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12/12/2011 12:19:21 PM · #1 |
OK, my son, who is almost 11, has been making flip books, comic books and videos since forever. The videos, which he makes on his Nintendo DSi, show promise but the Nintendo has serious limitations, especially in terms of exporting and editing.
Anyway, I want to encourage his interest, so I thought I'd make a "Beginning Filmmaker's Kit" for his Christmas gift. I'm stumped when it comes to video cameras. I'm not going to let him use my 5D (at least not until he's gotten and Oscar or two) most of the film making books are geared towards adults with adult budgets and suggest cameras in the $2-3k range. I'm looking for something about a tenth of that price, max. I know some DPC'ers must shoot video too, so I'm hoping for a bit of their wisdom. Any suggestions? |
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12/12/2011 12:24:31 PM · #2 |
Sanyo make some excellent cameras with a decent lens and full HD, look for Sanyo Xacti
LINK
Message edited by author 2011-12-12 12:26:10. |
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12/12/2011 12:28:31 PM · #3 |
| There's also the Flip cameras; //www.theflip.com/en-us/ |
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12/12/2011 12:30:03 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by MAK:
Sanyo make some excellent cameras with a decent lens and full HD, look for Sanyo Xacti |
Woah, the VPC-PD1 looks nice - You've just triggered a bout of gadget lust. |
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12/12/2011 12:32:05 PM · #5 |
| This might be a bit like what he has now and not a step up but: I pick up my boys one of these (Amazon link with NO affil attached) for a similar reason. They wanted to make movies of their lego battles e.t.c. and are 9ish so a bit younger then your looking. This one is a variation on the flip things but looks like a nice little HD video. |
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12/12/2011 12:33:06 PM · #6 |
Check out the GoPro. It has high quality film that even some professionals use, it is inexpensive, it is completely water proof and shock proof, and the best part is that you can shoot stuff from your perspective.
I am excited about this toy, but I bet an 11 year old would be even more excited |
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12/12/2011 12:33:58 PM · #7 |
| I had one of these xacti's for about a week then while driving into London, had the thing on my lap, got out the car to put something in the boot then drove another 15 miles before my slow brain said "OH NOOOOOO" too late, long gone, I hope whoever found it really needed it. |
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12/12/2011 12:35:47 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by Fiora:
Check out the GoPro. It has high quality film that even some professionals use, it is inexpensive, it is completely water proof and shock proof, and the best part is that you can shoot stuff from your perspective.
I am excited about this toy, but I bet an 11 year old would be even more excited |
That's a great idea (and I knew about them and blanked).... Stick to his skate board, head e.t.c.... So scratch my prev post - I vote for this now :-) and I added a thought for next Christmas for my boys :-) |
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12/12/2011 12:38:39 PM · #9 |
I've done some looking around in lower grade video cameras for my girlfriend and it's sorta a frustrating battle. You're inevitably sacrificing not only IQ frequently but any concept of control of the output.
A couple that are around your range are the
Canon VIXIA HF R10 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom, 400x Digital Zoom, 2.7" Widescreen Color LCD, Silver (this is not the current model, so you may be able to find one in your price range. The new R20 is also well received but is obviously a bit more expensive as it's current year). A few months ago the R10 could be had for $279, but availability may now be an issue.
The Samsung HMX H300 and the H200 are within your price range, and seemed to be received decently for their price range, as well. You'll need to add an SD card into the cost of those, btw.
What I found in all my reading is that the proverbial BAR for video quality is somewhere in the $400 range. It's at that point that you really start to get into well reviewed cameras. Below that and you're always searching for a diamond in the rough. You could also check into getting a used mid range camera. That seemed to be a common suggestion on forums. People were generally of the opinion that getting an older used version of a mid range camera was far more worth your money than buying a new entry level model. Some of the Panasonics received great reviews in the midrange, as did the Canon M series I do believe it was... |
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12/12/2011 12:43:45 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by robs:
Originally posted by Fiora:
Check out the GoPro. It has high quality film that even some professionals use, it is inexpensive, it is completely water proof and shock proof, and the best part is that you can shoot stuff from your perspective.
