[LordOpie]

Figured we should get one with the kid on the way and all.

I know nothing about them, but can't imagine that I'll need any special features, whatever they might be. Or would we?

Good picture, audio, simplicity, easy to transfer to computer... suggestions appreciated.

thanks!

 

[Toshi]

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

good site, that.

 

[LordOpie]

Thanks, but I don't want to learn about them just tell me what's a really good basic camera and whether I should want tape, HD, digital memory and stuff like that!

 

[narlus]

get a good camera instead. i think we used our vid camera a dozen times after the 1st kid was born.

 

[RenegadeRick]

For simple and easy to use I would recommend a small digicam like what I have...

I got a Cannon SD 1000... only costs a couple hundred and records on SD cards. a 4g card will shoot 1/2 hour of video or a couple thousand photos and they are way cheap too. It's super small so you can keep it in your pocket for when the kid does something cute. Even though they have their advantages, A real camcorder just isn't portable enough to have with you all the time.

The thing that was the winner for me here is the video time limited only by the storage capacity available. Watch out for those that only shoot 15 or 30 seconds of video (or really have any arbitrary time limits at all). If you only have 15 seconds of video, you know the kid is gonna do that cute thing at 16 seconds. What a PITA!

 

[Westy]

get a good camera instead. i think we used our vid camera a dozen times after the 1st kid was born.

Do people ever watch their home videos? I like looking at pictures but you couldn't pay or threaten me enough to watch a home video.

 

[RenegadeRick]

Do people ever watch their home videos? I like looking at pictures but you couldn't pay or threaten me enough to watch a home video.

They are painful to watch raw.

I use software to edit the carp out of my footage. Only keep the choicest bits, add some special effects and put a soundtrack on it...

makes a world of difference.

 

[narlus]

Do people ever watch their home videos? I like looking at pictures but you couldn't pay or threaten me enough to watch a home video.

i always get a chuckle out of vacationers w/ their vidcams, panning across the playground, beachfront, or zoo for ~5-10 seconds of footage.

 

[SkaredShtles]

We love looking at older home video of our kids...

I would not, however, even consider subjecting anyone else to it. Except, of course, their grandmother.