Need Camera Feedback- non-webcam

[Sereph_Doll]

Hello Everybody,
I'm asking this in the ask-a-model section to allow models and non-models to respond.

A couple of the girls in another thread were talking about what video cameras (camcorders, camera..etc) are the best to use. I am not looking for webcam feedback at this time just regular cameras. :dance:

What I personally am looking for is a good camera that I can film clips (for my clips4sale store) on a daily basis. I need something that is easy to use alone, something that doesn't make too much noise (like when it auto focuses) and just an all around good deal.

I know some other girls might have other needs that I left out so please feel free to put your questions in here as well ladies.

I am currently using a Samsung F90 and I have been pretty pleased with it and it came with a tripod on amazon. Score!
What I don't like
- When it auto focuses you can hear it in the clip whirling. Maybe there are some suggestions on how to fix this
- The screen is so small that sometimes it's hard to film something if I can't directly look at the screen (like anal clips) and I've had times where I am completely out of the shot.
-I would love a remote to push start and stop. Maybe there is an add on I could get for this?
- The battery life is pretty good- but it could be better and anytime it's "low" it just shuts off. I've had plenty of screams at it when it just shuts off in the middle of my clip and then I have to go get the charger and plug it in and try to get back into the same mood and position. A little warning would be nice instead of an instant shut off camera! gah!!!

That's all I can think of for now. Camera experts...lend me your knowledge please!!
Thanks in advance!
xoxoxo
Sereph

 

[LilyEvans]

I'm definitely NOT a camera expert but I love the idea of everyone having as much info as they can get!

In the past, I recorded video on my webcam: Logitech C910. It's meant to be an HD cam but the quality of video is noticeably lower than my Nikon (more on that later) but still very good. I use a Mac and when I record with my webcam I ALWAYS record into Photobooth; I have never had success recording into the Logitech software (it always seems to cut the video anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes into the clip for some reason), nor have I had a good experience recording directly into iMovie (the audio track is always delayed.) Recording into Photobooth is actually a really good viable option for people who simply cannot afford a separate camera to film video with. Here's a gif that was recorded with my webcam:

Pros: decent quality; small webcam is easy to pick up and move around; no mechanical background noises when autofocusing; no real need to adjust focus manually; recording on computer screen gives you a larger view of what's being captured; every camgirl already has a webcam; no need for external memory cards.

Cons: tethered to computer; recording long videos into Photobooth sometimes corrupts the file (in my experience); lower quality than a true 1080p HD camcorder.

Nowadays I usually record video with my Nikon D5100. This camera was decently expensive but has great quality, if you know how to use it. Here's a couple of gifs recorded on the Nikon:

Pros: Great quality videos; it's meant for photos mostly so you can use it for picsets as well as videos. Great options for zoom and focus if you know how to use it. Optional accessories like remote control, external microphone, and battery pack.

Cons: Price. Needs external memory card. Records HUGE files (a ten minute clip is over 1 GB!). Recording on autofocus causes a mechanical whirring sounds (this was NOT a camera made for videos); I've been able to somewhat overcome this obstacle by using an external microphone, but you can still hear the autofocus a little. (Generally I use manual focus mode, but this severely limits my options for moving around, sometimes even by a few inches. In the mouth gif above, I was manually focusing the lens to shift the focus from the back of my throat to the front of my mouth.) This camera is complex and you must learn how to use it properly to get what you want from it. The camera is large and a little heavy. It will only record 20 minutes worth of video at a time, even if there is room on the SD card. Because this camera was made primarily for photo and not video, I am afraid I will burn it out by using it in video mode so much.

I'd love an HD camcorder that is made specifically for video and is user-friendly but until then I am pretty thrilled with my Nikon, even if it can be a pain in the butt sometimes.

 

[Sereph_Doll]

Thanks Lily! It sounds like you have an amazing camera but it's a good point you brought up about how much space a file takes up.
I need something that I can quickly film and then put on my computer without taking exorbitant amounts of space or time.

