looking for a small hd camcorder for the upcoming basketball season. my eye fell on the sony hdr-hc7 and the sony dvdirect vrd mc3.
i wonder if anybody has some exspirience even both item are fairly new.

thanks

http://www.provantage.com/sony-hdrhc7~7SNYF007.htm

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product_Id=4133520&JRSource=googlebase.datafeed.SON+VRDMC3


ps:
budget $ 3 k

do already have an editing system in place if need be? that might affect your budget and format decisions. also - is this for an additional camera? i would think multiple cameras would be a must for sporting events.

do already have an editing system in place if need be? that might affect your budget and format decisions. also - is this for an additional camera? i would think multiple cameras would be a must for sporting events.


hello pete,

no editing, raw cut, basketball, one camera only, no close ups, just very basic.
it's the hc5 by the way (minidv tape)
the plan is to create a tape, and a dvd right there for the coach.
the camcorder is as you know, brand new, just came out. the main reason i like to go with sony, they offer a lanc connection (tripot remote control zoom etc)
i read somewhere the the master dvd can't be duplicated, looses audio.?

Why dont you just go the HC7 route? If your budget is 3k the HC7 includes a hotshoe, and from what I've heard the HC7 has better low light quality than the HC3 or HC5.

*Note I do not own the HC7, so take this advice lightly.

(Finally sold my GL-1 today... HC7 only 3 weeks away :D )

I'd suggest the HC7 over the HC3 or 5 as well - and I do own one (two actually). Higher quality picture, better stills (shoot 3 while filming video, or as many as you want as a still cam).

All three cameras have the Sony proprietary "hotshoe" for accessories. BUT the 7 has the mic and headphone jacks and better IS (than the 3 at least, haven't seen a 5). AND, yes a bit better low light PQ. For the price difference, if budget allows, go with the 7.


Accesorize with a HG WA lens, decent size high speed Memory stick Duo, extra FH70 battery or two, probably the BC-TRP mini wall charger, and if you want, a mic. If shooting in daylight, a polarizer and maybe an ND filter.

Shooting HDV, you'll want to be on a tripod or stabilized somehow (see my bracket setup I use on this camera in earlier postings). LANC on tripod or a Sony or Giottos LANC if you're on brackets/stabilizer.

Can't speak to the DVD burner, but seems like a decent idea!

thanks for the input.
just read the comments on http://www.smart-review.com/sonyhc7.html
and they confirm your postings.
i am a tripod shooter only. (canonxl1-s) theater/ studio, live performances only. so, yes everything will be taped of my tripod (bogen remore)

i guess i will go for the hc7. i opt for the sony dvd burner, because i can hand over the dvd to the coach right after the game.

had a sony trc 730 for years, just for basketball customers, unfortunately the tape drive gave up.

Karl -
One nice thing about the small size is that you don't need a tripod to keep you from tipping over... or just plain old wearing out!

I think if I were shooting action sports type stuff, I'd have this on my bracket rig chasing all over the place - if it's a long shoot, the tripod is good, but the freedom has it's plusses! That's what has really shifted me over to the HC7 - one little bag, grab and go with all the accesories I need, and get great results... and not be worn out at the end of a day from lugging big gear...

DB>)

hello dave,

yes, thats the idea, small, no weight, very few to no accessories, and still an acceptable result.
lighting and sound are not an major issue at a basketball court, but to carry my canon set up is...lol (not getting younger)
i also want to get in and out, no more 2 hours early, set up and take down time, well you know.

Hi Karl -
You'll like the HC7 a lot! I have a kit in an old TRV900 hard case with two 7's and an HV20 - one small box and a couple tripods, and I can hit a location, be set and running in less than half an hour, triple check everything, shoot a wedding multi angle, and be packed and ready to go in nothing flat - one cam drops into a small backpack style bag for handheld pre-ceremony or reception, or whatever other coverage. While I can see that the bigger cams get slightly better video, it's not THAT much better - what you get in a small package is pretty amazing.

