Using STUDIO HD 14 with SONY or CANON HD Camcorder? Issues?

[bozobyte]

Maybe this should be posted in the Pinnacle Forum,but because were talking HD and I was curious with AVCHD and what camcorder to buy, maybe it's best put here...Moderator, please be my guest and move this to the right topic forum. I did not want to double-post. Thx


SONY or CANON HD Camcorder CAPTURE - Any problems with either one?



Hi,

I have Pinnacle STUDIO 14HD that I'm presently using for capturing analog video and saving files as MPEG4, and Discs as DVD/Best Quality, so far so good. Now I'm thinking about purchasing a HD Camcorder to record family sports, soccer, football, nieces and nephews.
I own an old CANON AE1 PROGRAM SLR (old) that can take decent fast action still photos, but with film. I also own a CANON G6, about 5 years old with 7.1 MP and only 30 SECs of Hi-Res 640x480 video, and 3 MINS each of either Medium (320x240) and Lo-res (160x120) video.
With HD Camcorders and using STUDIO 14 HD for capture, has anyone ever heard that one brand such as SONY works better than the CANON brand of Camcorders? I was at BEST BUY yesterday, and was looking at the SONY HDR-CX160 ($500.00) and then looked at the CANON HFR21 HD Video Camera, and the salesman told me he's heard that a few CANON Camcorders don't do well with some types of VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE TITLES. Am I to look for cameras with the highest optical Zoom, CMOS, or AVCHD?
I wouldn't think there would be any issues with this, but maybe so...I would LOVE to hear your suggestions. From person to person, preference on size,color, capabilities will obviously differ,and I don't want to spend more than I have to, just the middle of the road priced,from $450.00 - $650.00, good quality, HD, Flash Camcorder. I want to maybe burn Bluray DVD's along with reg. DVD's with Pinnacle Studio 14 HD.

But from reading about the CNET Reviews on the Sony 160, it's stating that the HD Video is not very impressive, given it is an entry- level camcorder. Well I am Finicky about Digital HD output, so maybe I should look elsewhere, like Panasonic or Canon. I'd rather hear the reviews from you here, right now,instead of making a financial mistake on buying a cheap camcorder.


CNET REVIEW on the 160 Sony >

The bad: The sub-HD resolution sensor on these camcorders produces merely satisfactory video.
The bottom line: Typical for their price class, the no-frills Sony Handycam HDR-CX130, CX160, and XR160 produce generally subpar HD video, but if you're not picky you'll probably be fine.
There's not a lot to say about Sony's 2011 entry-level camcorders, the Handycam HDR-CX130, CX160, and XR160. With their no-frills design and feature set, I'd expect them to be a little cheaper, but they're definitely an improvement over last year's still-available-and-cheap CX110. The three models differ mostly by storage: the CX130 has no internal memory, the CX160 has 16GB built in, and the XR160 incorporates a 160GB hard disk and 5.1-channel audio.

Read more: Sony Handycam HDR-CX160 Review - Digital Camcorders - CNET Reviews

Thank you!

[oneloosecrank]

A few things - what do you mean by capturing video using Studio? I'm only a newb myself but the camera 'captures', Studio 'edit's. As an ex user of Studio, I can say that it just isn't good enough for editing HD video. Bare in mind that HD on the G6 (640x480) is nothing compared to the size of contemporary HD (1920x1080). Factor in a new editing suite to the cost of a camera as Studio will drive you crazy. I switched alligance to Sony Vegas.
We have a sony bridge camera that I record HD video on, it takes excellent stills, has full manual control and a 12x zoom lens. It doesn't go particularly wide though and you can't change lenses, but it's a cheap way into HD videography whilst also giving you a very acceptable camera and a massive zoom. Going down this route would update your camera too should you feel the G6 is cumbersome.