PS- thanks for making everybody all horny with your sexy gifs! mmmbb

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Hello Everybody,

What I personally am looking for is a good camera that I can film clips (for my clips4sale store) on a daily basis. I need something that is easy to use alone, something that doesn't make too much noise (like when it auto focuses) and just an all around good deal.

Thanks in advance!
xoxoxo
Sereph

The noise is the big problem I think. I can't think of any compact cameras which record video and don't make auto-focus noise. I know mine does. The only way I can think around that is to either get away from the small point and shoots and go with the bulkier DSLR's. Or go with a more expensive point and shoot model that has an external microphone jack. Then you could attach an external mic that wouldn't pick up all that internal noise of the camera's mechanics.

I know the CoolPix P7700 has an external mic jack that is a standard 3.5mm plug. But it's around $450.
http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX...&qid=1407700559&sr=1-1&keywords=COOLPIX+P7700

At that price range you may want to just consider a full fledged DSLR or Camcorder.

 

[Sereph_Doll]

Hello Everybody,

What I personally am looking for is a good camera that I can film clips (for my clips4sale store) on a daily basis. I need something that is easy to use alone, something that doesn't make too much noise (like when it auto focuses) and just an all around good deal.

Thanks in advance!
xoxoxo
Sereph

At that price range you may want to just consider a full fledged DSLR or Camcorder.

Such as?


I am trying to stay away from a camera that is both for photos and videos. Since my primary job in the adult industry is clips I think it's a sound investment just to get a straight camcorder.

 

[SylviaDay]

I've been looking at this one lately since I plan to get primarily into clip making in a few months. I know nothing about what features/specs make a good video camera though! Any advice? I'm looking in the $500-1000 price range

 

[SexySteph]

Hello Everybody,

What I personally am looking for is a good camera that I can film clips (for my clips4sale store) on a daily basis. I need something that is easy to use alone, something that doesn't make too much noise (like when it auto focuses) and just an all around good deal.

Thanks in advance!
xoxoxo
Sereph

At that price range you may want to just consider a full fledged DSLR or Camcorder.

Such as?


I am trying to stay away from a camera that is both for photos and videos. Since my primary job in the adult industry is clips I think it's a sound investment just to get a straight camcorder.

A Canon T3i would be good. Honestly, I know a camcorder seems like a better option but you will be hard pressed to get DSLR quality from a camcorder for less than a thousand.

I'm not 100% sure but I'm pretty sure that JoleneBrody's video production company uses DSLRs too...

 

[JerryBoBerry]

A Canon T3i would be good. Honestly, I know a camcorder seems like a better option but you will be hard pressed to get DSLR quality from a camcorder for less than a thousand.

Since the OP mentioned the noise associated with auto focus I'll just point out the T3i doesn't auto focus at all while video recording. Yes, you can half press the shutter to focus it, but it will stay at that focus until pressed again. There's no continuous focusing. That may be a drawback if the style of video wanted requires moving around a bit at different distances from the camera. Even a tiny movement can result in parts of you being out of focus.

If you have a bit of time. This guy did a pretty good comparison, pro/con, side-by-side examples of compact point and shoots, DSLR's, and camcorders. Why and what situations you would want or not want each.

It's in two parts.

 

[ClaudiaKink]

I use a Canon Vixia Hf G20. It cost ~$900 which was expensive, but worth it for the amount of clips I create, and I really love it. The shots are clean and there is no auto focus noise in the background of my videos like there was with my dual purpose camera (I was using a Fuji X10). The built in mic is alright - probably the next thing I will upgrade will be to an external mic and then some additional lights, but it is also much better/clearer than either my webcam or the X10.

Pros:
You can swivel the screen around while filming so you can check what is in and out of shot so you don't film a whole 10 minute video which is unusable.
Can be used while plugged into the charger, so if you are within reach of a socket it has a virtually unlimited battery life.
Quiet autofocus since it was designed primarily for video.
Two SD card slots, so you can film a whole lot of video before you run out of space (also has some built in memory - and will switch from one to the other if you run out of space mid-clip.)

