Camcorder advice

[Kellfire]

I've started playing a lot with my brother and I'm going to hit the range a lot more, so I want to invest in a camcorder to capture my play as a learning aid also to document our rounds a little bit for memories sake.

Can anyone recommend a decent camera for a nice low budget of around £100-150 (about $150-200) that would be good enough to allow swing analysis? I don't need it to have high FPS, I don't think I need that.

Thanks!

[mgresh]

These are a few I've been looking at:

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQueri...q-locale=en_US

Any of them would be fine...and within your price range even if you add a memory card it looks like (with the exception of the Zi8).

You might also check out the Flip Mino HD:

http://www.theflip.com/products_flip...cene=sceneMain

[iacas]

  mgresh said:

These are a few I've been looking at:

$60 off today only too. And 720p at 60 FPS is tough to beat. The Zi8 doesn't do that and neither do most camcorders. You need at least 60 FPS for golf swings. The Zi6 is the one I recommend and use myself.

[Kellfire]

Wow, that Zi6 is that good? That's a LOT less than I was expecting to get for that kind of money. Only about £80-100 in the UK.

[Kellfire]

iacas, per chance would you have any videos online that you've taken with the Zi6?

[iacas]

  Kellfire said:

iacas, per chance would you have any videos online that you've taken with the Zi6?

From

this article comes this .mov file . That's the most recent.

[Kellfire]

Tried watching that early, my shoddy old Pentium 4 really doesn't like these .movs but the quality is very good, even if I need a new PC to watch them. A new PC is on my 'to buy' list though!

[mgresh]

Here's a zi6 with 8GB card for pretty cheap.:

http://tinyurl.com/rb39d4

[Kellfire]

I'm in the UK so I'd be buying over here. Thanks though!

[mgresh]

Oh and just a note in regards to Erik's post above....according to the specs for the zi8 it will to 720p/60fps. Just an FYI in case you wanted the model up from the zi6. It's obviously more expensive but will also do 1080p/30fps and has a much better sensor with image stabilization. Not really important for filming golf swings but if you wanted to use it for other things those might come in handy. Some of the reviews for the zi6 I've read rate it really poorly on image quality when not stabilized by a tripod.

[iacas]

  mgresh said:

Oh and just a note in regards to Erik's post above....according to the specs for the zi8 it will to 720p/60fps.

Ah, good. A few weeks ago when the Zi8 was introduced the Kodak site said nothing about 60FPS. Good.

[mgresh]

Yeah I was thinking that as well but when I saw that I thought I might hold out a little longer for the price to come down on the zi8 just because of the stabilization.

[Kellfire]

I may hold on for it, I can't see me taking a tripod onto the course!

[iacas]

  mgresh said:

Yeah I was thinking that as well but when I saw that I thought I might hold out a little longer for the price to come down on the zi8 just because of the stabilization.

If you're gonna use it for something other than golf, IS will come in handy. For golf swings, I've never had an issue with the Zi6. Rest your arm on something if you're that unsteady, I say.

If you're gonna use it for something outside of golf, then, I have no comment really. I have no plans to upgrade: 720p @ 60 is 720p @ 60. The other stuff's irrelevant for how I use the Zi6. Kellfire: worst case, these work great: http://joby.com/gorillapod/original

[mgresh]

Absolutely...if I had a zi6 currently I wouldn't even be thinking about the zi8 but since I don't...well

[lobsterzilla]

any new advice, just looking for a few other things to look at as well? trying to stay around ~$100

[FHopper]

  iacas said:

$60 off today only too. And 720p at 60 FPS is tough to beat. The Zi8 doesn't do that and neither do most camcorders. You need at least 60 FPS for golf swings. The Zi6 is the one I recommend and use myself.

?? I just bought the Zi8 and a tripod, it does 720@60.

1080p (1920 × 1080, 30 fps) 720p/60 fps (1280 × 720, 60 fps) 720p (1280 × 720, 30 fps) WVGA (848 × 480, 30 fps) Still (5.3 MP, 16:9 widescreen, interpolated) I plan to shoot my swing(s) tomorrow.

[golfheaven]

Good luck with your new camcorder. I've had the same thoughts about recording my swing, and you got me curious.

For those with deep pockets, take a look at Sony's high def HDRG5VKIT Camcorder at 240 FPS!

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...91064#features

Anyone out there with one?