New Camcorder Advice Please

[wakim]

Hey Everybody :wiggle: - I need to buy a new digital camcorder before my April trip to WDW. I was looking at the Panasonic GS200 before Christmas - the only problem I had with it was that it was only 10X zoom. Also, I was afraid to buy it and have it drop in price just after Christmas or have Panasonic introduce a new model that has greater zoom just after making my purchase!

Does anyone have any advice? Does anyone have any experience with this camcorder? :shrug:

Any feedback is most appreciated.

[ukwdwnut]

try this thread by tushypat for starters wakim here (http://www.wdisneyw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32739)

there are a lot of digi cam that only have 10x optical zoom i got one and have no probs with it

[Keith]

As sir nutty says, there are a few threads on this subject....

I like the one mr. Nut chose.. the Sony 40.... BUT I should say that my friends who are in pro. video ALL buy the panasonic 3CCD models such as the 200 for their holiday use. They claim that the 3ccds will produce much more accurate colour and generally higher quality video. Although that makes sense to me, given how they work, I can't say I've noticed when I've done side by side comparisons :/

Anyway, short answer.. the gs200 (or even the 120) is an excellent camcorder... but if you get a chance to use the sony dcr40 at a local shop, do see if you like the way it works with its touch screen etc better.

[wakim]

As sir nutty says, there are a few threads on this subject....

I like the one mr. Nut chose.. the Sony 40.... BUT I should say that my friends who are in pro. video ALL buy the panasonic 3CCD models such as the 200 for their holiday use. They claim that the 3ccds will produce much more accurate colour and generally higher quality video. Although that makes sense to me, given how they work, I can't say I've noticed when I've done side by side comparisons :/

Anyway, short answer.. the gs200 (or even the 120) is an excellent camcorder... but if you get a chance to use the sony dcr40 at a local shop, do see if you like the way it works with its touch screen etc better.
Hey Keith - Do you if the optical zoom on these cameras is effective when taking a still shot - i.e can you zoom to 10X and then take a shot. If so, I might consider one of the new pannys with 3.1 megapixels as the zoom on my digital still camera is only 3X.

[Keith]

Hey Keith - Do you if the optical zoom on these cameras is effective when taking a still shot - i.e can you zoom to 10X and then take a shot. If so, I might consider one of the new pannys with 3.1 megapixels as the zoom on my digital still camera is only 3X.

As far as I know it'll be effective when taking stills yep, but I've yet to see ANY of these camcorders even top end consumer models with 3 megapixels perform anywhere near as good as a digital camera with the same MP rating. You may get away with it if you just want small prints or no prints at all and are willing to mainly watch the photos on the web.

[ukwdwnut]

i'll take one 2mora and find out on my cammy anyhow :D

[Keith]

that'd be interesting nutty! do you have a normal digicam you could use on the same shot too?

[ukwdwnut]

yep a dsc p72 cyber shot, will do it when i get home then put them on the pc and send em to ya :D

[ukwdwnut]

Hey Keith - Do you if the optical zoom on these cameras is effective when taking a still shot - i.e can you zoom to 10X and then take a shot. If so, I might consider one of the new pannys with 3.1 megapixels as the zoom on my digital still camera is only 3X.

looks like you can, just tried it wakim :D

before you buy tho, go test one out first just so you are happy with it first :)

look here for panny 4mp (http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/nvgs400b) quite dear tho and is 12x optical

also (http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/nvgs200b) 10x optical and 2.3mp

i just like the hc40 from sony cos it fits in your back pocket, its tiny and the video quality is top notch :D

also make sure it has firewire capability as usb2 is just not good enough for transferring to pc then onto dvd, its just ok playing back from the cammy onto the tele :D

[wakim]

looks like you can, just tried it wakim :D

before you buy tho, go test one out first just so you are happy with it first :)

look here for panny 4mp (http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/nvgs400b) quite dear tho and is 12x optical

also (http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/nvgs200b) 10x optical and 2.3mp

i just like the hc40 from sony cos it fits in your back pocket, its tiny and the video quality is top notch :D

also make sure it has firewire capability as usb2 is just not good enough for transferring to pc then onto dvd, its just ok playing back from the cammy onto the tele :D
Thanks so much for taking the time to do all of this - I really appreiciate it. I think the 400 is just too rich for my blood so I guess I'm stuck with 10X optical zoom! Again, thanks for help in the decision making process!!!!!!!!