Cons:
BIG files. How much of a con this is depends on what sort of set up you have to videos. I have external hardrives up the wazoo (not really, that would probably void the warranty, but you know what I mean) so this isn't a con for me, but might be for you.
It's a big camera. It is quite large and heavy - although lighter than my DSLR. You'll need a reasonably sturdy tripod to support it.

 

[Sereph_Doll]

I use a Canon Vixia Hf G20. It cost ~$900 which was expensive, but worth it for the amount of clips I create, and I really love it. The shots are clean and there is no auto focus noise in the background of my videos like there was with my dual purpose camera (I was using a Fuji X10). The built in mic is alright - probably the next thing I will upgrade will be to an external mic and then some additional lights, but it is also much better/clearer than either my webcam or the X10.

Pros:
You can swivel the screen around while filming so you can check what is in and out of shot so you don't film a whole 10 minute video which is unusable.
Can be used while plugged into the charger, so if you are within reach of a socket it has a virtually unlimited battery life.
Quiet autofocus since it was designed primarily for video.
Two SD card slots, so you can film a whole lot of video before you run out of space (also has some built in memory - and will switch from one to the other if you run out of space mid-clip.)

Cons:
BIG files. How much of a con this is depends on what sort of set up you have to videos. I have external hardrives up the wazoo (not really, that would probably void the warranty, but you know what I mean) so this isn't a con for me, but might be for you.
It's a big camera. It is quite large and heavy - although lighter than my DSLR. You'll need a reasonably sturdy tripod to support it.

Are you regularly having to reduce the file size before uploading it to a website?
Does it take forever to upload your content because of the large size?

I've seen a few snippets of your clips and they do look beautiful.

I've been looking at this one lately since I plan to get primarily into clip making in a few months. I know nothing about what features/specs make a good video camera though! Any advice? I'm looking in the $500-1000 price range

That's why I made this post So we can try and figure out what a good camera is and hopefully make some educated decisions.
Any body have any advice for this question from Sylvia?

 

[RainyDayGuy]

I am trying to stay away from a camera that is both for photos and videos. Since my primary job in the adult industry is clips I think it's a sound investment just to get a straight camcorder.

How much of an investment are you willing to make and what's your technical skill level? That's gonna determine what the best choice for you is.

I know a fair amount about photography stuff, but not as much about video. I do know, as mentioned by others, DSLRs with video capability have kinda become the default choice for people that want quality and can't afford to buy a pro video rig. Lots of accessories for video related activities and such.

 

[GracieHart]

When I was setting myself up for filming I chose to get a camcorder over a DSLR. A close friend (and videographer) suggested that the lack of auto focus on DSLR might be a problem for a newbie who just wanted to point and shoot and not have to worry about moving too much...

I ended up going for this camcorder

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00A ... UTF8&psc=1 (I got it for £100 cheaper than the current listed prices)

as it had great reviews and so far I am delighted with it.

There is no issue with any sound when the autofocus kicks in, you can swivel the screen around to watch yourself when filming and the ability to have it plugged in means you dont have to worry about battery life. It is super simple to use ( i stick to auto settings) and really light weight as well. I am not sure about file sizes though but have never had a problem with them so far. I am just finalising a preview clip for my latest video which I can upload here when completed so you can view the quality. There are some newer camcorders out there but a lot seem to have added features which you dont need (ability to film underwater or to upload instantly to fb) and you pay more for them. This one is cheap in price for the quality and there are loads of reviews online so you can always check them out for more info

 

[GoddessAiren]

I use a Canon Vixia Hf G20. It cost ~$900 which was expensive, but worth it for the amount of clips I create, and I really love it. The shots are clean and there is no auto focus noise in the background of my videos like there was with my dual purpose camera (I was using a Fuji X10). The built in mic is alright - probably the next thing I will upgrade will be to an external mic and then some additional lights, but it is also much better/clearer than either my webcam or the X10.

