Which Mini DV I should buy?

Don't tell anyone, but I own a Canon ZR-800 that I carry in my gear bag on kayak trips, etc. I've shot a number of hours of video with it. It is adequate for those times when you do not have access to a better camera, and it shoots native 16x9 (full resolution 16x9), but the lens is not great. There is a subtle reduction of sharpness from my Prosumer DV camera with a Leica lens. It is enough to make me feel badly about shooting with the ZR-800 when I capture something that I'd like to use for a project.

The ZR-830 is essentially the same as the ZR-800 but it has still image capability and costs a little more. I'd recommend the ZR-800 for a backpack shooter who wanted to shoot on miniDV tape, but otherwise, I'd recommend something with a better lens.

As far a reliability, my ZR-800 has been out on the water many times, in hot and cold conditions. I has held up well, but it is showing some wear and the on-off switch is a bit sticky. I've used it to play back many hours of video from DV tape and the VTR has held up well. If you treat the camera well, it should give you at least a few years of reliable service (based on my experience).

Between the two you link to, I would say the Panasonic. 3 CCD's are
better than 1, but that's its only advantage. Neither has a mic input,
but that might not be an issue for you while shooting behind the
scenes footage.

But I've never used the Canon ZR830 and I really like those small
Panasonic cameras. Especially the GS-400. It's more expensive, but
the mic input makes it a more versatile camera and the Leica lens
is nice.

Thanks~!

Thanks for the advice, i think i will go with Panasonic. Even it is a little more expensive, but at the end, the quality of the video count!

samchiu85 said:

Thanks for the advice, i think i will go with Panasonic. Even it is a little more expensive, but at the end, the quality of the video count!

Click to expand...

that's a good choice i believe...

i just got that same camcorder for christmas and i love it so far. no problems.

(actually i had one but it was my fault. i plugged my camera into the firewire port built into my alienware computer. for some reason it didnt work. i opened up the case and discovered it wasnt connected to the motherboard. there was a place for what was probably it to plug in, but im not gonna risk messing something up, so i just bought a PCI card. anybody know if i should lug that cable in?)

If you're not sure, don't do it. Having said that ...

If you are sure where to attach it to the mainboard, and which way it goes, there should be no problem plugging it in. You could also check your system BIOS (CMOS) and look for integrated peripherals. Check to see if Firewire (or IEEE 1394) is listed and turned on. If the BIOS has Firewire enabled (or it can be enabled), then the mainboard probably has support for it, and if you're plugged in correctly, it should be no problem. The reason I say you must be sure, is that if you don't know which header connector to use, or what orientation it should be, you do run the risk of sending power down a wire that could burn out something in your camera. However, if the connector on the mainboard is clearly marked and the header plug will only go on one way, or pin one is clearly identifiable on the board and the plug, it should work fine.