Video Cameras

[EvanB]

Hey Video people, Starting researching video cameras. Curious if anybody could give me some places to start. Here's what I'm looking for....I'm obviously no pro, just a good camera to make decent videos. Moderately priced ($500-700?) Long battery life, lots of memory options for long trip. It's first real trip will be a grand canyon trip. I'll have a car battery inverter to recharge but would love to not have to do it every night, and I can't download off of it until the end. Any suggestions?
Thanks for responses.

[tuberslickmysweatyballs]

you might want to take a look at www.camcorderinfo.com . scroll down abit past the ads on the left to get reviews,101 type stuff and more. great site.

i'd look at the canon elura 100 for what you want to do with it. really popular and well featured with a real 16:9 screen option,mic input,ect for only $350. when you add in extra batteries,firewire cable,tapes,ect you'll be up around $500+ then add a basic waterproof housing/bag and you are up to around $630 or so.

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content...der-Review.htm

memory stuff you mentioned really doesn't apply as much to video cameras as they use minidv tapes unless you are taking allot of stills with some video cameras. Keep in mind the stills are usually good for emailing and that's about it.

good places to shop are bhphoto.com and newegg.com(newegg has allot of user reviews on the canon too)

bhphoto sells very basic waterproof housings too for cameras for river trips.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

[BastrdSonOfElvis]

Most video editing software will allow you pull stills from your footage. They are probably of comparable quality to any stills you're going to take with the video camera, anyway. I wouldn't weight the camera's ability to take stills very high when comparing models.

I've always used Sony and they've proven to be pretty durable. A little more $$ usually, but you're already dropping so much on the camera...a little more for better product might be wise.

[gh]

I agree, my sony works great. I would also add to get a watershed bag to keep it dry. After much research, it is one seriously dry bag.

[Justin S.]

Greg's works great if the only thing you plan on recording are your feet and the ground. Cant really say how it does recording people kayak though.

[gh]

I said the camera worked great. I didnt say I knew how to use it.

[GoodTimes]

Hey EB.....I got a pretty sweet little digital (waterproof) helmet cam for the trip. It should add a little video flava'. Could easily rig it to the front of a raft too.

JS

[Redpaddle]

Why drybags and not dryboxes? I trust my Pelican case a lot more than my drybags. If you get one that fits your camera, the added bulk is worth it I think. Wait, youre not shooting thru the bag are you?

[gh]

Asked the LVM crew and they said Watershed bag. The seals seem better than the Pelican box.

[tuberslickmysweatyballs]

Originally Posted by Redpaddle

Wait, youre not shooting thru the bag are you?

For my suggestion... yes. Cheap way to get some fun video for a casual shooter.