Im looking for a camcorder that isnt too expensive but can record or feed decent low light video. I have been using my 15 year old camcorder with some of my vsl sets to switch to live display. But my camera sucks and has to always be on night shot in order to see anything. Anyone have one they bought from costco that works wonders at the club? :)

Flip HD

The Flip cameras are MAD shaky. Check out this video shot with my canon camera.

www.youtube.com view

Keep in mind that youtube compresses the picture quite a bit but you get the idea that it works well for club lighting.

I tried the Aiptek HD camcorder and the quality was really horrible. ^^you just reminded me that my point and shoot camera has video capabilities. Im going to try that out and see how it turns out.

what model is it?

I guess it was more of a half joke. For $200 it has actually been a good buy!

canon vixia hf10

500 on ebay, used of course.

Well tried out my point in shoot on the flat screen hd tvs and it looked decent but was very pixelated.

Casio Exilim :) Takes great pics but the recording is not good.

Yeah depends on the camera. I'm telling you, go Canon. Great picture, good for low light and has image stabilization.

I have a ton of videos posted that were shot 100% with my Canon. Very low light (clubs obviously). The quality is damn respectable.

Yea the canon Vixia HF10 is top of the list on many review sites. I found one near me slightly used for 775 but im still waiting on funds for something that nice. Maybe i can sell my ns7 and pick up a nice camera instead lol.

Thanks for the help guys

I got my Canon used on craigslist for $700. Twizzle got the same camera for $500 I think and marx got one too, paid about the same.

Yesterday, I made a really last minute video of my girlfriend making sushi. She was practicing her speech for her college speech class. I decided to record it and put it on the net. I used two cameras, a VERY high end and expensive HD camera and my little Canon as camera 2. Watch the video and tell me if you can tell which is which. Camera 1 is the front view wide angle. Camera 2 is a down shot at the sushi being made.

vimeo.com view

obviously this is not a low light shot (where the canon does well in my opinion), but this is actually a well lit shot that might give you an idea of best case scenario if you have a lot of light in the scene.

So is Vixia HF10 or HF11 better choice?
Whic one is better in low light from these two and what is a difference anyway?

hf10 has 16gb of built in flash space. hf11 has 32gb. all other video features are the same.

i'm going to be selling my hf10 for $450 with a wide angle lens and a zoom lens, plus some filters.

I would just go with the FLIP HD and a flashlight for light.

Hey Charlie how does the flip do in low light conditions? I'm guessing that the canon hf series would not need a flash light.

Also can both the flip and hf10 be used as webcams?

HF10 and HF11 are identical in quality in all ways. The menus are exactly the same,

The Flip is actually not a bad little camera. I have the highest model and it is pretty tight. The low light areas wont be as clear as the cannon but depending on where you buy one...IE buy at Costco...You could test it in the club and if it doesn't work how you want it, return it.

I guess to answer your question though its not the greatest in low light, but takes HD and is 200. Not to mention small and extremely easy to use. I would say, worth a shot to try and evaluate yourself. Just make sure you buy local and the return policy is all good.

You can't compare the Flip and the Canon. A $200 camera is not a valid comparison. If you only have $200, then the Canon is not an option. If you can afford the Canon, buy it. You wouldn't get the Flip if you can afford the Canon.

I like to spend my money wisely. I understand that the flip isn't as good as a canon. But the flip is 300 cheaper than the canon. My main concern was the low light level recording because I would only be using it in a club either as a webcam for pip or to record myself.

Swift - I could barely tell the difference between the two camera's quality in that sushi video. That's dope quality for the canon hf10.

I'll make sure I'll try out the flip, but from the info I got from you guys...Canon is the better option for a club environment. Now to see what i can find on ebay or craigslist. I did find the hf10 for around $500 on multiple sites....so not a bad price for the quality.

Well yeah of course the cannon is better...

At 1st I was trying to use a bit of sarcasm with the flashlight comment...However I do own the Flip and it's not thattttt bad. I would definitely test it. Think of this...Go to Costco who has the best return policy you can get, buy and try.

Not really, i'm just broke all the time.

Thats a good idea, the reason IM so skeptical on the flip is because they use it all the time on my gf reality shows. Not sure which ones but the quality is extremely choppy whenever she points it out to me. I think they used it on real world or ruins or one of those shows.

Ok, half the people on this on thread have a Flip. I have a Flip camera too. Honestly, it's a decent picture for $200 but it's not close to the Canon. I'll record some footage at the club with the Flip and post it. Then you can see.

Also keep in mind that the canon can take an audio input. The built in mic on the canon and the Flip are completely unusable in a club so with the flip, you would only be able to get video. Period. audio will be unusable. At least with the canon you can adjust the audio level. You have picture controls. You have a built in light, hotshoe, still photo, sd card, removable battery, ac power adapter. I mean it's silly to compare these cameras. The flip has none of those things.

Well of course Swifty... It's not a disagreement. I think 10 of 10 people would agree with everything you just said.

My point (and again it started sarcastically) was that it may be an option (def not as good as the Cannon), AND as he indicated...can be bought from Costco. Which is where I bought mine.

I'm traveling right now and guess what camera i have with me. The flip. Canon stayed home because it can't fir in my front pocket.

recommend the CANON HF 200 - I just got one! is great to use in the club - get the biggest battery & it will go for 4hours + easy.

other good features are flash memory (cheap & easy to add more) and it is the only mid/low price camcorder i could find with a mic/line in for the sound - just take a phono to headphone cable from the mixer & record sound direct into the camera.!

mmmmm.... sushi

I got me a Flip Ultra HD a few days ago and so far I am not as happy as I tought I would be.
Probably for standard user is OK.
What I lack is image stabilizer. Many times it's just too shaky and I tough that is much better in low light envirement. Other than that is great.
Maybe Mino is better or something.
Will test it in a club this weekend.

What is a difference between Canon HF200 and HF10 (11).

HF10/11 do not have removable memory. It sucks to not have removable memory.

hf10/hf11 have sd card slots. they have both internal flash memory and a sd slot like the hf100

slightly off topic, but a local seattle group recorded this music video using the iphone 3gs video camera..
www.youtube.com view

Is HF100 same quality in low light as other two?
(I guess it is, but I am still asking:)

none of my cards can do full high quality video so i use them for stills only