Choice of 2 camcorders

[Watusi]

ok, decided to buy a camcorder, and have provisionaly narrowed it down to the Panasonic SDR-H20EB-S


Direct Link (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=827&id=30372&p=http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/sdrh20ebs)


or the panasonic NV-GS320EB-S

Direct Link (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=827&id=30372&p=http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/nvgs320ebs)

The former having a 30gig hard drive, the latter being Mini-DV.

Read good things about the GS320 but not seen much info about the H20. Just wondering if any here has any opinions as I know chuff all about this stuff!

[Alan b]

Please affiliate these links where applicable, ta.

[tonytol]

um. so you've narrowed it down to the SDR-H20EB-S or the SDR-H20EB-S
??

personally, I'd stick with a tape based cam, especially if you want to edit any 'footage', and even more especially if you have a Mac rather than Pc.

[Watusi]

Hmmm. not sure what went wrong there. The other Camcorder being the GS320.

Is tape based considered better then? I assumed HD would be easier for transferring video and editing?

Picked 2 panasonic camcorders solely because several posts on here said that panasonic were great. Open to suggestion though, max price is £350

[AdminSpod]

NV GS320 is £340 at PurelyGadgets:
http://www.purelygadgets.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=5641&wysiwyg=2

[wizbowes]

NV GS320 is £340 at PurelyGadgets:
http://www.purelygadgets.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=5641&wysiwyg=2

Yeah - but it's shown as a preorder with no indication that I can find of estimated delivery date.....

[Watusi]

ok, been reading at lunch and now have the Sony HC96 and Panny 230 as possibities too... too much choice!

So far I reckon the 320 is edging it

[tonytol]

HC96 is a very good cam - lots of features, but I thought it was discontinued last year - so check they actually have it in stock and it's not a return/recon unit. Most of this years dv cams are basic models as the average punter doesn't buy based on things like DV-in or mic sockets. If you do some searching on HDD/hard drive v tape camcorders you'll find a healthy debate, and I can only personally say that I prefer tape for it's ease of editing and quality due to lack of compressin. Theres more PC software around now to edit hdd based (usually mpeg2) formats but the iniital stream is compressed, sometimes quite heavily, making if a bit of a faff to edit. Mac users still have lots of problems, espeically with Sony HDD cams, but the situation changes each month. No doubt I'll sound like a old crusty next year for reccommending tape. btw , tapes are aound £11 for a 10 pack from Amazon.
edit: the advantage to a disc, drive or card storage for video is that it's eaiser to play direct to telly uneditied, which is what most buy them for.

[Watusi]

The Hc96 is in stock at Ebuyer for £350. actually ended up ordering the GS320 from there for £334. Fingers crossed it lives up to expectations. and cheers for your thoughts!