Express Action Sports

I am looking for a 1080p camera that I connect to my computer for editing (adding music and effects). Clear slow motion is important simply because action shots are amazing when slowed down.

I would not be looking for a camcorder that do slow motion, rather a NLE that has slow motion effect built in, less costly that way.

Getting a HD camcorder is taking a step backward in Video Quality. HD camcorders Interpolate the video, which means of every 25 frames of video, 4 or 5 frames are taken by the lens assembly, the other frames in between these are filled in by the camcorder inner circuitry, thus giving you not true video. MiniDV tape camcorders give every frame of every shot and usually cost less.

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm

Consumer level HD camcorders have 4 problems. 1) Blurry, fuzzy, out of focus areas closely around people in videos taken by consumer level HD camcorders. 2) Any movement, even a wave or lifting an arm, while in front of a recording consumer level HD camcorder, results in screen ghosts and artifacts being left on the video track, following the movement. Makes for bad video, sports videos are unwatchable. 3) These Consumer level HD camcorders all have a habit of the transferred to computer files are something you need to convert, thus losing your HD quality, to work with your editing software. 4) Mandatory maximum record times – 1 hour, 30 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes – four different times advertised as maximum record time for some consumer level HD camcorders. No event I have ever been to is that short. Either take multiple camcorders or pack up with out getting the end of the event on video.

MiniDV is currently the most popular format for consumer digital camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are typically more affordable than their HDD and DVD counterparts. Each MiniDV tape will typically hold an hour of footage at normal recording speed and quality. MiniDV tapes are available for purchase at not only electronic and camera stores, but also at drugs stores and grocery stores, making them easy to find while your on vacation. There are literally hundreds of MiniDV camcorders available; both in standard and high-definition.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/camcorders/consumer_camcorders/zr960

I use a MiniDV Tape Camcorder and with my HD NLE can process video with it and upload MPEG4 1080P to youtube no problem and it looks great. See for yourself http://youtu.be/9aut9fBtmeo

i know that the $300 is not a lot for an hd video camera and that it won’t be the greatest video quality ever, but i’m just a college kid so my funds are limited to say the least. i record tennis matches with my brother, and we usually play at night, as well as basketball games (during the day). any thoughts?

no consumer HD camera can record sports action except as a blur. that is because of the super high compression. MPEG4, AVCHD and similar codecs record only one actual frame and then throw out the next 7, giving it a GOF factor of 8. on playback the missing frames have to be guessed at by interpolation, which gives blurry jumpy results.

the solution is to use the system most widely used by Action Sports videographers, which is miniDV. while not HD it can be shot in the widescreen mode so the picture will fill an HDTV screen. And you can get one for under $300, look at the Canon ZR960.