Pros:
You can swivel the screen around while filming so you can check what is in and out of shot so you don't film a whole 10 minute video which is unusable.
Can be used while plugged into the charger, so if you are within reach of a socket it has a virtually unlimited battery life.
Quiet autofocus since it was designed primarily for video.
Two SD card slots, so you can film a whole lot of video before you run out of space (also has some built in memory - and will switch from one to the other if you run out of space mid-clip.)

Cons:
BIG files. How much of a con this is depends on what sort of set up you have to videos. I have external hardrives up the wazoo (not really, that would probably void the warranty, but you know what I mean) so this isn't a con for me, but might be for you.
It's a big camera. It is quite large and heavy - although lighter than my DSLR. You'll need a reasonably sturdy tripod to support it.

Thank you for posting this. I'm currently also using a Canon Vixia (the $300 model) and I REALLY love it. I want to upgrade so I've been eyeballing some of their fancier 1k-2k semi-pro video cameras and I think I'm probably going to go with the XA10 or something similar.

 

[Sereph_Doll]

Thanks for all the responses.

I think I'm looking for a good point and shoot one.
Obviously I am not well versed in the camera world. I had to google DSLRs :lol:

 

[GoddessAudrey]

I'm super not good with camera's, so take this review with a grain of salt.
I ended up going with the Canon EOS M after doing a bunch of research on camcorders and cameras that were roughly in the same price range. To be honest though, I mostly went with this one because it went on sale right before I went to buy the camcorder I'd been looking at at the time.
Pros:
*I REALLY like the quality for only being a $300 camera.
*seems much more user friendly then the DSLR's I've played around with (there wasn't much of a learning curve)
*I've only had it for about a month, but it doesn't seem too overheat too badly with filming videos
Cons:
*screen doesn't flip around
*only has two compatible lenses for this camera, I can buy an adapter to use normal canon lenses but it's almost as much as the camera
*autofocus is a bit slow, which can be a deterrent for other people who are point and shoot girls like me
*doesn't affect me much, but it's VERY front heavy - however my cheapo tripod holds it just fine

Overall, I think for the price my camera is one of the better options. I definitely want to upgrade, but especially since I'm a newer clip maker this camera will work for at least another year or so. (I also feel like the quality will go up a lot when my lights finally come in!)

Here's an example gif of what my videos look like (keep in mind my lighting is embarrassingly bad)

 

[Missbump]

I am an actual photographer for my day job, and I know that the Nikon D3100 is excellent for video. It has gotten much cheaper lately with Nikon introducing new camera models. I have two of these and have filmed some great hd films for camming and other things with them, and they are very easy to use. It takes incredible pictures with the blurry backgrounds too, very professional. I hope this is some help to you!

 

[JaneJupiter]

I really think you should invest in a Canon rebel, like the others said. I have a T3i and it takes amazing HD videos. Here is a still from one of my videos:

 

[JoleneBrody]

Speaking from a video editors standpoint, there is nothing more horrendously awful to work with than auto focus and auto settings. Even is you have a camcorder, turn those auto settings off. Pretty please, with a huge cherry on top.

You can get a T3i for a pretty great price too, since they have brought out some newer versions.

I'll direct my business partner ShutterBuck this way. He is the camera genius part of our business ( AdultIndieProductions.com ) and can probably share some great advice!

 

[JerryBoBerry]

To the OP:
Just curious if you've decided on something for sure yet and what route you went?

 

[Shutterbuck]

Speaking from a video editors standpoint, there is nothing more horrendously awful to work with than auto focus and auto settings. Even is you have a camcorder, turn those auto settings off. Pretty please, with a huge cherry on top.

You can get a T3i for a pretty great price too, since they have brought out some newer versions.

I'll direct my business partner ShutterBuck this way. He is the camera genius camera chimping, bumbling idiot part of our business ( AdultIndieProductions.com ) and can probably share some great advice!

