Horrible year for camcorders? at DVinfo.net

Marco Leavitt · February 21st, 2006, 10:20 AM

With the HC3 being a downgrade of the HC1, and Panasonic downgrading the entire GS line, and Canon not exactly wowing us these days, does anyone else get the feeling that 2006 is shaping up to be a dismal year for low-end cams? Things are really exciting at the top-end prosumer level, but its getting depressing for the rest of the market.

Wayne Morellini · February 21st, 2006, 10:33 AM

HD XM, Everio, maybe even Panasonic and Samsung are expected. With Mpeg4 Sanyo out, and H264 cameras to be announced next month or so.

Stephen Finton · February 21st, 2006, 11:02 AM

HD looks pretty damn good no matter how cheap it is, it seems. Currently they are eyeballing it suspiciously because they don't want people to choose cheaper cameras over the more expensive ones.

Marco Leavitt · February 21st, 2006, 11:04 AM

Well bring 'em on, but please let them have manual controls and focus rings or they won't be much use.

Dylan Couper · February 21st, 2006, 11:15 AM

I think it is pretty amazing actually. The consummer level of camcorder market has been dead stale for years. Change is good!

Ron Evans · February 21st, 2006, 11:16 AM

Actually I think the HC3 is a better match for me with my FX1. It is top loading so that there is no problem changing tapes on a tripod, has better low light performance, has manual controls just not a focus ring ( I always use spot focus anyway on my TRV50), has 12sec slo motion feature--- seems like a much better camera!!! Smaller and cheaper too.

Ron Evans

Marco Leavitt · February 21st, 2006, 11:45 AM

You sure about those manual controls? Camcorderinfo says that you can't control the shutter speed and the camcorder has no mic input.

Zack Birlew · February 21st, 2006, 04:20 PM

The lack of a mic input is a HUGE "WTF?"-twitch for me. Don't their additional microphones sell? What exactly are we to do when we need better sound? Buy another camera? May wanna price this at $850, that "sounds" better.

But, if there's some alternative way for better audio that Sony hasn't said yet, I hope they announce it soon because I may just wait to get an HC1 off of eBay or go for a Sanyo HD1 instead.

Ron Evans · February 21st, 2006, 08:28 PM

For me the HC3 will be a second camera so I don't need a mic input or many controls other than focus and exposure which it has. Any more elaborate and I will use the FX1. For me size, top load, low light performance and lanc control are the most important. This gives me the option of a second camera to the FX1 and a camera for casual use. As far as I can tell from the information I have it fits these needs much better than the HC1.

Ron Evans

Harrison Murchison · February 22nd, 2006, 12:40 PM

Well the industry certainly has decided to add a bit of sepeation between consumer and Pro.

Consumers are obviously too stupid to deal with tape and thus the DVD-R based cameras are going to be hyped.

Prosumers and Pro's will have HDD based and Flash and HDV tape of course.

I'm excited about the HC3 though and I can't wait for JVC and Canon to hit this market.

Philip Williams · February 22nd, 2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Felis

The lack of a mic input is a HUGE "WTF?"-twitch for me. Don't their additional microphones sell? What exactly are we to do when we need better sound? Buy another camera?

Actually, I think you can buy Sony's microphones that interact with the hotshoe. Hope everyone with the HC3 really likes Sony mics...

By the way, I think 2006 WILL be exciting. I just know that Canon has to bring an Optura HDV out to combat the Sony HC1/3. And I bet the FX1 is slaughtering the other 3K camcorders. Now if we don't see some exciting products from the other manufacturers, 2006 will be a bland year for consumers indeed.. but a very profitable one for Sony.

www.philipwilliams.com

Zack Birlew · February 22nd, 2006, 10:06 PM

Ah, at least that's a slight relief. Thanks Philip!

I've got no problem with the Sony mics, at least for a consumer camera like that. If there's an adapter for XLR mics, that'd be great, but I'd use this mostly as a director's eyepiece sort of thing for scouting locations and checking scenes.

