Hi
Has anyone ever used the JVC GR-SXM38 VHS-C?
How did you like it? Pro's con's
Been looking at camcorderes and I guess Im just old school, just cant seem to bring myself to moving up into a mini dv format.
Thanks.
Randy

BUMP
Anyone?

You could as well have asked about gramophone.

Randy, I was old school and unfortunately VHS-C camcorders are almost all gone, in fact some say MiniDV will be gone soon.

I really do not know of anybody shooting in VHS. Many are converting their video to digital formats to preserve them. VHS/VHS-C is an analog format. Once you move to the digital video format and begin editing and sharing, the good parts become obvious.



Rich

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FireWire Survey

Please allow me to expand my one-liner to bring some perspective into the matter.

This is the latest review about JVC VHS-C camcorder on this site: http://www.camcorderinfo.com/conten...rder_review.htm In fact, it is one of the latest (last?) reviews about any VHS-C camcorder. It is written by Robin Liss herself, in 2004. Two paragraphs, no pictures, no famous 22-point tests, no comparisons.

If you select camcorder reviews by formats, you won't find VHS-C there: http://www.camcorderinfo.com/d/Revi...level_c=All.htm

These are just two facts, but they say for themselves.

They say that vinyl records are making comeback, 25 years after the CD was introduced. Maybe VHS-C will return too, if we wait another 15 years or so.

I will probably go with the Canon ZR 850 or the JVC GR D-770 or GR D 796.

Most of my recording will be a biker rallies so it will be short clips here and there and I doubt that I will ever take the time to edit anything.
I like to record it and watch it the way it was not the way it could have been. I have a whole box of VHS-C tapes that were taped that way and every once in a while I will drag them out and remember the rally the way it was, not better and not worse but the way I shot it.
I have a few tapes where there is 5- 10 min of nothing but the camera pointed at my feet as I walked around because I was drunk and forgot to hit the stop button and stop recording but to me that is all part of it.

Thanks guys for your input.
Randy

Now, in your particular case seems that moving from VHS-C is indeed extra hassle. with the VHS-C you could stick the small cassette into an adapter and watch it away on a standard VCR, this won't work with MiniDV tapes.

* MiniDV: there are no consumer MiniDV decks, professional decks start from $500, not worth it IMHO, but you can always watch your video right from the camera. Make sure the camera that you buy has remote control (for comfort) and something better than regular composite A/V output (for better picture). Also, make sure that the camera allows choosing the TV type you have, 4:3 or widescreen, to display video properly. I think that the ZR850 has composite A/V only, I would not consider this a deal breaker, but if you will be watching videos from camera only, you might want a better connection type.

Of course, you can upload video onto a computer and burn it onto a DVD disk, more hassle to produce a video, but more convenient to watch.

* miniDVD: I would recommend this format to you, as you are not going to edit, but I am not sure how DVD-based camcorders would work when you are riding a burbling bike. Also, they are somewhat bulky, and record only 15 minutes of video on one single-sided disk, laughable. Otherwise, this might be a good solution for you. Make sure you will have made copies of your DVD!

* Tapeless: don't think this is your route, unless you have Panasonic plasma TV. In this case buy a Panasonic SD5 or SD9, then stick memory card into the TV and watch, if full HD. No tapes, no disks, no computers, bliss.

In regards to the cameras you are considering. Cannot say much about JVC cams. From my limited experience, seems that JVC cameras are usually a little worse than others in video quality. Are you going to use viewfinder at all? If not, you might consider the JVC GR-DA30, real cheap, less than $200, it sucks in low light, but it is compact, cute, has pretty good built-in mic, and for the money in daytime will produce pretty good picture. Because it has no viewfinder, its LCD screen is on the back, so you won't rip the LCD off.

Just my $.02,
Michael.

1. Get almost any digital camcorder.

2. Shoot your video, output it to your VCR and make a VHS tape. Almost every digital camcorder has analog/composite outputs.

3. If you went with MiniDV you could do the same thing or play back to a TV from the MiniDV camcorder.

4. One advantage to MiniDV, you can save your original digital tapes and some day you might want to edit them.

5. MiniDV will record high quality digital video on a tape for one hour.

6. Get almost any digital camcorder. Shoot your video, output it to a stand alone DVD recorder and make a standard DVD. Almost every digital camcorder has analog/composite outputs (Usually called A/V or AV).




Rich

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FireWire Survey

Thanks guys.
I will at different times use both a view finder and LCD and right now my TV is the tube type.

I was thinking DVD and hard drive would be a hassle in my case.

Depending on what kind of tax return I get I may be able to get into to $275 range which would put me up there around the Canon ZR 950 area.
I just wish they would rate it here so I will know what to expect out of it.

Thanks.
Randy