What is the best Video Camera to use with a MAC?

ATG,

There are MANY different approaches that you can take...

Unless you are really into video in a big way, many of the new digital still cameras have excellent video capture modes with audio. This is the approach I would recommend because you will get great still shots and with a 1 GB or so memory card in the camera, will be able to get video clips of 30 minutes or so.

You might need to use something like VisualHub to convert the clips into something that can be used in the iLife '06 applications, but that really isn't much of a problem. If you are near a PX, you should have several choices of cameras, but almost any big-box store should be able to help you as well. If you see a few models that look attractive, come back with the model numbers and we can give you a little more advice.

Retired AF

I recommend sony minidv cameras (the best ones IMO are the ones that record to tapes as opposed to a DVD or an internal Hard Drive) if you are working with iLife'06. Canon has great products also. JVC is so, so (yes they work on most macs but not always as well as sony and canon). Some folks experience driver issues with canon products, but frankly that has not happened to me ....ever.












Make sure the camera works with Firewire and has digital pass thru features so you can also connect existing analog sources to your mac. Great Feature btw! It will save you from spending a few hundred on one of these devices down the line
(media converter box):





Lastly make sure it defaults to 16 bit audio and not 12 bit.

I have a Canon ZR700 that has the exceedingly useful "passthrough" feature. It worked great with iMovie/DVD 5 and Panther, but doesn't seem to work with version 6 and Leopard. iMovie doesn't recognize the camcorder. Does anybody else have this problem with passthrough camcorders, or better, know how to fix it?