Tony Tibbetts · February 22nd, 2006, 10:28 PM

I'm curious to see how the slo-mo function on the HC3 works. If it's as cool as it sounds I may pick one up.

February 21st, 2006, 10:20 AM	#1
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Horrible year for camcorders? With the HC3 being a downgrade of the HC1, and Panasonic downgrading the entire GS line, and Canon not exactly wowing us these days, does anyone else get the feeling that 2006 is shaping up to be a dismal year for low-end cams? Things are really exciting at the top-end prosumer level, but its getting depressing for the rest of the market.

February 21st, 2006, 11:15 AM	#5
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	I think it is pretty amazing actually. The consummer level of camcorder market has been dead stale for years. Change is good! __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

February 21st, 2006, 04:20 PM	#8
Zack Birlew Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 613	The lack of a mic input is a HUGE "WTF?"-twitch for me. Don't their additional microphones sell? What exactly are we to do when we need better sound? Buy another camera? May wanna price this at $850, that "sounds" better. But, if there's some alternative way for better audio that Sony hasn't said yet, I hope they announce it soon because I may just wait to get an HC1 off of eBay or go for a Sanyo HD1 instead. __________________ "Babs Do or Babs Do not, there is no try." - Zack Birlew www.BabsDoProductions.com

February 22nd, 2006, 10:06 PM	#12
Zack Birlew Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 613	Ah, at least that's a slight relief. Thanks Philip! I've got no problem with the Sony mics, at least for a consumer camera like that. If there's an adapter for XLR mics, that'd be great, but I'd use this mostly as a director's eyepiece sort of thing for scouting locations and checking scenes. __________________ "Babs Do or Babs Do not, there is no try." - Zack Birlew www.BabsDoProductions.com

February 21st, 2006, 10:33 AM	#2
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	HD XM, Everio, maybe even Panasonic and Samsung are expected. With Mpeg4 Sanyo out, and H264 cameras to be announced next month or so.

February 21st, 2006, 11:02 AM	#3
Stephen Finton Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 344	HD looks pretty damn good no matter how cheap it is, it seems. Currently they are eyeballing it suspiciously because they don't want people to choose cheaper cameras over the more expensive ones.

February 21st, 2006, 11:04 AM	#4
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Well bring 'em on, but please let them have manual controls and focus rings or they won't be much use.

February 21st, 2006, 11:16 AM	#6
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	Actually I think the HC3 is a better match for me with my FX1. It is top loading so that there is no problem changing tapes on a tripod, has better low light performance, has manual controls just not a focus ring ( I always use spot focus anyway on my TRV50), has 12sec slo motion feature--- seems like a much better camera!!! Smaller and cheaper too. Ron Evans

February 21st, 2006, 11:45 AM	#7
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	You sure about those manual controls? Camcorderinfo says that you can't control the shutter speed and the camcorder has no mic input.

February 21st, 2006, 08:28 PM	#9
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	For me the HC3 will be a second camera so I don't need a mic input or many controls other than focus and exposure which it has. Any more elaborate and I will use the FX1. For me size, top load, low light performance and lanc control are the most important. This gives me the option of a second camera to the FX1 and a camera for casual use. As far as I can tell from the information I have it fits these needs much better than the HC1. Ron Evans

February 22nd, 2006, 12:40 PM	#10
Harrison Murchison Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 243	Well the industry certainly has decided to add a bit of sepeation between consumer and Pro. Consumers are obviously too stupid to deal with tape and thus the DVD-R based cameras are going to be hyped. Prosumers and Pro's will have HDD based and Flash and HDV tape of course. I'm excited about the HC3 though and I can't wait for JVC and Canon to hit this market.

February 22nd, 2006, 10:28 PM	#13
Tony Tibbetts Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 385	I'm curious to see how the slo-mo function on the HC3 works. If it's as cool as it sounds I may pick one up.