Posted by PTravel on 11/22/06 01:53

<adric22@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1164148231.178858.113150@h54g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I'm in a crunch and need a better video camera. For years I've been
> using an old Sony digital-8 camera and the lux-rating is horrific
> (well, they claimed 0-lux because of its night-vision, but the regular
> daytime lux is like 6) and so outdoor shots have static, and indoor
> shots have SUPER STATIC. This camera is useless for indoor video, even
> with bright lights.

What you're seeing isn't static, but noise -- the result of a small sensor.

Note, too, that lux ratings are useless when comparing cameras, as there is
no accepted standard. Sony may claim 6 lux, but all it will yield at that
light level is a noisey, unacceptable picture.

>
> So lets assume I don't care about which tape format it uses as long as
> it is digital and not analog. I also don't care if it has XLR jacks,
> or fancy lenses, don't need high-definition, or anything like that.
> But I do need to be able to take good shots indoors and do green-screen
> work with it. What would be the best recommendation for a camera that
> is digital (hence=has 1394 interface), works well indoors, and is
> cheap? It can even be a discontinued item that maybe I could find on
> ebay or something. I'm trying to stay within $400 range or so.

There's nothing digital in your price range except, perhaps, a very old and
beat-up Sony TR900. The cheapest camera that would meet your needs is a
VX2100, which is roughly 4 times your budget (used would be less). It's
predecessor, the VX2000, is an excellent camera -- you might be able to find
a used one for $800-$1200.

Blame the camera manufacturers, who have sacrificed video quality for small
size, light weight and lots of useless gimmicks.


>

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