Electronics Discussions

I hoped that someone besides me might have an answer for you, but I guess not...

First of all, understand that I am a video professional. I've been working as a television engineer for 30 years, and have also written, produced and directed some minor things. The things that I want from a camera, as someone with a LOT of background in television, may not be the things that you want.

Secondly, I'm not a parent. I can't speak for the needs of parents.

Digital still image cameras can take decent video. I shot quite a few videos with my still image camera and was pleased with how they came out. You probably know that I have some videos on YouTube -- Here's one that I shot with my still camera. For the best quality, click on the "HQ" box on the lower right of the screen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci4pHK4tJok&feature=channel_page

The video is clean and the sound is clear... not bad at all. That was all one take, and notice that I didn't zoom in at all. Many still image cameras will not allow you to zoom when you are shooting video. Other still image cameras will allow you to zoom. Make sure you get a camera that will allow you to zoom if you want to be able to zoom.

I also have an HD video camcorder, and have loaded many videos from it onto YouTube. Here's one of a seagull on the shore of Lake Huron, in St. Ignace, MI. Like the previous video, click on the "HD" box on the lower right to get the best quality:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLt7zRCt_zo&feature=channel_page

Of course, the HD camcorder takes better videos but it cost a lot more money. I paid around $450 for the still image camera (a Canon PowerShot G7) and around $880 for the HD video camcorder (a Canon Vixia HF11). The video camcorder has come down a bunch in price and you can now get something like it for $600 or so.

There are still standard definition (SD) camcorders being sold, as well as a couple different types of high definition (HD) camcorders. If you get a video camcorder, I recommend a model that will allow you to record onto solid-state memory, such as SD memory cards. You will need a computer that's powerful enough to take the clips and process them, by stringing them together in an edited sequence or just be able to trim down a single clip.

I have a very good consumer digital camera and a very good consumer HD camcorder, and the following is true: Of the two, a digital camera will take the best photographs and a camcorder will take the best video. However, a digital camera will take decent video and a camcorder will take decent pictures. It all depends on what you'd like to do.

If you want the ability to do smooth zooms and to have a BIG zoom range, then you want a camcorder. It's not unusual for a consumer SD camcorder to have an optical zoom range of 40x. I've seen one consumer SD camcorder with an optical zoom of 50x! No digital camera will come close to that. HD camcorders have more modest zooms... the best I've seen there is 15x. Still, a camcorder will also allow you to do a s-m-o-o-t-h zoom, something that a still image camera can't do.

If you primarily take pictures and the occasional video is a nice thing to have, get a still image camera. You will get the best photographs from a still image camera, and that is your primary need. All I can say is that I'm having a blast with my HD camcorder, doing things I never previously thought about doing.

If you want HD, the best way to get it today is with a camcorder. There are just a couple of consumer still image cameras that can do true HD and they're both offbeat and expensive. Things might be different in a year or two (or five) when you begin to consider having a kid.

Anyway, that's my analysis. Let me know if you have any questions.

--Bob

Wow Bob that's a mouth full.  Suzie... We have used our Sony for both still and video and it works alright. The video isn't as great as I would like.  But really as a parent I only find myself shooting a few minutes of video anyway as after that I have to start chasing a kid anyway.  Unfortunately ours is such that the video box ends up only being a 3X3 square on my computer because of the quality.  I know there are some digital video cameras that also take stills, which might be a better option.  We have these at work and they are pretty nice.  If I had to do it again that's the route I would go.

I am not a parent, but my sister is. She got a FLIP video camera really cheaply from Wal-Mart (about $150). It's little and easy-to-use, and the files can be made not so big for emailing or blog postings. The videos are pretty good quality. It can usually hold more video than a digital camera. I just use my digital camera, but if I had a school play or something longer like that, I don't think the still camera would be good.

Hey everyone, I was away on vaca so just getting to your answers :)  As with something Bob said - my digital still does take decent videos.  They are about 640x480 and I'm sure a newer camera would have even bigger videos.  "If you primarily take pictures and the occasional video is a nice thing to have, get a still image camera"... that sounds like me!

Lilsquibb, perhaps if you had a better still camera you'd be happy with the video.  I agree, kids only give you a minute or two of doing something cute before they are running off again!  I captured some of the cutuest things my nephew did using my regular camera when my mom and sister didn't have their camcorders anywhere near them.  Since I take stills most of the time, I wouldn't want to lug around a bigger digital video camera just for the occasional video.

I guess if there was a school play or something you might need a real camera, but I also think about how my mom taped all that stuff when we grew up and we NEVER watch any of it!  I would probably just take a few small videos of the my kids in the play and get more use out of them then if I taped the whole thing.  Also, when I was a kid, many of the things we were in were recorded.  The local station covered all our recitals and when I was in HS there were videos we could buy after some of our performances.  Those came out way better then a parent's camera could ever do, so I think I wouldn't really record any of that kind of stuff.

