Camcorder advice

[Paul]

Is this the right place for this?

I'm under pressure to get one of these, and have no clue about where to start. It will mainly be used for shooting the kids (grandkids, in fact, because the pressure is coming from my mum). I think I need:

• ease of use
  
• rough n tumble resistance

I'm also going to need some way of playing the images back somewhere. On something.

Budget ~ £400 - unless that's way too high/low for needs.

Grateful for any advice/thoughts/signposts.

[tonycollinet]

If you want basic easy to use, and are not after the high definition variaties, then you can spend much less.

For around £120, we got one for Ms TC which takes MMC cards instead of tapes, (so you can play through telly from camcorder - or transfer to computer and play on there), and basically does all she needs. Also easy to upload to youtube, to show to distant rellies.

I think it is something like:
Samsung VP-MX20/XEU Flash Memory Camcorder: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo


Not sure about rough and tumble resistance - robust enough - but I wouldn't chuck it around. I don't think there are any that I would chuck around.

[Jaded]

I think the answer to this depends on how much filming you are going to do and how much editing. You may find that the video capability on a compact camera is perfectly adequate for what you want, and that a proper video camera is a bit over the top.

For editing and playback, you either show it on a computer, or make a DVD up. If it's for your mum then a DVD might be easier - assuming she uses them. (I seem to recall that you use a PC - you'd be after the PC equivalents of iMovie and iDVD, which I'm sure someone will come along and recommend.)

[Really Ancien]

Panasonic do a good range of still cameras around £250. Get one with AVCHD lite and you'll get good enough video. The bundled software will make a DVD, but SD cards are cheap enough to use them like film. The camera comes with leads to connect it to a television and you can get a HDMI lead to connect it to a HD TV, so you can view the results off the camera. I've got an FT1 which you can use underwater and drop from 4 feet. Only  a 4.2x zoom though.

Damon.

[Paul]

Thanks folks. The 'what' bit has been solved (or at least resolved): mum got fed up of waiting and bought something which she'll give me next time we meet.

All I know about it at the moment is that it's silver. Are the silver ones good?

Now all I have to do is read the instructions, remember to keep it charged, take it everywhere we go, use it, not lose it, and not to drop/wash/microwave it*.

Ungrateful? Me?

(*these being some of my reasons for not having a mobile phone)

[Frenchie]

Mum was fast!

I would have suggested a good camera with a large memory card; this is how we film Baby G and share with the rest of the family.

[David Martin]

I'd suggest a D300s, but I'm not sure the grandparents would go for that one..

..d