I am excited about this toy, but I bet an 11 year old would be even more excited |
That's a great idea (and I knew about them and blanked).... Stick to his skate board, head e.t.c.... So scratch my prev post - I vote for this now :-) and I added a thought for next Christmas for my boys :-) |
I've used GoPros, and while they do work well for certain applications, they have zero control of product. Picture a camera that you cannot focus selectively, nor can you adjust shutter or aperture and you've removed the viewfinder, and you've pretty much got a GoPro. I understand we're talking about a youngster here but video heavily depends upon focus. The GoPro's are also difficult to aim since they do not have an LCD. You record blind unless you want to spend $79 to get a screen separately.
Message edited by author 2011-12-12 12:52:39. |
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12/12/2011 12:56:38 PM · #11 |
Just about every cheap compact still camera also shoots video these days. Sometimes there's a time limit, say, 20 minutes of HD without hitting the stop button, for instance, on my Samsung. But then you just have to hit stop, let it process, then start recording again. A still camera provides an easy option to do animations.
My first daughter started doing videos at around ten, and treats her gear very well and responsibly. My younger daughter, currently ten, treats her electronics like crap and has demonstrated a huge lack of responsibility. They are polar opposites in every way... so much for nature versus nurture.
Recording is the easy part. Finding a decent piece of software for editing is the real challenge, at least for me as a Windows user. I currently use VideoPad video editor for it's ease, simplicity, and cheapness ($70). I used to use the free Windows MovieMaker, but found it very 'crashy'.
My older daughter and her friend did this anti-drug public service announcement a couple of weeks ago as a class assignment. For some reason they signed a Sony Flip-Cam out of the school library to do it rather than use her compact camera. It looks like the flip cam had a hard time dealing with the light. I wanted to help with the assignment, but they were done before I got home from work. I think on purpose because the last assignment she had she started calling "Daddy's Assignment". I may have taken over a bit too much, and so suffered the shut-out this time.
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12/12/2011 01:00:15 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by spiritualspatula:
Originally posted by robs:
Originally posted by Fiora:
Check out the GoPro. It has high quality film that even some professionals use, it is inexpensive, it is completely water proof and shock proof, and the best part is that you can shoot stuff from your perspective.
I am excited about this toy, but I bet an 11 year old would be even more excited |
That's a great idea (and I knew about them and blanked).... Stick to his skate board, head e.t.c.... So scratch my prev post - I vote for this now :-) and I added a thought for next Christmas for my boys :-) |
I've used GoPros, and while they do work well for certain applications, they have zero control of product. Picture a camera that you cannot focus selectively, nor can you adjust shutter or aperture and you've removed the viewfinder, and you've pretty much got a GoPro. I understand we're talking about a youngster here but video heavily depends upon focus. The GoPro's are also difficult to aim since they do not have an LCD. You record blind unless you want to spend $79 to get a screen separately. |
I bought a GoPro for very specific uses. I don't think it would be a good way for someone to start out.
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12/12/2011 01:11:14 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Originally posted by spiritualspatula:
Originally posted by robs:
Originally posted by Fiora:
Check out the GoPro. It has high quality film that even some professionals use, it is inexpensive, it is completely water proof and shock proof, and the best part is that you can shoot stuff from your perspective.
I am excited about this toy, but I bet an 11 year old would be even more excited |
That's a great idea (and I knew about them and blanked).... Stick to his skate board, head e.t.c.... So scratch my prev post - I vote for this now :-) and I added a thought for next Christmas for my boys :-) |
I've used GoPros, and while they do work well for certain applications, they have zero control of product. Picture a camera that you cannot focus selectively, nor can you adjust shutter or aperture and you've removed the viewfinder, and you've pretty much got a GoPro. I understand we're talking about a youngster here but video heavily depends upon focus. The GoPro's are also difficult to aim since they do not have an LCD. You record blind unless you want to spend $79 to get a screen separately. |
I bought a GoPro for very specific uses. I don't think it would be a good way for someone to start out. |
A GoPro sounds like fun, but not for what he wants to do, which may will involve his friends dressing up like Zombies and eating fake brains.
Message edited by author 2011-12-12 13:20:22. |
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12/12/2011 01:16:44 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
I wanted to help with the assignment, but they were done before I got home from work. |
lol! - Subtle hint perhaps? - I'd love to have seen the panic as they tried to finish it before you got home... |
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12/12/2011 01:50:58 PM · #15 |
| Sent you a PM, Sporky....I have a barely used Panasonic SDR-H60 palmcorder that I never use. Works perfectly. |
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