I agree with you a still camera do not give great images. I am a mother of four and when we attend different plays and games with the children. The camcorder is the best because we can record the whole event instead of only being able to take little shots are record a few minutes here and there.

FWIW, the current issue of Consumer Reports magazine (July 2009) has a major article on digital cameras and it definitely covers using a digital camera to record video. I find that Consumer Reports is not always in sync with my experiences but it is a good, reliable source.

--Bob

My experience: no camcorder needed. We never watch videos after vacations,so I stopped taping it.

Instead I take digital photos, put them together and develop and order photobook on-line. There are companies who help you get it done easy and fast.Looks professional and makes a great memory and entertaining piece for guests.

I'm not a parent, though I can't wait to be. And from the position of a parent I would say that just getting a simple and capable camera that takes both video and pictures is the way to go.

People have already noted that you won't take too many videos and you won't watch them forever and always. And Unless you are planning a reality TV show of your child's life it's not worth putting out hunderd and hundreds for a professional camera.

I myself am looking into a camera "The Flip MinoHD" that is around $200. I know of several youtube vloggers that use it and are quite happy with it.

And I totally think putting together a DVD later on is a great idea. Much better than having dozens of old VHS home videos wandering around. My family used to have a cabinet of them and they have all since been recorded over in light of Star Trek, Survivor, and other such TV shows. haha.

Go for something simple and effective that won't break your bank.

I love my camcorder. My son is 2 and my two daughters are 8 and 6. I will cherish my memories forever. I wish my mom had taped me more in life so I could see what I was like growing up and I want my kids to remember funny moments also. I hate the millions of tapes I have laying around that I try to keep track of but all in all you need a camcorder if you have kids. You just do!!

KaciOhio said…

I love my camcorder. My son is 2 and my two daughters are 8 and 6. I will cherish my memories forever. I wish my mom had taped me more in life so I could see what I was like growing up and I want my kids to remember funny moments also. I hate the millions of tapes I have laying around that I try to keep track of but all in all you need a camcorder if you have kids. You just do!!

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I agree with you, that you probably need a camcorder if you have kids. Dealing with tapes is a pain though, and VCRs that playback tapes are slowly fading from homes as the world goes digital.

The latest generation of camcorders are digital and record either on removable memory cards (such as SD or MemoryStick) or hard drives. My camcorder records on SD cards and it's easy to load the clips into the computer and edit them. To me, this is much easier than fussing with videotapes and the quality is much better, too. The really good news is that there is free editing software for both Macs and PCs, and this software does a pretty good job. It's easy to use, too. (One hitch: This free software is for standard-definition video only. It doesn't do HD.)

I tend to agree that you want a camcorder if you have kids. You'll do a much better job capturing a dance recital or soccer game on a camcorder than you will with a still-image camera on its video setting.

--Bob

As a parent - no. Our kids are young, but I never found a use for our new camcorder. Most cameras now offer the toggle possibility, plus I am too busy taking photos to do anything else. I'm sure as they get older we may find more use for the camcorder though.

My parents, their grandparents, LIVE by their camcorder. They bring it everywhere and record everything. Then again, they don't use a digital camera for anything either. It really is nice to be able to watch video of our kids from ages ago - our son (4 yrs) just pulled out his personal video to watch it and loved it.

I just bought a camera that also takes HD video.  I think this will be plenty for us even after we have kids.  My sister pulls out her video for her kids, but then they usually don't do much with the videos.  On the other hand, I take 1-2 minute clips of my nephew and then share them on my website and facebook instantly :)  I think that is the way to go.  I do plan to make some DVDs where I combine ALL the short clips I took over the years.

I too prefer taking pictures.

Well my mom taped a lot of us growing up and I think we watched the videos.... like 3 times?  Anyway, I make those mini videos with my digital camera and all my friends and family sees the videos on my website or facebook.  Whereas with all the videos my mom made, only people who see them are people who come over.

I think I prefer the 2 minute video clips and will stick to this.  I like to share video quickly and easily and it is very quick and easy right now.  Plus, I rarely feel the need to record more than a few minutes because I'd rather take pics most of the time :)

As far as dance recitals are concerned - ours were always recorded professionally and purchasable for a small fee and any time we even TRIED to video ourselves, it turned out crappy because of all the heads and people getting in the way.  So for me, that's not a good reason to get a camera. 

For the soccer game scenario, I think I'd prefer my digital and being able to switch to record real fast and tape a few minutes before going back to pics.  I think for me I'd rather tape small clips that do not need to be edited then tape for 30 minutes and then edit out the boring parts.

vivasuzi said…

For the soccer game scenario, I think I'd prefer my digital and being able to switch to record real fast and tape a few minutes before going back to pics.  I think for me I'd rather tape small clips that do not need to be edited then tape for 30 minutes and then edit out the boring parts.

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That's what I do, too. The neat thing about using the video capability of a still camera is that it's so easy to import the video into your computer, then touch it up with Windows MovieMaker. Many newer camcorders make this easy as well, letting you store video on an SD chip that's easily plugged into the computer.

Sounds like you did the right thing!

--Bob