ZeroFox19

Estimable
May 19, 2014
2
0
4,510
Hey, i have started a YouTube channel and have been looking for some time at purchasing a good camera. I am wanting an Action Camera and a Camcorder/DSLR. I am so lost in what to choose there are just so many options!

I have used a Fuji Film S4300 and do like the quality, but I don't like the fact that it doesn't have rechargeable batteries and the 10 minute video limitation. The other thing that i don't like about it is that when it is recording you can only use digital zoom and cannot take advantage of its 26x optical zoom. So for my camera i am looking at a good optical zoom (20x +), long life rechargeable batteries, no tight video length limitations, and it would also be nice to be able to flip the screen round for recording myself. 1080p would be preferred but i could deal with 720p as that is what most videos are uploaded in anyway, and its not essential but I would like to have a mic in port. I know it's allot to ask for the tight budget of around £100 but help would be appreciated (I wouldn't mind looking at the second hand market).

As for the action camera I am looking to spend around £50, I am seriously looking at the SJ400 because it has the same mounting system as the leading manufacturer (GoPro) so there would be an abundance of mounting options out there. But still any recommendations would be very welcome!

Please help! And thank-you!
 
Solution
As far as a camcorder goes, in your price range and one that meets most of your specs, you could look at the Samsung HMX-F90 HD Camcorder. Some of the specs are as follows:
High Definition
H.264 BP
1280 x 720p / 30 fps
720 x 480p / 60 fps

Recording media: Internal Flash Memory
Recording time: SD 64 GB, 890-minutes (not on a single charge though)
Zoom: Optical: 52x, Digital: 130x
Battery: Rechargeable Battery Pack (You can purchase additional rechargeable batteries for spares - http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HMX-F90-Camcorder-Battery-Lithium/dp/B00CMISQ7M/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1410239292&sr=1-5&keywords=samsung+ia-bp210e+battery)
Screen rotation: Opening Angle: 90°, Turning Angle: 270°
No mic input though.
($144.00...
As far as a camcorder goes, in your price range and one that meets most of your specs, you could look at the Samsung HMX-F90 HD Camcorder. Some of the specs are as follows:
High Definition
H.264 BP
1280 x 720p / 30 fps
720 x 480p / 60 fps

Recording media: Internal Flash Memory
Recording time: SD 64 GB, 890-minutes (not on a single charge though)
Zoom: Optical: 52x, Digital: 130x
Battery: Rechargeable Battery Pack (You can purchase additional rechargeable batteries for spares - http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HMX-F90-Camcorder-Battery-Lithium/dp/B00CMISQ7M/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1410239292&sr=1-5&keywords=samsung+ia-bp210e+battery)
Screen rotation: Opening Angle: 90°, Turning Angle: 270°
No mic input though.
($144.00 USD, £86.91)


I found the following used camcorders at B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/):
Panasonic HC-V10 High Definition Camcorder (Black) ($99.95 USD - £62.20) (1280 x 720p / 60 fps) (63x optical zoom)
Panasonic HC-V100 HD Camcorder (Black) ($149.95 USD - £93.32) (1920 x 1080i /60 fps) (34x optical zoom)

As for the action camera the SJ400 might be your best bet in that price range.
 
Solution

ZeroFox19

Estimable
May 19, 2014
2
0
4,510


Thaky you for your help, I am new to all of this and have heard of H.264 many times before but what is it? And also could you explain what codecs are? It would be very helpful as i have allot to learn! Thanks!
 


Codec (Coder/Decoder or Compressor/Decompressor):
All About Video Codecs and Containers
What is a Codec? - VideoMaker Magazine
What is a Codec? - VideoLAN
Comparison of Container Formats
Video Formats - A Guide To Understanding Video Codecs & Containers

H,264 - Wikipedia:
"H.264/MPEG-4 AVC. H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 10, Advanced Video Coding (MPEG-4 AVC) is a video compression format that is currently one of the most commonly used formats for the recording, compression, and distribution of video content."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264/MPEG-4_AVC

I hope you find the links above useful.