Video camera reccomendations?

im looking for a small digital video camera/housing. saw bonicas new one, but wasnt sure if the actual camera was worth its cost since i have NO knowledge on video stuff. does it seem like a good buy, or should i look at something else? im just looking for something i can clip on my bc in case i want to use it to show family/friends something unique that the pictures cant capture as well. looking for something to put in a point and shoot type housing (ike box housings will be to big).

wants:

-around $600 for the camera and housing

-takes memory cards (prefer cf or sd)

-small

-able to turn on and off, and record on and off while inthe housing

-want to use the lcd to view what im recording

-ability to take pictures (in case i have my macro lens on and a whale shark swims by!)

bonica camera: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...ccessory_detail

housing: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...ccessory_detail

Justin I suggest you check out the Sanyo Xacti HD1A with the Epoque housing. A little bit bigger than the Bonica but shoots MPEG4 HD at 720P and also has a 3 year warranty.

Results are pretty good for sure a small camera. A bit too "Lars Von Trier" for me but a fun camera for your purposes.

A bit too "Lars Von Trier" for me but a fun camera for your purposes.

I thought that the only Dane known worldwide was Hans Christian Andersen (no not me - )

Actually Hans, I know many Danes like your cousin/sister/relative/fellow dane May and who wouldn't know Helena?

Lars was responsible for my most publicly embarassing moment ever when I threw up in the theater at the premier of his movie Dogma #2 Idioterne in Paris in 98. The camerawork was so shakey and I was too far in front so I had super motion sickness. Hence I coined the phrase "lars von trier" for shakey camera work.

Justin

I just reread and saw the budget of $600 for both camera AND housing. Well the Xacti and housing would come in under $1k I think but I think it's worth it for the extra resolution. Of course I'm not sure what software Sanyo supplies to edit the HD Mpeg4 so check before you buy.

Actually Hans, I know many Danes like your cousin/sister/relative/fellow dane May and who wouldn't know Helena?

Lars was responsible for my most publicly embarassing moment ever when I threw up in the theater at the premier of his movie Dogma #2 Idioterne in Paris in 98. The camerawork was so shakey and I was too far in front so I had super motion sickness. Hence I coined the phrase "lars von trier" for shakey camera work.

Hope you did wear your shades B)

By the way, Lars Von Trier is known to be just as strange a person, as his films are..

Justin,

sorry for posting off topic in your thread, I will make a haste retreat.

Justin

I just reread and saw the budget of $600 for both camera AND housing. Well the Xacti and housing would come in under $1k I think but I think it's worth it for the extra resolution. Of course I'm not sure what software Sanyo supplies to edit the HD Mpeg4 so check before you buy.

looks like the camera is about 600, but where can i find the housing? i am also looking at the C6 version of the camera, as it is a little les expensive, and i really dont care about HD. thanks!

looks like the camera is about 600, but where can i find the housing? i am also looking at the C6 version of the camera, as it is a little les expensive, and i really dont care about HD. thanks!

Justin, as a guy with a 1Ds vs 10D, I'm sure you appreciate the difference in resolution. I suggest you go try out the camera on a HDTV screen then decide.

The Epoque housing is here.

Justin, as a guy with a 1Ds vs 10D, I'm sure you appreciate the difference in resolution. I suggest you go try out the camera on a HDTV screen then decide.

 

The Epoque housing is here.

well actually its a 1D MKII vs. a 350D, but i get the point . I guess ill have to go check it out. I noticed in the url for the housing, there is no purchase button or price, thats what i was looking for. thanks again!\

EDIT: i found it at http://www.divervision.com/catalog/product...products_id=311 for $269, but found another site saying retail was $250? know where it can be found at that price?

I would suggest you check with Wetpixel's various advertising retailers on that. I wish I knew all this stuff but I usually see the products at shows and such so the retail side is pretty foreign to me.

Good luck.

looks like im going to go with the Sanyo Xacti HD1A and the Epoque housing. i figure for what i want i cant beat a nice small HD video system for under a grand. maybe ill add a wide-angle and then maybe some lights way down the road. thanks for yall's input!

looks like im going to go with the Sanyo Xacti HD1A and the Epoque housing. i figure for what i want i cant beat a nice small HD video system for under a grand. maybe ill add a wide-angle and then maybe some lights way down the road. thanks for yall's input!

To echo what Drew said, if you get a chance to try it first, you may want to.

I wanted to get one of the non-HD versions and rented it (last year so the models are probably better now) just to have as a small back-up "just in case" since it was so small & portable. Figured I could stick it in my BCD when I wanted to just dive or was carrying a camera. All I wanted was something that did okay, nothing great.

I will try the newer versions as they come along in case they improve, but I passed on it after using it on four dives - part of it may have been the set-up when I rented it (meaning I really could not change things) but after the first day of results, went back, they stepped through everything to make sure it was as tweaked as possible, and the results were not great...so passed on buying it. The size was right, price was fine, but in good light shallow water where I was right next to things, no color and lots of compression artifacts

Could have been user issue, could have been setup issue, but was very happy I did not drop dime on that other than a rental

Justin, the HD1A should also drop in price once the HD2 launches. The HD2 promises to be better in low light and better image.

Again I urge you to go test the camera. There's a price to be paid for the size and compression to SD cards. That said, it is the cheapest and smallest HD package around,but the expandability of the system I think is quite limited.

Justin, the HD1A should also drop in price once the HD2 launches. The HD2 promises to be better in low light and better image.

Again I urge you to go test the camera. There's a price to be paid for the size and compression to SD cards. That said, it is the cheapest and smallest HD package around,but the expandability of the system I think is quite limited.

I understand there wont be much to expand on, but i dont plan on going into video. seeing as ive already dropped $15K on still equipment, i think ill stick with that for a while, i just would like to have something to show some of my family and friends, about how certain creatures swim, and how current are and things like that. if i decide to move to video later, i think this camera will give me a better understanding of what i would like to have on a better rig (but hopefully that wont happen, my bank account hurts to much as it is )