DVD Video Camera

[Davey]

Well, a very simple questions:

I want to buy a DVD Video Camera here in Japan, but have no idea what's good... so what should I buy?

(I want to use it mainly for the upcoming child, and home video's, price doesn't matter that much)

 

[nice gaijin]

There are no good DVD camcorders, get a HD Mini DV Camcorder instead; you can record more onto Mini DV cassettes than mini DVDs, they are much more versatile, relatively cheap, and you can hook your camera directly up to a computer and actually edit your videos however you want before you burn it to DVD. There are also camcorders with a built-in hard drive, but I still think Mini DV is the way to go.

just 2 cents from someone who used to sell this kind of crap.

 

[Davey]

Sounds great, Nice Gaijin!

That's exactly what I want, to hook it up with my computer and edit it. Do you know any brands that I should look for, and not look for at all?

 

[nice gaijin]

I've owned a JVC, Sony, and Canon. All are good in their own right. These days, you really can't go too wrong with mainstream brands. My recommendation is to go to your local electronics megastore and shop around a bit. Look at what they have and make note of the ones that catch your eye. Take your list online and look for reviews (professional reviews are good, customer reviews can also be very helpful), to weigh the pros and cons of each model. In the end, it'll come down to a very small number of factors like price, features, and aesthetics. All things being equal, it'll probably boil down to personal preference.