Camcorder recommendations/important features for shooting flying vids???

[Edgeman 540]

We've been filming all summer long using the Sony Handy Cam DCR-SR 45 with very good results.This camera has a 30gig hard disk drive and has all the features you need for great filming.the camera price is between 400 and 500 dollars.

[bodywerks]

Thanks for the info so far. I am not looking to sell DVD's or anything, and chances are that I will only post a few vids a year, so I really don't want to spend too much.
I wish I could sample the vids ypu guys posted but I am limited as to what I can download here at work. I will check those out tomorow.
The Sony Handycam is very popular, but it seems like there are various versions of them. The one you mention is obtainable for $350, which is right up my alley, pricewise, but does it have an eyepiece?
Anyone else can feel free to list the model camcorder they have, as well as their opinion on it. Please also list if it has an eyepiece - that is one thing I can't seem to find out on any of the websites.

[macanaw]

Here is some video of me and some friends flying at our field, video was shot with a Sony Hi-Def camcorder

YouTube - RMA Flight Log - 11-27-2008 (High Res)

[ferocious frankie]

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content...2008-35688.htm#

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-hd-camcorders/

Definitely go for HD and all the camcorders listed on these sites are great. HD will be the standard in the future. I have a friend with a Sony HDR-SR11 and he loves it. The con is that it has no wind filter, which might suck on a windy day outside standing on the flightline. Also has an eyepiece.

[3D Meatshield]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Al Lewis
	Both my neighbor and I use a inexpensive Canon ZR 200. We shoot videos for the club and ourselves of flying and it works out just great. Unless you want to do something professionally I wouldn't spend more. Here's a sample of a video he shot of my Stearman going in that I put together on Movie Maker. http://media.putfile.com/Death-of-a-Super-Stearman-90 Here's one I shot of Kyle flying at our airshow last year. http://media.putfile.com/Kyle-Whoyshnis

Al. Cher, really?

[Al Lewis]

Matched the video perfect! LOL

[3D Meatshield]

So was that a shootdown or what?

[Edgeman 540]

	Quote: Originally Posted by bodywerks
	Thanks for the info so far. I am not looking to sell DVD's or anything, and chances are that I will only post a few vids a year, so I really don't want to spend too much. I wish I could sample the vids ypu guys posted but I am limited as to what I can download here at work. I will check those out tomorow. The Sony Handycam is very popular, but it seems like there are various versions of them. The one you mention is obtainable for $350, which is right up my alley, pricewise, but does it have an eyepiece? Anyone else can feel free to list the model camcorder they have, as well as their opinion on it. Please also list if it has an eyepiece - that is one thing I can't seem to find out on any of the websites.

No this one doesn't have the eye piece it's automatic.. I believe the SR 40 does though.These camcorders have been out for awhile so I'm sure you can find a good price on one as you have seen.

[Bob S]

Do any of the smaller, cheaper units have an eyepiece? It seems that these days you have to go up to the prosumer lines to get that.

[Al Lewis]

My little Canon has both. Take a look at the ones at the bottom of this page Bob.

http://www.easycamcorders.com/conten...non-ZR-400.htm

[bodywerks]

I think I am going to have to deal with not having a viewfinder. I almost pulled the trigger on a new Sony SR11 on ebay - coulda got it for $670, but that's really about twice as much as I want to spend. I just want to post some videos here or on Youtube.

[bodywerks]

I decided on the JVC Everio with Flash memory. It doesn't have a viewfinder and isn't HD, but reviews say it has very decent video quality and is an overall excellent camcorder. It does have image stabilization.The other nice feature is the plug-and-play Youtube upload. For $259 I just couldn't pass it up.
http://camcorder.jvc.com/product.jsp...Id=161&page=10

[WrongWayRC]

For the low budget...not the best of quality but can be decent with a good cameraman. Here is the Kodak easyshare Z760 with a 1 gig card. It is a camera that also does vids. I have expired the battery before the memory card.

YouTube - Atlanta Huckfest 08-2

Then I strap it to my hat and voila the WrongWay Cam is a one man band.

YouTube - WrongWay Cam at the Huckfest WrongWay...

Again not the best camerman skilz and a single focus exposure -no zoom once recording-. There are better, this one is fun and can also do pictures.

[RappyMan]

What might help most of the videos I see is to just turn focus to "manual" & then set the focus for as far away as possible. If you are shooting aircraft.... they will hopefully be more than 30 feet away or so & never go out of focus.

If you don't have an eyepiece - try rolling up a piece of paper into a tube & taping it onto the top of the camera. This should give you a "gun-sight" to shoot with. Look at the screen now & then to see if the zoom is okay, but just use the tube to track the video. I have an eyepiece on my older video camera, but there is a seam line on the top the camera that I can sight down to judge where I'm shooting. It helps my eyes too - since I'm just watching the plane/helicopter instead of trying to focus on what's in the viewfinder & keeping the other eye closed.


Thanks
Terry

[Al Lewis]

So let me try to understand this. You started a thread to find out what the most important features are in a camcorder to shoot video of flying. Now you're going to buy a camcorder that has neither of the features you were told you'd need. Okay, that makes perfect sense. Good luck!!