Good Budget Camcorder for Disc Golf?

[jhol69]

I know alot of people shoot thier own stuff on the course and im looking for a good camcorder to capture the disc. Im looking to spend about 200 and i want it to be pretty small and light weight.

 

[the_pwnerator]

http://gopro.com/cameras/hd-hero-naked-camera/

You will not find a better camera for the money in my opinion. Plus it's very small and compact and can be mounted to cars, helmets, well pretty much anything really...

 

[jimbosprint]

I'm looking for a good DG video camera too.

There's good reviews for the Kodak Playsport on CNet, but I would be interested in comments from people who have used one for disc golf.

 

[Shipley]

Digital cameras are video capable, and plenty of them are under $200. You might look into those as well.

 

[xdzt]

Digital cameras are video capable, and plenty of them are under $200. You might look into those as well.

There are definitely some digital cameras that take decent quality video in that price range.

 

[jhol69]

I have been looking at the go pro but its more expensive and it almost seems too small... If I was to get a digital camera it would have to have high frame per second and I would definitely need some opinions.

 

[xdzt]

I have a DMC-ZS10 which has a lot of bells and whistles I don't need, but takes 1280x720 at 60 fps, and can take full HD with 60interlaced. It also does a low res 120 fps video mode. maybe an option to consider.

 

[JTacoma03]

The size of the camera body has little to do with the quality of the image taken. I'm assuming capture the disc means follow the disc in flight, and neither of these cameras are going to really be great for it. The qualities you're looking for in a camera (lightweight/compact) actually are the opposite of what you want for long-distance tracking. Here's why:

1. If you're not a SEAL Team sniper, your hands are never steady. The weight of a camera acts as a dampener of hand-shake. Lightweight cameras shake with your body*

*This can (and should) be reduced by using a tripod*

2. Fixed-lens cameras (the price range you're looking at) use digital zoom, not an actual moving lens. Thus you're effectively lowering the quality of your image because you're just taking a pixel and zooming in on it. The sensors in those cameras just aren't that great, and you'll see pixelation. Digital Zoom also makes hand shake worse...imagine it like using a magnifying glass on a painting.

---

I would say that the bare minimum for getting a quality image (non shaky/blurry/crap) while tracking a disc is a DSLR, and that still takes lots of practice because those cameras aren't meant to shoot sports...but it's less of an impediment than a compact fixed lens (aka "Pocket Camcorders")

Now...to complicate things. I use two small cameras to shoot disc golf - a Kodak Zi8 and a GoPro Hero. However, I don't usually try to track anything more than a putt with them, because it's just difficult to do and doesn't usually look great. These small cameras however, will do smooth slow-mo and are easy to get up close and personal with your subject because they're small and compact.

There's plenty of ways to make disc golf video look really good without tracking flight, so use the advantages of your camera and I'd suggest just trying to find creative ways to shoot new angles and things we haven't seen.

Hope this helps...and let me know if I can clarify anything I'll be glad to share what I've learned (through my own screw-ups) so you don't have to spend time making my same mistakes, lol.

 

[Disc Golf Live]

I'd be checking out used ebay offerings. Lots of affordable used mini DV type cameras out there, which is what I'd recommend given the budget. As JTacoma03 notes, cameras with only digital zoom can't be used to track disc flight very well, so I'd avoid those at all costs. I've found zooms of less than 12x or so to be inadequate when trying to track a throw over a long hole. I suppose a lot depends on what you want out of the video, though, since many newer machines have all kinds of bells and whistles you might find fun.

Joe

 

[who-dat]

As cool as the GoPro cams are, they aren't good at all for filming flight lines (as others have stated).
The GoPro is intended for shooting footage much closer to the cam than the distance of a short drive or upshot (as stated earlier, they're really only good for putting range)

The owner of the liquor stores I manage is a surfer who is always in the h2o, and he let me use his GoPro to try and film a round....needless to say the footage was sub-par due to the distances from tees to baskets.

 

[JTacoma03]

I have been looking at the go pro but its more expensive and it almost seems too small... If I was to get a digital camera it would have to have high frame per second and I would definitely need some opinions.

Also GoPros are the best high-framerate cameras for under $1500, unless you mean something else?

High FPS filming is used for slow-mo once it's run through post (i.e. After Effects, Final Cut, etc.)

 

[BADman]

Anybody got a recommendation that's not the go pro? If I want to set up something to catch my drive form. I'd hook it up on a tripod, and tracking the disc is less important to me than frame rate and quality of the capture.

 

[djschnabel]

I have this camcorder, a JVC Everio

I bought mine off of woot.com refurbished for about $120. I haven't used it to specifically film dg or my form, but it takes pretty good quality video especially for the price.

 

[JTacoma03]

Anybody got a recommendation that's not the go pro? If I want to set up something to catch my drive form. I'd hook it up on a tripod, and tracking the disc is less important to me than frame rate and quality of the capture.

What's your budget?...because quality (assuming you mean resolution) and framerate are 2 of the 3 attributes that drive up the price.

IMHO, most cell phones have quality enough video in adequately lit situations to shoot field practices/form videos.