Camcorder advice

[motsco]

not sure i understand all the lingo here - how about a cam. that you can set on the ground during a round and record your swing. then be able to load it on the computer and view it with V1home software. ??

(Not all swings but a few.)

[FHopper]

The camera goes on a tripod, the tripod goes on the ground.

[zeg]

I think this is the camera you want:

http://www.shimadzu.com/products/tes...000001d6t.html

[golfheaven]

Up to 1,000,000 fps! I'm afraid to ask what
it costs.

In the last 6 months what new camera or
camcorder has come out under $1000 that will provide
the slow motion, without blurring and degradation of
sharpness, showing impact of ball as well as showing the
entire swing (in all its glory)?

[socalsharky]

I am a little confused about the camcorder formats. What format do those such as the Kodak zi6 record in? Someone posted in another thread that you could not import video from this camcorder into the V1 software. To use V1, does the camera have to have a firewire connection?

[socalsharky]

Just had another thought: should I just get something like the zi6 and abandon the v1 software? Would I be doing just as well to view .mov files?

[iacas]

  socalsharky said:

I am a little confused about the camcorder formats. What format do those such as the Kodak zi6 record in? Someone posted in another thread that you could not import video from this camcorder into the V1 software. To use V1, does the camera have to have a firewire connection?

I think that person was wrong. I think V1 will import quite a lot of video formats. The Casio records in "MOV format, H.264/AVC, IMA-ADPCM (stereo)" and that imports and plays just fine.

Zi6 and V1 Home is probably fine.

[socalsharky]

  iacas said:

I think that person was wrong. I think V1 will import quite a lot of video formats.

The V1 website does state that a DV camcorder with IEEE 1394 (firewire) is required. Would other video formats require some sort of conversion?

iacas: when you use your Kodak, do you just view the videos with quicktime? Does that allow immediate viewing? Are you satisfied with that approach, or would you like to be able to use an analysis software package like V1? Thanks.

[iacas]

  socalsharky said:

The V1 website does state that a DV camcorder with IEEE 1394 (firewire) is required. Would other video formats require some sort of conversion?

I'm pretty sure he hooks it up with a USB cable. Firewire might be required for immediate playback... I don't know for certain either way, though.

  socalsharky said:

when you use your Kodak, do you just view the videos with quicktime? Does that allow immediate viewing? Are you satisfied with that approach, or would you like to be able to use an analysis software package like V1?

Me? I'm on a Mac, and I've never felt much need for V1. I have some apps that let me draw on my screen, but most of the time I just line the edge of a piece of paper up to make a line or put my mouse on something to see if it moves (and how far), etc.

And immediate viewing? Yeah... no problems there.

[PiustheDrGolf]

  lobsterzilla said:

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

I am also waiting Black Friday if any of store sells Sanyo's XACTI VPC-CG10,

http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/produ...g10/index.html for deep sale. I like it's grip. I am not sure if the camcorder is suitable for analyzing golf swing or not though.

[FHopper]

It took me an extra day to try out the new Zi8. These are at the two res that Apple uses on the Mobile Me site. It looks better at full res.

@720/60 fps
http://gallery.me.com/fhopper#100151

[YajR]

i'm also looking to buy a cam on balck friday.

What do you guys think about the Flip? is that any good?

EDIT: HOLY crap, Frank.... it was pretty funny watching you trying to destroy that van there. Really nice quality video you got there. How much space did that video take up?

[iacas]

  YajR said:

i'm also looking to buy a cam on balck friday.

I think the Flip doesn't do high speed. You want at least 60 FPS, which is why I still recommend the Zi6.

And you want at least 640 x 480 resolution (some cams do ungodly speeds like 1000 FPS, but do so at something like 224 x 180). But my advice is just for golf swings. If you want an all-purpose camcorder type thing, I can't offer much of an opinion. We don't use ours for that - I prefer still pictures to video.

[FHopper]

  YajR said:

EDIT: HOLY crap, Frank.... it was pretty funny watching you trying to destroy that van there. Really nice quality video you got there. How much space did that video take up?

I was using those high density foam balls and it is my van

. I think those balls go further than advertised, they are supposed to go like 30%. That was a forged muscle back iron so it was not delofted, it was 36*, (my 09 Burner 7 is 31*), and that has to have been further than 50 yards. I downloaded the large movie and it came down at 103 meg, the HD version at home is much larger.

[YajR]

  iacas said:

I think the Flip doesn't do high speed. You want at least 60 FPS, which is why I still recommend the Zi6.

Well, I definitely will use it for more than jsut a golf swing. But since the swing is about the only type of video requiring such a high FPS, i should be able to use that camera for anything else.

I was only wondering about the quality of video i'd be able to obtain using the Zi6 or Zi8 vs a Flip. I watched some comparison videos on youtube that showed a true-er color with a Flip, and I actually like the way it looks way more than the Zi series. But ultimately quality of video is key.

[golfheaven]

This will be my holiday gift to myself and one to my golfing buddy.
Can't decide between the Kodak Zi8 camcorder or Casio FH 20 camera though
the Casio is almost twice the price of the Kodak.

Anyone out there going through the same gyrations? Any thoughts?

[shaun]

I recently went down this road. For a little while, I was tossing up between the Kodak Zi8 and the Casio EX-F1. I went with the Zi8, for two reasons.

First, I was looking for a camera to be used solely as a tool for analysing my golf swing; it was never going to be used for anything else. Sure, the incredibly high fps rates of the Casio cameras produce nice footage, but the Zi8 (with its 720p@60fps mode) is perfectly fine for analysis.

Second, I considered the EX-F1, rather than any later Casio models, because it still has the highest resolutions in high fps modes. Nonetheless, I wasn't convinced that I'd be content with the lower resolutions, especially given that the higher fps rates are really superfluous for analysis purposes.

[gogolfing]

I just picked up a Kodak ZX1; It was regularly $160, and I got it for $100. It does 720p at 60 fps, so looking forward to using it for golf purposes.

I was kind of on the fence to get one, and then when I saw this deal I figured for a hundred bucks I couldn't go wrong. It is weather resistant too so it will be fun to take it out with the kids to the beach etc too.

Here is the info on it: http://store.kodak.ca/store/ekconsus...ctID.145117100

I got it from a Canadian store called London Drugs; it is available off their website for this price.