FIFY :-D

I don't know that I have a whole lot to offer the thread if the OP is specifically looking for a P&S or Handicam type camera. I honestly don't have much hands-on experience with either.
But you raise some good points. Automatic settings on your cameras (dslr, handicam, or otherwise) will probably be the biggest source of disappointment in your videos. Focus off just a little or your camera seems to constantly hunt for focus? Exposure seems to be jumping around?
Your camera does it's best to correct for changes in lighting and subject matter but it's not perfect... sometimes it's not even acceptable. Which (I imagine) leads to a lot of deleted videos.
I had a big-ass post started here but it was getting way to geeky... if there's enough interest (or any at all), I might consider starting a "tips and tricks" type thread when I've got some time.
However, the one bit of absolute best advice I can offer here is pretty simple: LIGHT.
No matter what you're shooting your videos with... throw a metric shit ton of light at them. Unless you've got a solid grasp on the capabilities and limitations of your camera, your absolute best friend is light. I'd wager 80% of your auto-focus woes stem from a lack of light. Cameras make decisions on auto-focus based on contrast, not subject matter. And if there's just not enough light, it's difficult for the camera to make those decisions. Sure, the auto exposure settings will bump up the ISO or open up the aperture to brighten the image... but increased ISO introduces sensor noise which reduces contrast which makes auto-focus a bitch... and wider apertures create that creamy shallow depth of field you ladies love but usually at the cost of accurate focus. Of course, there are always compromises and ways to work around some of these things... but again, that post could super tl;dr and geeky.

 

[SexySteph]

Speaking from a video editors standpoint, there is nothing more horrendously awful to work with than auto focus and auto settings. Even is you have a camcorder, turn those auto settings off. Pretty please, with a huge cherry on top.

You can get a T3i for a pretty great price too, since they have brought out some newer versions.

I'll direct my business partner ShutterBuck this way. He is the camera genius camera chimping, bumbling idiot part of our business ( AdultIndieProductions.com ) and can probably share some great advice!

FIFY :-D

I don't know that I have a whole lot to offer the thread if the OP is specifically looking for a P&S or Handicam type camera. I honestly don't have much hands-on experience with either.
But you raise some good points. Automatic settings on your cameras (dslr, handicam, or otherwise) will probably be the biggest source of disappointment in your videos. Focus off just a little or your camera seems to constantly hunt for focus? Exposure seems to be jumping around?
Your camera does it's best to correct for changes in lighting and subject matter but it's not perfect... sometimes it's not even acceptable. Which (I imagine) leads to a lot of deleted videos.
I had a big-ass post started here but it was getting way to geeky... if there's enough interest (or any at all), I might consider starting a "tips and tricks" type thread when I've got some time.
However, the one bit of absolute best advice I can offer here is pretty simple: LIGHT.
No matter what you're shooting your videos with... throw a metric shit ton of light at them. Unless you've got a solid grasp on the capabilities and limitations of your camera, your absolute best friend is light. I'd wager 80% of your auto-focus woes stem from a lack of light. Cameras make decisions on auto-focus based on contrast, not subject matter. And if there's just not enough light, it's difficult for the camera to make those decisions. Sure, the auto exposure settings will bump up the ISO or open up the aperture to brighten the image... but increased ISO introduces sensor noise which reduces contrast which makes auto-focus a bitch... and wider apertures create that creamy shallow depth of field you ladies love but usually at the cost of accurate focus. Of course, there are always compromises and ways to work around some of these things... but again, that post could super tl;dr and geeky.

Could you recommend a certain lighting kit/bulbs/lighting layout?

 

[Shutterbuck]

Could you recommend a certain lighting kit/bulbs/lighting layout?

