[reddington]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum so excuse me if this question has been asked before...

I have a Minolta Z1 right now that is really not a bad camera for what I use it for (casual usage). On my recent trip to Europe, I really discovered the movie mode on it (which does 640X480 @30fps)... and ended up taking loads of movies as well as some great still shots.

My question is this: I want to upgrade, but I'm stuck as to whether to get a camcorder or digital camera. The Minolta takes adequate movies... but one thing that really bugs me is it makes a noise during the constant auto-focusing it does. And it eats up storage on my 1GB card real fast.

What are some good options for digital cameras that have decent movie capabilities? Also, does anyone know of any camcorders that also take decent digital pictures??

Thanks for any and all help!

[shuttertalk]

Hey reddington... welcome to ST.

We had a recent discussion about movies here:
http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=1969

I think the conclusion we reached is that it's best to get a dedicated device for each function. A digital camera will be good for stills but not so good for movies and vice versa, and I think manufacturers such as Canon and Panasonic (who have product lines in both areas) have a vested interest to see that things stay that way....

[EnglishBob]

Use a shovel for digging a hole and a hammer for knocking nails in.... if ya know what I mean?

[slejhamer]

Even though digital video and digital still cameras share a fair amount of technology, there is still a quality tradeoff when using one device for both purposes. If you use each mode (still and video) regularly, then you'll get best results with dedicated hardware for each. Plus, it's an excuse to buy a new toy!

Also, if you don't need digital video, some really nice deals can be had with Hi-8 camcorders. My Sony is practically worthless judging from the ebay resale prices, but it still makes nice videos. It's just a hassle getting them into the pc.

[reddington]

I think manufacturers such as Canon and Panasonic (who have product lines in both areas) have a vested interest to see that things stay that way....

Good point... I didn't think of that.

I know what you guys mean... it just doesn't seem too far-fetched that a hybrid device that simply does a decent job at both functions could exist.

I'd love to buy more toys but my toy budget is unfortunately limited (and wide in scope)!!

[shuttertalk]

Well let us know what you decide to do... or if you need any recommendations either way

[slejhamer]

This thread makes me want to buy a mini-DV recorder!