replacement camcorder

22 Jun 2015 14:15:12

Eric Jervis

My camcorder has breathed it's last so I need some advice on replacing it. The new one must connect to my Mac Mini and must produce a file format which will work with iMovie HD. All advice is welcome.

Re: replacement camcorder

22 Jun 2015 15:39:46

Douglas Cheney

I replaced my old Sony camcorder with a Panasonic camcorder using a SD card which worked very well with iMovie

Re: replacement camcorder

22 Jun 2015 18:03:18

Eric Jervis

Thanks Doug, but having seen the aggravation Michael has recently suffered and not fancying a dose of the same I've decided against Panasonic!

Re: replacement camcorder

22 Jun 2015 22:56:26

Douglas Cheney

I had no trouble with my Panasonic camcorder when I used it. I put the SD card in my computer and iMovie recognised it straight away

Re: replacement camcorder

22 Jun 2015 23:07:55

Michael Corgan

The aggravation was because I had somehow reset the recording format to AVCHD on my still camera and wasn't aware that iMovie can open that format.

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 09:05:25

Eric Jervis

AHA! Thank you gentlemen. Is there an adapter into which you can plug the ST card and then plug the adapter into the computer? If so what type of socket do I need on my computer?

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 09:05:25

Eric Jervis

AHA! Thank you gentlemen. Is there an adapter into which you can plug the ST card and then plug the adapter into the computer? If so what type of socket do I need on my computer?

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 09:22:49

Douglas Cheney

If you get a card reader you plug it into a USB socket to read the contents

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 10:20:43

Eric Jervis

Thanks Doug, I'm now considering a Canon Legria HF R68 or a Canon Legria HF R606, the first one is about £300 and the second about £190; I can't see a great deal of difference between them as yet.

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 12:50:49

Eric Jervis

Well, I'm fed up with looking on line, they give you tons of information but you can't find what you want to know! Does anybody know of one that's got a viewfinder?

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 13:20:17

Eric Jervis

I'm now considering a Canon HV20, which uses tapes like my present one, and has a mini DV (Firewire) connection, AND has a viewfinder.

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 13:44:22

Douglas Cheney

The Panasonic Camcorder I bought was a HC-V100 model which as I have said before gave me no problems with iMovie and it is much quicker to download the film shots, they don't have to be done in real time

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 17:54:22

Eric Jervis

Thanks Doug, I'll consider that one as the Canon had superb reviews BUT two people said that the Firewire had gone down after only two months.

Re: replacement camcorder

23 Jun 2015 18:47:00

Douglas Cheney

You can us the supplied USB connector with the Camcorder and iMovie will import the clips, or as I do take the SD card out and put it in the SD slot on the side of my Mac. I gave up FirWire when my Sony Camcorder went wrong

Re: replacement camcorder

24 Jun 2015 10:53:46

Eric Jervis

Its obviously good to have an alternative means of transfer so I'll bear that in mind too.

Re: replacement camcorder

7 Jul 2015 10:36:18

Eric Jervis

I gave up trying to find one of the newer types as I couldn't find one I fancied, they all look so massive. I bought a Panasonic NV-GS11 on eBay for £60, which is much the same sort of thing as my busted one; which in fact still works perfectly shooting a video, it just doesn't want to play it back. The Panasonic is widescreen though, and I can't decide if I like that; I'm currently shooting a bit on one, then popping the tape into the other and shooting a bit on that. I am very pleased with the purchase though, as it gives me the option of shooting on the old one and then transferring it to the Mac on the new one.