This could also get quite geeky... and expensive. I'll try to be brief.
The short answer is "light is light is light". Quality of light and quantity of light don't always coincide but if it comes down to actually having a decently exposed and manageable image... Go for quantity.
As far as kits go... Depends on your budget. I'm not always happy with them, but I've used some of these quite frequently... they work in a pinch and they don't take up too much space in a tight room.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/9 ... scent.html

Otherwise... I assume most cam-girls already have an umbrella light or a number of them. If not, umbrellas and stands are relatively cheap. Umbrellas have their pros and cons. "Shoot through" umbrellas as they're most often called (The white satiny looking ones) will eat up about a full stop of light but produce pretty soft light if placed at an optimal distance. Since your light source is open on the other side of the umbrella, the light spill usually provides a bit of fill light by bouncing off your surroundings, especially if your walls are white.
Turn that same umbrella around backwards so that the open end is facing you, and you'll get much more light out of it though it won't be as diffuse or flattering.
I like three light sources if the working space allows for it. You can often get away with using three identical lights. Just use one close in for a key light, one farther away to fill shadows, and one behind you for some rim or separation light...
If you've only got room for two lights, a couple variations of the above will still work. One for a key or main light and one farther away to fill in some shadows... or put it behind you for a "split" lighting look.

Layout also greatly depends on location for me but 45 degrees off center of your "good side" is a pretty safe bet for the angle of your main lighting if you don't want to fuss too much with where to put your lights but depending on how active one is in a video... it's not guaranteed to always be flattering. A fill can be placed to the opposite side of that, either farther away or with lower wattage bulbs.

As far as power goes... I'd shoot for a minimum of 100-200 watts per light source (more is usually gooder ). Fluorescent wattage will vary compared to tungsten bulbs but you can usually assume that a 15w CFL bulb will put out roughly the same amount of light as a 60w tungsten bulb. And, of course CFL's use less energy.

If you have the option to choose between 5500k and 3200k fluorescent... get both. Your automatic white balance setting in your camera can do a pretty decent job of getting you close to your desired color... but when you start mixing daylight CFL's with indoor incandescent bulbs, you wind up with (depending on your tastes) an often unpleasant mixture of light. I'd use the 5500k CFL's for mixing with daylight/window light. Use the 3200k for mixing with the other lighting in your home if shooting at night. (And always bear in mind that the advertised color temperature on most bulbs is "close-ish").

All that said... I've seen some pretty boss video shot using just 500w utility lamps or $5 clamp lights with a soft white bulb.
Hell, I shot Miss Blaire's BJ video in the middle of the night using just the modeling lights on three of my Einsteins (mono-block photography strobes)... two bounced into some parabolic umbrellas for key and fill and another gridded on the wall behind her.

tl;dr?... spend a little money or a lot of money... or improvise a solution that works for you. So long as you're able to get enough light on your camera's sensor

 

[VeronicaChaos]

I definitely have a problem with getting my Canon T3i to shoot clear video. I can get it crisp in close-ups, but at any distance at all it becomes fuzzy, even after using the remote to auto-focus.

Here's a screenshot of my last video:

It's not too bad, but it's definitely not the quality I want. One issue is that if I flood with light, like Shutter mentioned, I can get it better, but I really enjoy high-contrast moody lighting, especially for certain costumes. In still pictures the lighting works wonderfully, but as soon as I record...blah.

I mean, my problem is that I want movie-quality videos and I have practically-zilch experience. :lol:

Why can't I just be perfect at something totally new to me?!

 

[TinyViking82]

Hi,

I haven't really been on the forums in months, or years , but a model linked me to this thread, and I figured I wanted to chime in.
Veronica mentions the lack of detail with the canon when she isn't doing close ups .. The elephant in the room considering the crazy numbers of models that shoot with canon t3i -t5is or canon 70Ds is that canon cameras are soft. Canon and MFC has something in common and that's their definition of HD. A canon DSLR in 1080p is really closer to a 720p ..The sensor makes beautiful pictures,but its not made for video, so you lose details in the picture.. This can look nice for close up of faces and stuff like that, kinda like a digital beauty filter , but its not good at all when you need wider more detailed shots. Canon has used the same sensors in their cameras for 7 years now, while all the other camera manufactors has made some amazing progress. Sadly cause canon is canon , they can pretty much do this and sell cameras on their name alone. I shot canon for 8 years, but recently sold everyting now after getting tired of waiting and switched to sony..

