Video cam

[DesertBull]

I just bought a MiniDV cam and was wondering what everyone else using for video. I bought a Canon Optura. Maybe someday I'll spring for one of the high end cameras like the XL1- GL1 etc.

[bullwidgeon]

I would really like to know as well. I am in the market for one right now. I was thinking one of the Sony Digital 8's but I do not dig the black and white viewfinder. Then I considered the Canon ZR models but I heard they performed terrible in lowlight and most my video will be shot through bino lenses and that is all poor light territory, so now I am looking at the JVC gr-dXX models with a lens doubler that would bring optical zoom to 32x. I thought the Opturas only had 10x optical zoom so I did not look into them. Anyways, any input you guys have on digital videocams would be great. I know the expensive Canons (XL and I think GL models) with 3 chips probably rule but I am/will be very cash poor for the next year or 10.

 

Bret M.

[25-06]

GOOD LUCK . You got me lost.

[DesertBull]

The Optura I bought is 16X zoom. I am purchasing a screw on lens that will double it also.

 

I really debated over the Canons too, because of the lowlight thing. Then I started digging into it a little bit and found out that when those "professionals" started talking lowlight, they were talking indoors with maybe one light in the roomand sometimes only a few candles. You know, the artzy fartzy crowd.

 

Look at the Panasonic GS15. It is 24X and faily inexpensive.

 

Panasonic also makes GS70, GS120, and GS200 3 ccd cams for under $1,000. I've seen the GS70 for as low as $500. But they only have 10X zoom.

[bullwidgeon]

I did get the JVC gr-d33 model. I took it with me last week to the White Mountains when I went to scout and got some good video of elk, muleys and antelopes. So far I am happy with it. No big complaints other than the auto-focus seems to have problems when shooting through binos if the sun is anywhere in the same general direction as the binos are pointed. My uncles have problems with their Panasonic VHS-C models in this same situation as well and I think it would probably happen with almost all cameras. I did not get the doubler yet, but it takes great video through the bino lense if I do my part and hold the camera still enough and the sun is not blaring through messing up the focus. Let me know what you think about the doubler, when and if you get it. Thanks.

 

Bret M.

[DesertBull]

Got the telephoto lens for the Canon. It's a Raynox model. They usually run about $50-60, but I lucked out and found one on E-Bay for for $16!

 

I'm taking it out this weekend, but from just messing around with it at the house it seems to work great.

 

 

Raynox

[DesertBull]

I took this picture with a 10X zoom digital camera. The distance was appx 500 yards.

 

 

I then took this video of the same buck at the exact same distance, with the Canon Optura 20 w/Raynox 2x telephoto lens. Total of 32X zoom.

 

Kaibab buck

Edited January 1, 1970 by DesertBull

[bullwidgeon]

Thats awesome. I about an hour of elk, muley and bear video that I have collected over the last couple weeks. I need to figure out how to get it all on the internet still though. Been to busy scouting/hunting to figure it all out just yet. I am going to have to look into one of those doublers

 

Bret M.