[obfuscate]

I'm getting a new camera/camcorder and i was wondering how long will a 512MB sd card record continuously without dying i need to know I'm really stressed that it wont be long enough for the documentary I'm making.
HELP
thnx
obfuscate

[linskyjack]

LOL--a documentary using a 512mb card!--The thing will last forever but you will be pulling it out of the camera quite often--Still camera video is of low quality and eats up sticks very quickly.

[mtyler7807]

Exactly!!!
I remember when I had first started I was under the impression that I could use a camera with a memory stick that had a lot of memory to capture video because the camera said that it could store mpeg files. I found out real fast that it stored mpegs alright, but at 320 x 240 resolution at about 10 fps. That made me mad as he**. So I put that one away to collection dust and researched this time for a camera. Found out that the frame rates and resolutions were the same with all of them. So I went a brought a JVC gr-d93us mini dv camera. Get a dv cam, dv tapes are better than I had expected. I could not have amagined that a tape would do that great.

[linskyjack]

Yeah, tape is the way to go--although Panasonic is starting a movement over to sticks---they will be releasing a true HD video camera in the fall for about 5500 bucks---the only problem is that the sticks, which hold about 8 minutes of video, go for about 3000 each. We still live in a world dominated by tape but that should change in the next five years.

[kiwiguy]

If using low quality 640 x 480 resolution, expect about 10 -15 minutes of video maximum on the 512 MB card. If the video is half that resolution, (320 x 240, very poor quality) then double that figure.

[linskyjack]

Yeah, and the video is highly compressed (mpeg) and not easy to edit. What confused me is that the guy said he wanted to make a documentary--rather then lets say a home movie. I guess its okay for home use but if you want someone outside the home to watch your video, dont even think of shooting it with a still camera that has video thrown in as a marketing ploy.

[mtyler7807]

Jvc released there line dv cams with harddrives inside. the price range is 800-1000 dollars. I would love to get one when the price tag comes down or some one gets one to sell on ebay for resonable price.
Peace!

[erick295]

Originally Posted by mtyler7807

I could not have amagined that a tape would do that great.

The tapes are digital rather than analog which is why the quality is good.

No SD card is suitable for taking video. Beware of "video" cameras that use any kind of flash media. It takes gigs and gigs of space to store just an hour of decent quality video. Tapes are the only way to go.

Just to clarify, 320x240 actually takes up 1/4 of the space that 640x480 does, not 1/2. True NTSC video is 720x480, 30fps (well, 29.97 for TV, but DV camcorders take 30fps). This is what all standard camcorders in the US use.

[linskyjack]

[quote=mtyler7807]Jvc released there line dv cams with harddrives inside. the price range is 800-1000 dollars. I would love to get one when the price tag comes down or some one gets one to sell on ebay for resonable price.
Peace![/QUOTE

In the prosumer range, 1500 and above, there are many cameras that will take a hard drive---and several companies making hard drive add-ons to existing cameras--I tend to council people to stay away from JVC---I dont like their quality control.

[mtyler7807]

[quote=linskyjack][quote=mtyler7807]Jvc released there line dv cams with harddrives inside. the price range is 800-1000 dollars. I would love to get one when the price tag comes down or some one gets one to sell on ebay for resonable price.
Peace![/QUOTE

In the prosumer range, 1500 and above, there are many cameras that will take a hard drive---and several companies making hard drive add-ons to existing cameras--I tend to council people to stay away from JVC---I dont like their quality control.[/QUOTE

You are right. But the only reason I like JVC now is because I paid $154.00 for my gr-d93us from sears on closeout and it works wonderfully. The digital image stabilization does real poor past 20x zoom. Better have a tripod handy past that. If you know of any retail stores on the internet that has a banging sale on dv tapes, please drop me a line I need about 40. I brought 6 more cameras yesterday. So now I am broke until I can unload these here in VA. Thanks!!!

[kiwiguy]

Originally Posted by erick295

Just to clarify, 320x240 actually takes up 1/4 of the space that 640x480 does, not 1/2. True NTSC video is 720x480, 30fps (well, 29.97 for TV, but DV camcorders take 30fps). This is what all standard camcorders in the US use.

Thats true, but cameras I have with the video facility ease up on the compression ratio a bit at 320 x 240, and do use half of the 640 x 480 memory.