 

[SoTxBob]

I'm not going to recommend any particular brand simply because I've been away from it for so long. The "camera du jour" changes on a pretty regular basis as the tech gets better. What I will offer is that I have an older model Sony vid recorder, auto focus and with a full function remote. When the built-in mic is used, at times you could pick up the very slight motor noise of the zoom. The easy way to fix this is to plug in a directional mic and have it mounted off the cam on its arm or extension. It's the contact of hard metal or plastic to plastic that transmits most of the sound --think of seeing studio mics and how they are float mounted to cancel vibration.
Completely agree about the shit ton of light.... I have owned/used almost all the different reflectors, and fluorescent barn door types. The barn door boxes are the more expensive in the option department and also quite a bit heavier to manage. My personal preferences were the square directional 'softboxes' with multiple bulbs to vary the output. If you want to play with lighting effects, try one or 2 of the softboxes that are called "morning glories". You can draw the hood shut like the flower closes up. It allows you to have better spot control and not light the entire area if thats what you want While I'm not really a fan of shine thru umbrellas, the one umbrella I loved is the "gold foil" lined one. It gives a very nice warmth. Great for portraits but not general lighting.
I have also one more to add to the pile. Recently I have seen barn door box lights full of white LED's. what I noticed immediately was how cool they stayed and how thin they were. they are pretty pricey. They are more of a "business investment" if you're going to be doing it constantly or longer term.
thats my 2 cents .. happy filmin'. :twocents-02cents:

 

[KylieJacobs]

Hi,

I haven't really been on the forums in months, or years , but a model linked me to this thread, and I figured I wanted to chime in.
Veronica mentions the lack of detail with the canon when she isn't doing close ups .. The elephant in the room considering the crazy numbers of models that shoot with canon t3i -t5is or canon 70Ds is that canon cameras are soft. Canon and MFC has something in common and that's their definition of HD. A canon DSLR in 1080p is really closer to a 720p ..The sensor makes beautiful pictures,but its not made for video, so you lose details in the picture.. This can look nice for close up of faces and stuff like that, kinda like a digital beauty filter , but its not good at all when you need wider more detailed shots. Canon has used the same sensors in their cameras for 7 years now, while all the other camera manufactors has made some amazing progress. Sadly cause canon is canon , they can pretty much do this and sell cameras on their name alone. I shot canon for 8 years, but recently sold everyting now after getting tired of waiting and switched to sony..

I'm so glad that I decided on a Sony camcorder now... (I don't know a lot about camcorders)

I spent HOURS researching camcorders last night. I wanted to spend around $300, and I was trying to decide between Canon and Sony. I went back and forth between the 2 several times.

I really liked that the Canon VIXIA HF R500 (R50, R52) comes with a mic jack to hook up an external mic, so I REALLY wanted to chose the Canon. Not to mention that I could go with the R500 which is a lot less expensive than the Sony that I was looking at. The R50 and R52 versions would have been a waste of money for me since I really didn't need the Wifi or the built in memory.

I watched several test videos of the Sony HDR CX330 and Canon Vixia. I noticed that all the clips for the Canon seemed to be slower with the auto focus, and the overall clarity. The Canon also seemed to have issues with really bright light like when it's pointed in the direction of the sun. The Sony seemed much clearer compared to the Canon, but I thought it could be due to experience.

In the end I chose the Sony HDR CX330. I wish I could afford a more expensive Sony that allows an external mic, but maybe down the road.

This youtube video which compares a Sony to a Canon is what finally convinced me. It's actually comparing the Sony CX380 VS Canon HF R400 (older version of the R500), but it confirmed what I thought about the Canon not being as clear.