i MAY HAVE FOUND A CAMERA,

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 16 Aug 2010 6:28 am

I see a lot of great videos on this section of the forum and the images and sound quality are excellent. Is there anyone who can suggest a good quality digital video camera that records in WMV format? I am really in need of a better camera of course I don't want to invest over maybe 120.00 and certainly there must be a brand of camera for that. Thanks for any help.

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 16 Aug 2010 7:01 am

I too, would like to know the answer to that.

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 16 Aug 2010 8:54 am

I bought a SONY digital camera last year at Wal Mart and I thought I had what I needed until I learned that I cannot use it to record directly into my computer and even when I do record, it is in the MPEG1 format and has to be converted to the WMV format in order for me to edit and process it for YouTube. Being as stupid as I am I just don't have the brain for all this technology and computers.

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 16 Aug 2010 1:00 pm

John,
I too use a Sony Digital Camera for my videos, I don't have to convert anything, I just do my editing in Windows Movie Maker, the resulting video is WMV format ready to upload to YouTube without any mods.

James.

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 16 Aug 2010 1:34 pm

Hi James. You must have a different model of SONY camera than I have, mine only records in the MPEG1 format and it has to be converted before I can put it in the Windows Movie Maker. Today we ordered the Logitech Pro 9000 QuickCam so hopefully it might be a better choice. The SONY does have excellent quality its just that this model is limited to just the MPEG1 format. Hopefully I can get back to recording the videos again soon. Thanks a lot James and you keep those great videos going my friend.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 16 Aug 2010 3:42 pm

I got a Kodak w/ MOV files..
Pain in the A$$

Adair Torres · Post by **Adair Torres** » 18 Aug 2010 6:53 am

I think those Mini DV Camera (firewire output) are the best to transfer your videos to your computer and keep the high quality (AVI Format)

Bill Sutton · Post by **Bill Sutton** » 18 Aug 2010 7:41 am

I use A Canon Power Shot SX100IS Digital Camera. I load on to my PCP. through Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard. And thin on to you tube. I dont have to change anything. I think it works OK.

Bill.

Vernon Hester · Post by **Vernon Hester** » 18 Aug 2010 8:21 am

I am using a Sony recording to a hard-drive in the camera.(high$$).,
But I like the Audio on Cannon or JVC best!!.You can save your video files in most any format with the various computer software.I use Magix 14 plus.
AVI is best quality,but I use WMV.
Vernon Hester

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 20 Aug 2010 3:38 pm

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 20 Aug 2010 4:29 pm

John,please tell us what you got beore closing..

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 21 Aug 2010 5:28 am

Hi Papa Joe. I purchased the Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 and it really has a sharp and clear image. I got it for $79.99. Here is a link to the company. http://www.logitech.com/en-us/webcam-co ... vices/6333

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 21 Aug 2010 5:44 am

I think the Zoom Q3 cost about $250 but the sound quality is excellent.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 21 Aug 2010 8:09 am

With regard to sound quality, do any of these cameras have an Audio Line-In?
Or are these all using the little mic built into the camera?

Here is a vid I made on my Cannon S1, and uploaded to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR8f0Do9tAQ

The issue is, if I have to record at this volume every time I make a home video I'm gonna go deef

!

I would rather run Direct, (but this camera doesn't have a line-in), and monitor with computer speakers (what I assume most folks listen to Youtubes with(???).

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 21 Aug 2010 8:14 am

I recently bought the Zoom Q3, and while it's sound quality is really good, the video quality is just so so compared to some of the videos I see here on the Forum. Good enough for my meager needs though. The "HandyShare" editing software that comes with it is probably something that I'll outgrow pretty fast. It doesn't do much more than let you set beginning and ending points and help you upload to Youtube and MySpace etc.

Once again, the sound is excellent and you can also turn off the video function and use it as a high quality, hand held stereo audio recorder.

Unfortunately, there's no Audio In jack. $:\$

I've seen them for under $200.

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 21 Aug 2010 8:36 am

Neither of the cameras I have ever used had an audio line in jack so I just have to set all the levels where I need them and then the sound adjustments on the computer to get the right levels. Most of the time that drives me nuts.

David Hartley · Post by **David Hartley** » 21 Aug 2010 1:09 pm

If you just want something that records good video and sound, try the iPhone. Bright lighting helps but audio is unbelievable. Then click upload to YouTube from the phone. Done.. There are others I know, but for a phone, it's really good. I recorded Mike Mcgee playing the lords prayer in Dallas on my iPhone when myself and John Russell asked if he could play it for us while we video'd it, and it's a really good recording. You would have thought it was done on something really expensive. Having saying that, iPhones are quite expensive but if you own one as a phone, try the video. I have tried a few camcorders, but steels can be rattly recorded close and low in volume when your in a room of your house. Turning the volume up to overcome steel rattles usually causes the camcorders compression to cut in and out. So, I would get recording software for your pc, record your steel onto your pc while taking a video, (with any cheap camcorder), then line up the recorded .wav with the video captured on your camcorder using windows movie maker. It's a bit slower but you get no pedal rattle on your recording and can adjust sound levels, effects and video transitions and add titles etc too,. Having saying that, some of the best steel guitar videos I have watched have noises, bad balance, bad lighting etc, but are so spontaneous, candid, and 'live' that the finished video is excellent. There really is a lot of talent out there to be seen and heard in the steel guitar world so, keep posting your videos.

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 24 Aug 2010 1:02 am

Any of the few budget camcorders that do have a line / mic input still suffer from the problem of the automatic level control trying to adjust the input level constantly. I had this problem with a Canon FS-10, and more recently, a Kodak Zi8. For my purposes, it's better to record the audio separately (but simultaneously), and sync it with the video in software. I want the emphasis to be on the sound, anyway. The video is secondary.

This recent video "Twin Guitar Special" was recorded using a Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG102 camera, which only cost a couple hundred bucks, and does pretty nice High Definition video in MP4 format. Although I didn't use the sound from the built-in mics, they are actually pretty decent (hint: turn off "wind noise reduction" which cuts the low end). I sync the recorded audio with the sound the camcorder mics picked up from the monitors while recording. It's time consuming, but I don't mind.

While I like to play around with this techie stuff because it's fun, I have to agree with David that sometimes spontaneous is better, even if the quality is indifferent.

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 24 Aug 2010 5:35 am

Jerry I agree with both you and David as far as creating a video with good sound quality. Even with the new Logitech Pro 9000 I still don't get good sound from the mic so I will continue to record directly into the computer and then just line up the audio track with the video track and then mix them both. The new problem that I have encountered is this old worn out DELL computer that was out of date about 2 days after it came off the assembly line.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 24 Aug 2010 8:17 pm

Sony Sucks. Olympus sucks too. I've never had any luck with WMFs but WTF..

I have had the BEST luck with Canon Powershots over the years. I had a 560 580 1000, 2000 and the latest and GREATEST X10. AVI files in many different resolutions. AA Batteries, (Lithiums last for MONTHS) that you can replace cheaply and fast. 10x optic zoom that works in the movie mode. GREAT res for stills and all kinds of options. 4 or more gig cards are cheap and a cheap card reader allows you to just load them on your HDD.

BAd news is I think they are phasing out the battery models.

Sound is GREAT and the inage stabilizer works..

I haven't worn them out from use, I either destroyed them or otherwise abused them beyond normal. One went swimming....

EJL