Video Camera/Still Camera unofficial Poll

Curious to find out what everyone is doing for documentation of their trips. We recently upgraded to a new digital camcorder and I'm LOVING it. As always, this seems to be a great place to get some more ideas. What is everyone else using out there? Any tips or tricks on video or pictures? Any gadgets that I should have? Sorry in advance if this post is in the wrong category.

My family - We use Cannon equipment. Happened by chance, but it has not failed us and they now have me hooked. I am pretty brand loyal once a company gets me, so I doubt we'll ever go to anything else.

Still Camera - Cannon Power Shot E1. Great all around little camera. Easy to use and takes great snapshots. Hoping to add a digital SLR to our arsenal this year sometime, but will have to wait for now.

Video Camera - Cannon Vixia HF200. 1080p HD video, easy to use and download. 15x Optical zoom and plenty of room to add on some gadgets. I just added a wide angle lens to help in close quarters (inside the camera and vehicle) and it has helped tremendously.

Looking to get a good video editing software and possibly a nice tripod in the future.

How about you all?

We prefer still photos. It might be a generational thing. We grew up with still photos. Stills are easy to share in forums. We have an Olympus camera and use the Olympus editor - Olympus Master 2 - to lighten, darken, enhance the colors, reduce the size, etc.

In the past, video cameras were just too bulky, but the new ones are small and lightweight. We just can't seem to justify buying one as we really like looking at stills.

Stills can make great videos with the right software. For Video software I like Video Studio by Uulead. I think the use of a tripod will make the most "immediate" difference in your vids and stills.

Remember: Show the viewer how you felt, not just what you saw.

Regards,
Keith
www.keithbennett.org shameless plug for my Galleries.

DW and I shot stills, I have a Sony and DW has a Panasonic. We have had our Son print some at is sign shop on vinyl to put in the Cat. I am a Framer and this way we do not have to deal with glass over the print and we can wipe them with a damp cloth.

We bought the Canon Power Shot SD780IS. It's a tiny camera that I have come to love. I have 4 Digital cameras one of which is a nice SLR and I prefer the Power Shot on camping trips. It takes great pictures (however, it does love plenty of light). It also take GREAT HD video.
A sample video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CkfHqj-aqI

Mmiller, I agree. Both our Cannon's LOVE the light. Low light situations are a little disappointing. But, for the $$ they do the job.

Along with the frame idea f150k I was told by a buddy of mine that a friend of his turned his fridge into a picture frame. He removed the stainless panel and replaced it with a piece of plexi. They then placed numerous pictures behind the plexi to document their trips!

For a small investment, the " Flip Video HD " is a huge bang for the buck that fits in your pocket. You can take it with you when you think you might have a video moment but don't won't to take your more expensive video cam. Easily up load vids to the web especially youtube. I have the first version of the Flip and it takes pretty good vid, so I know the HD would be pretty much outstanding for a pocket video that holds an hours worth of built in Memory.

Theres a pile of good digital still camera's. I had a Pentax K1000 for years that was bullet proof. Camping and hiking I must have dropped it a million times, high humidity was no problem in the costa rican forests. I've still got it but its full of dust and dirt that needs to be cleaned out. I guess I got to lazy to use it with digital cams and camera's. I'm beginning to miss it.
But until you learn to use natural light and tripods and munipulate the camera settings you'll never unlock what your camera can really do. Even the simplist of camera's.
Its a never ending learning class. You'll always learn something new with a old or new camera.

We use a Canon


EOS T1i and a Canon Rebel for stills and a Canon HF200 HD video camera. I use Pinnacle Studio 14 for making slide shows and videos. I am looking now for a bluray burner so that I can watch the final product in hd.And Keith is right, a tripod makes all the difference.

Admin. I have looked at the Flip's. Video is great!!

I've got to upgrade to a HD flip model. Their easy to operate and upload, comes with a movie editor also.

I'm a still photograher from way back. Started with a 4X5 Crown Graphic and graduated to photo school in NYC. Spent almost 20 years as a pro.

Now I have a Nikon D80 and the DW has a Nikon Coolpix that also does video.