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Looking for a digital camera with good video capabilities
Hey ya'll. I'm looking for a cheap digital camera (hopefully under $200) that takes decent pictures, better than my cell phone. However the larger element is that it needs to have decent video. I'd like a fairly high quality microphone and video with a decent resolution. I don't want a digital camera with choppy video- I'd prefer a cheap video camera that can take non grainy pics, for the most part. :P
I got a video camera and a still camera within the past two years. From what I've come across, you won't find one camera that does both well. Any camera will take stills better than your cell phone, Canon's line is regarded as the best bang for your buck for point and shoots. Do you want HD video? For good audio recording, you need a video camera with a hot shoe for a mic.
Maybe you'll get more experts in the tech forum.
Improvolone on
Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
I'm not looking for HD video, no- just not a grainy cell phone video at 160x112 resolution or whatever. :P Basically anything better than a webcam. I'm fine with something whose optimal output would look like non HD Youtube.
I'm pretty sure the Powershot line all support video mode. My generic advice for someone who wants a point and shoot camera and doesn't want to be disappointed is to buy the best Canon Powershot model you can afford (with the NiMH batteries & charger & SD card purchase factored in as well). Go see what's out there, check the video options. Pretty sure you won't be disappointed at all.
Pheezer on
IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
I'm pretty sure the Powershot line all support video mode. My generic advice for someone who wants a point and shoot camera and doesn't want to be disappointed is to buy the best Canon Powershot model you can afford (with the NiMH batteries & charger & SD card purchase factored in as well). Go see what's out there, check the video options. Pretty sure you won't be disappointed at all.
How about a point and shoot style that has above average durability?
Something I can take camping/partying/the job site.
Depending on how extreme you want to get, the Pentax W60 is waterproof to 15'. It's a great little point and shoot. Olympus has a waterproof model as well, but I've never used one.
I'm bumping this up to the top one more time as I'm just about prepared to make my purchase. So far I'm liking the Powershot product line (I've used two since making the thread, and I like the UI), but if there are any other brands that put out a camera with better video capabilities, I'd definitely love to hear it before I pull the trigger on the purchase.
I got a canon hf100 vixia HD camecorder, takes sweet video and 4MP stills, audio is decent but I'd need to buy an microphone addon to get really good quality. It was around 800 CAN. including some memory cards. If video&sound is more important to you then stills you could always grab an older camcorder.
Yeah sorry for not being more clear in my OP. I'm looking for a $100-200 (USD) thing here. If I had enough to spend to go for a real camcorder I would.
I decided to up my budget a little, and after a few hours of browsing I realized my interests also included ultraslimness. So my question is this:
I really like the Sony Cybershot T500. It looks awesome, it seems to have great picture quality, and it takes 720p video. The only bad things about it from my vantage point are that it has few physical buttons (big touch screen) and that it (allegedly, from reviews) suffers from poor battery life as a result of the large screen.
I don't know what price they are now but I bought a Powershot G9 a few months ago and have been very very impressed by it. There is a G10 that has since come out so the G9 should have gone down in price. It's basically a very dumbed down DSL so it might be a bit more complicated than you're looking for.
I bought a Canon PowerShot SD870 a few months back and took it with me on a trip to South Africa, it's roughly in your price range. I went with an Elph model because I knew if I didn't have a camera that would fit comfortably in a pocket, I wouldn't be likely to bring it with me to places. I carried it pretty much everywhere I went in South Africa and was able to grab a lot of random opportunity photos as a result. It has a video mode and I was pleasantly surprised with the results. However, most of my videos were shared with friends and family via the web, 720p would be massive overkill for my needs. The battery life on it is great, though, and it's extremely easy to use.
Posts
Maybe you'll get more experts in the tech forum.
I'm not looking for HD video, no- just not a grainy cell phone video at 160x112 resolution or whatever. :P Basically anything better than a webcam. I'm fine with something whose optimal output would look like non HD Youtube.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Thanks Pheezer.
Something I can take camping/partying/the job site.
just used one tonight for that in fact
it's tops
Depending on how extreme you want to get, the Pentax W60 is waterproof to 15'. It's a great little point and shoot. Olympus has a waterproof model as well, but I've never used one.
I really like the Sony Cybershot T500. It looks awesome, it seems to have great picture quality, and it takes 720p video. The only bad things about it from my vantage point are that it has few physical buttons (big touch screen) and that it (allegedly, from reviews) suffers from poor battery life as a result of the large screen.
Thoughts?