Video Cameras

[Chris Miller]

What is a good video camera to buy that isn't really expensive. Just want it for grandkids and DK. Nothing elaborate. I love looking at the videos on DK. I have seen them anywhere from $50 to $500.

[Adina P]

Since the topic of the Flip came up...see my response about DK Flip cameras coming soon (it's in the main discussion forum on the Flip).

[Linda and "Toby"]

Hi Chris,
I highly recommend the Flip Ultra (or the Flip Ultra HD). It's very easy to use. It comes with all the software that you need to edit your videos and email them to a friend of post them on the web. You can even add titles, make video greeting cards, and more. :)

Here's another sweet choice. The Panasonic Lumix TZ5 not only takes awesome still photos (9.1 megapixels with 10x optical zoom) it also takes HD video, so you get the best of both worlds. Suggested retail price is $350 but you might be able to find it on sale for less. Here's more info: http://gizmodo.com/350144/panasonic-lumix-tz5-is-10x-zoom-camera-an... My son bought one for his girlfriend for Xmas - the images and videos are stunning!

[Linda and "Toby"]

Oops! Just realized he bought her the TZ7 (also goes by ZS3). Here's a detailed review of it: http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ7_ZS3/

[Mandy&Bailee]

I got the Flip Mino HD for Christmas & I love it - soooo easy & simple to use, inexpensive, and the video quality isn't bad. I am excited to start taking more videos :)

[c zoomer]

---it's now Aug. 2017 and a lot of new video equipment has come out.  Because it's just me and my pup, taking good videos is a challenge...and I'm wondering about wearing a Go Pro to do it.  Probably the chest strap, but a head strap may work.  Do any of you have experience with puppy photos and Go Pro?

 

Dinah Doodle is a Frisbie girl (no big jumps, parentage has good and excellent hips though), and so I have to be tossing the toy and taking a pix and the same time.  I tried with my cell phone to catch slow motion and I didn't always get her in the frame!  So far one person volunteered to throw the frisbee and we didn't get good results, so I reversed rolls and she took the footage and I tossed the frisbee...and results weren't all that great either.

Looking forward to hearing what you all might have to say about puppy videos.  She's 8 months now, and listens better than her baby days.  Also she tries to catch the disk with her paws which is very cute, but is slowly getting away from that, so I'd like to make sure I get lots of videos of her using her paws. Anyone else's doodle doing that as well?

Thanks!

[Richard Crowe]

The Flip series cameras are quite good for the uses you are planning, especially the Flip HD.

Another quite good video camera is the smart phone.  I can shoot a video with my iPhone 6D+, do a quick edit and post it on YouTube all through the phone without needing the computer.  

However, if you shoot videos with a smartphone, make sure that you hold the phone in a horizontal or landscape position, rather than straight up and down (as we hold the phone while talking into it).  If you have the phone in the vertical position, your video result will be a narrow bar of video in the center of your monitor.  Holding the phone on its side will fill the monitor with your video.