DB>)

been searching for a good price, and what a difference:

$ 479,99

http://www.lowpricedigital.com/item.asp?item_Id=144531&partner=g123&keyword=hc7

and up to $ 1400 anywhere else.

We can't really talk about non-sponsor retailers here. On top of that, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is! I'd be very suspicious of any store selling a brand new $1000 camera at 60% off...

http://dvinfo.net/sponsors/index.php

Karl -
be very suspicious of prices you find on the web that are impossibly cheap... do a little research and you'll find most are scams plain and simple. Call a couple and see if any will actually sell you a real camera for the price quoted - I had one try to tell me their price was for an empty shell... "for someone who might want it to repair" a BRAND NEW CAMERA (HC7)...

There MIGHT be a cut rate seller out there that's legit (anythings possible), but I've seen some discussion that some of these places are actually scamming card #'s... better to find a legit seller and be safe and get legit product... if they are delivering product it also may be grey market - who knows where it came from, and it's virtually always a "bare cam", which they will then try to sell you the neccesary accessories for at inflated prices... wacky stuff, to be sure...

DB>)

PS - do a little research on "NY camera shops"... interesting stuff.

today i received my new sony hc7. 2 extra large batts. are in the mail.also in the mail a vztft5.6. and the new hdv sony walkman. as remote i guess i use a bogen 523.

now i am ready for the basketball season.

shot a local football game last night to try out the new toy.
this camera has an excellent crispy clear picture.
have to get used to the controls, specially the on screen touch...rec, zoom, focus, on-off threw a remote control. also finding all the settings...lol
for the remote control, lanc which is on the left bottom of the camcorder, i need to get a longer cable, but that is not a big deal.
since i did not know how, i shot in the easy mode. no focus hunting like my xl1-s.
i guess i am ready for the basket ball season

*simon
thanks for the advice to get the hc7

i opt for the sony dvd burner, because i can hand over the dvd to the coach right after the game.
Well, not *right* after the game.... if you're burning DVDs from tape, the transfer is real-time. So a 1-hour tape will take 1 hour to burn to DVD. Don't forget to turn i.LINK DOWNCONVERT to ON; while the MC5 can make an HD disc from AVCHD files, I don't think it can do so from HDV tape. The MC3 is strictly SD DVD.

I think it's only with HDD AVCHD cams that the burning is both super-fast and HD.

On another note, if you've got the Bogen/Manfrotto 523Pro Lanc controller, I assume it's mounted to a similarly beefy head on top of a pretty substantial set of legs, which may be much more than you need or feel like carrying around with a cam as small as the HC7. You could consider the Sony RM-870 tripod which is extremely lightweight (someone on another board called it a toy) but will serve as a decent place just to keep the cam while you're not running around with it. I wouldn't raise the center column, of course, but for a small cam it's decent and still has a built-in LANC remote.

And there's no shame in shooting in EASY mode...

thanks for your comments...

well, the coach is fine with a tape, so no need for the sony dvd burner anymore, and you are right, there is no "right away", i did not knew that at the time i wrote the first post...lol

last night i used an older sony vct-d680 rm, lightweight tripod, has also a build in remote control.

i appreciated the fact that the tripod is small and very light, but did not liked the head, panning and tilting was very loose and not controllable, specillay the pan handle is not adjustable. have too see what other tripods sony has.

you're also right with the bogen 523. this panhandle goes into my davis&sanford which is indeed bulky and heavy.

i guess i have to compromise in regards the tripod, but my idea is to cut equipment weight and size down, without giving quality up.

greetings

I think the 870 may have a better head; I think it's pretty smooth and not loose at all.

Your local Sony Store should have one in stock you could play with....

I also use the 523 with my FX1, but for my HC3s I have the 870 and I think it works pretty smoothly.

I use a 701RC2 head for my 190DX Manfrotto tripod for my HC7 and it works pretty well.

just received the new tripod (vct870rm) and even it is still a small and not a pro tripod, the head is much better than my old vct-d680.

like i said, my goal is to get the set up, smaller and less weight.


thanks adam..good advice.
have an other football game this friday, will post how the tripod is doing