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Tom Baker1 Author

Level 3

613 points

Recommendations for a good mini-DV camcorder?

I'm using FCP 5 on a G5 Mac (made in 2005), shooting my video with a little Canon Elura 100 mini-DV camcorder (made in 2006) -- I'm rather stuck in the past I guess.

I know mini-DV is obsolete, and modern camcorders are capturing their video to internal flash drives, but I still have lots of mini-DV tapes (I bought a batch of 50 and have only used a few) so I guess I'll stick with tape for a while yet. (I don't think FCP 5 can import today's flash-based video anyway, can it?)

Anyway, the little old Elura is getting tired, so I'm going to replace it with another mini-DV camera, even if I buy a used one, and I thought I'd step up to a bigger and better mini-DV camcorder. I don't really need HD, either (the old G5 and FCP 5 may not be able to handle HD anyway).

Any recommendations for a high-quality Mini-DV camcorder?

Thanks!

Tom

Mac OS X (10.5.8), 8 GB of RAM

Posted on May 14, 2012 6:39 PM

33 replies

Stockholm

Level 1

124 points

May 30, 2012 10:56 AM in response to Jim Cookman

The DVX100 is a 4.3 camera and the only way to get a "true" 16:9 was to add a anamorphic lens adapter.

You could also use the squese mode on the camera but that is not a true 16:9, it´s fake

The only thing you get is reduced resolution as a result.

If you liked that then fine bit it is still a 4:3 chip camera

poconorm

Level 1

95 points

May 30, 2012 11:04 AM in response to Stockholm

All true, but at the time it and the Canon XL2 were kings of the prosumer market in terms of image quality and functionality.

Studio X

Level 7

27,229 points

May 31, 2012 6:32 PM in response to Stockholm

Ummm... 16:9 in DV is 720x480. 4;3 in DV is 720x480. ALL DV is squeezed. The difference between 4;3 and 16:9 is simply the aspect ratio of the pixels.

The DVX 100 is a very solid camera that records very very nice 16:9 images.

If you want square pixel 16:9 images, you need an HD cam.

Recommendations for a good mini-DV camcorder?