PRD1208000&pathId=141

   Posted 2 years ago #

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