Camcorder Recommendation for Church Use

[Ron Hunter]

We recently started videotaping our church services using a low-end Canon standard definition camcorder with video stored on SD cards. This is working out well but the video quality is not that good (picture quality is not particularly sharp). The pastor is asking us to develop budget recommendations for a camcorder that will provide better quality video.

I'm thinking that we need a camcorder with better optical zoom since the tripod is at the back of the sanctuary (maybe 100ft away from the pulpit). The ability to record services longer than an hour is good (Baptists usually don't finish in 60 min ), so non-tape-based camcorders seem to be more flexible in that regard. Most of this video will NOT be edited; the camcorder output goes into a DVD burner for real-time DVD copying. The audio for the recording goes from the audio mixing board into the DVD burner, so we aren't using the camcorder microphone.

I think the objective is to get a camcorder that is better than consumer grade, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a professional model. I don't have a budgetary framework either; I'm guessing below $3k for sure, otherwise it will get shot down. So, what recommendations can you make for us?

Thanks!

[Chuck Engels]

You can find a used Canon XL1 in good condition for around $1500 - $2000
I don't think you will find a better camcorder (Standard Definition) for the price.
This is a tape camcorder but you can record directly to a computer with Premiere Elements.

If you go Hard Drive or memory card based you will spend twice that on a good quality unit.
If you go High Def then the Canon Xh A1 is probably a good option at around $4000, again that is tape.

You can connect a firewire cable direct to a computer and capture live to the computer's hard drive.
Then you are only limited by the size of the drive.

Be sure to find something with 3 large CCDs (1/4 to 1/2 ")as that will help tremendously with the quality and especially low light conditions. Problem is that those are quite expensive, even the standard definition ones. Lighting is always an issue when shooting a church service. The distance is your other problem, have you thought about maybe more of a shot from an angle so you can get closer? That would probably solve your quality problem. My guess is that you are zooming past the optical zoom and using the digital zoom which is terrible quality.

One camera at our church; body, lens, tripod and controls costs more than $30,000. We have 3 of those, two Canon XH G1s, and another $30,000 camera on a $20,000 Crane Jib. All but the two Canons will get up close from over 400 feet and look as sharp in low light as it does in bright light. Those are professional cameras, don't expect miracles for under $3000

[Steve Grisetti]

Excellent recommendation, Chuck! I whole-heartedly agree!

[Ron Hunter]

Thanks for the recommendation, that is very helpful.

Regarding tape-based camcorders, I thought the camcorder would only record with tape in the machine, and this forces the recording to 60 minutes? Will the camcorder record with no tape in the machine? Or can you adjust SP/EP settings in the camcorder to squeeze more recording time out of the tape? I've never tried that because I thought the quality would suffer, but if it is going out over FireWire, quality degradation on tape is a non-issue.

Wow, your church has more than $100k in video gear? I can't even imagine that. I'd love to see your production setup!

[Chuck Engels]

All of my MiniDV camcorders have recorded without tapes directly to Premiere Elements.
I have done this quite a few times now, especially for stop motion recording.
You are only limited by the size of your hard drive.

I am hoping to get some video of our church setup sometime soon.
I did some test recording at practice one night when I got a new HV40.
Been wanting to post some of that anyway, maybe this weekend.

You can see some of the footage that has been shot, great stuff from our youth conference is not online.
Even looks pretty good at full screen, check out the two 'Burn' videos (The Interuption by Matt Pitt)
http://www.trinitychapel.org/391540.ihtml

You will get a good idea of the quality in these cameras.