A Great Time For Purchasing An High Definiton (HD) Camcorder

Maybe some of you have noticed how rapidly HD camcorders are dropping in price. It is quite an interesting thing to observe as someone who has monitored the prices of gadgets like these for quite awhile. The prices continue to drop, and pretty soon I believe that most of the features available on the multi thousand-dollar camcorders we see today will be affordable for many lower budget indie film-makers in the future. However, that time has not yet come, but we still have great options to choose from.

Canon HV20/HV30—$1000

The Canon HV30 (right) or HV20 (left) are great values for those that want to really take HD content to the next level. It includes some of the best features out of the prosumer level of HD camcorders. The recently released HV30 features 24P and 30P shooting modes and can accomplish 1080 progressive resolution. The only downside? It records to tape, but it is worth it if quality and features are important to you.

Sony HDR-HC9—$1130

Certainly the most attractive looking camera, the Sony HDR-HC9 packs a bunch of features for those who are looking for more of a point & shoot experience. If you do not want to be bothered with customizing the settings on your camera, this camera is right up your alley. It can be found for around $800 online. It stores data to an internal hard disk.

JVC Everio GZ-HD6—$1280

The most expensive of the bunch, receives the least praise in public opinion. The quality is not up to par, and JVC almost forces you to use proprietary software to edit video—that sucks. It does look quite impressive, but the looks alone should not influence your decision. It is, however, a better option to standard video formats.

All prices listed are suggested retail, but prices are quickly dropping on the streets. My vote would be for the Canon HV30, but I really like the feel to HDR-HC9 after playing around with them at Best Buy. Personal preference will prove to be the most significant factor in determining your purchase. I would urge you to check each out for yourself.

Expect prices to drop anywhere from $150 to $350 throughout the rest of this year.

Before purchasing an HD camcorder online, please be sure to check the site you are purchasing from on ResellerRatings for customer reviews of the retailer.

YouTube Experiment—Three or More Videos Uploaded Per Day For 30 Days

Once I get my MacBook Pro—yes, I know I keep mentioning a MacBook Pro—I am going to attempt to post three or more videos every day for the next 30 days. Call it an experiment of some sort. With my new laptop, I should be able to easily upload videos via Quick Capture. I’m attempting to do this for a few reasons, but mostly it is just because I want to see if I can pull it off.

The reasoning behind all this? I have seen people who have uploaded at least five 5 – 10 minute videos per day, everyday, for a very long time now. I think they are insane. With all the freedom I have, I can’t even find the time to make one video within the past several months. I know that most of the people I watch actually have typical day jobs. I just can’t imagine doing something like that. I have to at least attempt it.

The quick capture feature will—hopefully—be a go for the MacBook’s iSight camera. If not, I may have to adjust the rules and goals slightly. I did see other users successfully using Quick Capture though, so I am confident that things will go smoothly with that regard. I have set up a few rules and goals for me to follow as well.

The Rules

1. I must aim to post at least three videos every day in a 30 day time period.
2. If I fail to reach three videos during any day, I must make up the required amount within three days.
3. If at any point I end up behind more than six videos, I fail the experiment.
4. Videos must be at least one minute in length to count. Preferably longer than that, but the point is to actually provide videos with some purpose.

The Goals

• Have 100 new videos uploaded within 30 days.
• Have at least 5 of these videos generate video responses.
• Have an average of 50 views per video.
• Have an average of at least 5 comments per video.
• Have at least three videos reach over 1,000 views.
• Have at least two videos reach over 5,000 views.
• Have at least one video reach over 10,000 views.

Questions To Be Answered

1. Can I pull it off?
2. Will I gain more subscribers than I did previously with posting videos on an irregular basis?
3. Will I lose any subscribers?
4. Will view counts be reasonable?
5. Will people comment?
6. What will be the general consensus by others of what I am doing?
7. Will this affect my work? (If so—how and why?)
8. Will this be considered as work or fun to me?

Knowing me, I will probably be yapping about something related to technology most of the time. It might be a few weeks before I start this experiment, but I will keep everyone updated!