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Question

Camcorder for Streaming TV

Mar 3, 2015 9:12AM PST

Not necessarily looking for models (although happily accepted!) but more so features.
Will be creating videos that will be used for a Streaming (not exactly broadcast) TV channel as well as online. They are travel related videos so might be taken outside or inside in various light situations. Near & distant. Image stabilization is important. Audio quality & XLR inputs are somewhat important but I can use my portable audio recorder and sync audio later. 4K is not important.
I have a couple of consumer level camcorders which are not acceptable. I did some good sample videos for them with my Nikon D5200 SLR. Found the limitations of using an SLR but never saw them through the streaming TV.

Looking for what are most important features I need to be acceptable for conditions and as streaming TV? Would like to keep the base budget, not including accessories around $2000 or lower if possible.
Had three specific recommendations:
Canon VIXIA HF G30
Canon XA10 or XA20
Sony NEX-VG3
That is a large price range! It is which features I really need that confuses me and friends can not clearly explained to me.
Thanks for any help or suggestions!

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
I didn't find these to do streaming.
Mar 3, 2015 9:19AM PST

Maybe you meant the usual work flow of how folk do videos today and not that these cameras do the streaming?

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Clarififcation
Mar 3, 2015 9:30AM PST

Streaming TV:
The cameras record the video. You do not stream directly from the cameras. The video files are stored on the Internet like Amazon S3, MS Azure, etc. and then the video files are streamed to devices like the Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromcast, Smart TV apps, etc.
Not looking to Live stream directly from any camera.

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Just wanted to be clear.
Mar 3, 2015 9:58AM PST

The title lead with what looked to be streaming from the camcorder.

Anyhow with that out of the way you find reviews on each model and sometimes you can find sample video. I like to use CNET reviews, Youtube for such reviews.
Bob

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Answer
So DSLR, Camcorder, etc.
Mar 3, 2015 10:25AM PST
http://www.videomaker.com/forum/topic/dslrgo-pro-or-a-camcorder seems to answer this nicely. Your DSLR can have IS lens so why not continue with that?

Yes you said you never saw the video while streaming but this is not a camera issue. It's about setting up your streaming server. Something almost entirely unrelated to your camera/camcorder choice.
Bob
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Sorry
Mar 3, 2015 11:40AM PST

I was looking for an explanation of camcorder features. Reviews do not explain the features only what feature set are included.Thanks anyway.

The link you provided is for choosing between three DSLR's and as I said I already own one (Nikon D5200) and it is not suitable.

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Sorry but for me to explain all features won't fit here.
Mar 3, 2015 11:43AM PST

Can you pick one that needs some elaboration? Also, many features are on the web now and yes, folk are getting upset when we go back to the web for answers but since every feature can't fit in this box, let's pick one.
Bob

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Answer
Let me share what I have in my camera kit.
Mar 3, 2015 11:49AM PST

1. A Canon t4i
2. 3 lens. 18-55mm, 40mm fixed, 55-250mm IS.
3. Monopod.
4. Tripod.
5. Spare batteries, lens hood, time lapse intervalometer, remote shutter release, bag, memory cards.

That's just the camera gear. I don't carry the audio with me all the time but I have both a Tascom DR40 and some Sanyo icr-xps01m. One of these has XLR for remote mics. Post production tools vary.

Can't say I'm shopping for a camcorder with this setup.
Bob

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Answer
Two ways to do video streaming...
Mar 3, 2015 11:02PM PST

1) Not live. Capture video, import to computer, edit, render, post, viewer selects content using computer, smart TV or streaming media box connected to TV (i.e., AppleTV, Roku, etc).

2) Live. Video cameras connect directly to a video encoder/transmitter device. Viewer can select the stream online. Lots of examples, but for simplicity, we can point to UStream. Add-on device example:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/963885-REG/teradek_vidiu_consumer_camera_top_hdmi_h_264.html

If you are dealing with multiple cameras and a full-on production, then all the cams connect to a video switch, the audio is separate, and the encoder is at the tail-end of the "booth/control room".

The cameras on your short list are camcorders. They are designed to be used for the not live option. They can work with most of the live streaming assuming the add-on encoder/transmitter is used. They are not "studio cameras" and can cause issues requiring extraordinary work-around efforts under certain conditions.

We don't know anything about your project so it is difficult to understand whether any on your short list will meet the requirements.

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I read back through the thread
Mar 4, 2015 8:54AM PST

and found your definition of streaming:
"The cameras record the video. You do not stream directly from the cameras. The video files are stored on the Internet like Amazon S3, MS Azure, etc. and then the video files are streamed to devices like the Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromcast, Smart TV apps, etc.
Not looking to Live stream directly from any camera."

Apologies for being redundant.

Any of the camcorders you list will work. In this context, the camera does not matter. Obviously, my "not live" definition applies.

I would like to understand why your consumer level camcorders were not acceptable and while the dSLR samples seemed to be OK, the limitations you encountered using the D5200. If we know the problem(s) you are trying to solve, we can provide information on what caused the issue and the best potential path to resolution.

For example, if the lighting is poor and this caused the consumer camcorders' recorded video to have "noise" (some call "grain" which is usually reserved for actual film use, not video), then we know the problem, can explain why it happens and provide suggestions to resolution.

In this specific case, small lens diameter of a consumer grade camcorder can't let enough light in to the small (usually single) imaging chip resulting in the video amplification (ISO or gain) to automatically turn up. There are two paths to resolution. One is to add light. The other is to use a device with a large lens diameter which lets in more light and large imaging chip system which has an easier time dealing with less light before turning up the video gain.

One of my camcorders has a 67mm lens diameter and an APS-C imaging chip. Very dSLR like. It also has 2 XLR audio inputs. Another of my camcorders has a 72mm lens diameter with a 1/3 inch 3CMOS imaging chip array - and it does much better under poor lighting conditions than the camcorder with the APS-C sensor.

In your short list, you have:
* XA10 with a 58mm lens diameter + 1/3 inch single CMOS sensor.
* HF G30 & XA20 (which are basically the same camcorder with the same lens diameter, 58mm, and same single 1/2.84 inch CMOS imaging chip. The major difference being the add-on handle and XLR adapter on the XA20).
Both of these Canon camcorders are designed to be camcorders and have a fixed lens.
* NEX-VG3 (I think as the NEX-VG30) is more "dSLR like", but designed to capture video (so it does not have the overheating/auto shutdown or file segmentation issues like a dSLR designed to capture still images that happens to capture video as a convenience feature). When you use the stock lens that comes with the VG30H, that is the same as the one that came with my NEX-EA50UH (so, 67mm diameter), and it has the same APS-C imaging chip. The VG30 (and EA50UH) captures MTS files rather than the MOV files of still image dSLRs.

Since you liked the results of the Nikon D5200, expect the NEX-VG30 to provide similar results. If you want to understand the appearance of the video under "streaming conditions", then I would urge you to "stream" that D5200 video.

And I suppose it will be helpful to also understand your workflow. Simplistically, mine is:
Camcorder captures video.
Import captured video to video editor on computer. I use Final Cut Pro X on Macintoshes.
Edit. Cut unwanted parts, color correct, add special effects, scene transitions, titles & credits, etc.
Render.
Upload.
None of this has to do with "streaming" until someone selects the video to view using their computer, tablet or streaming media box (AppleTV, Roku, etc.) and accesses the host site (Vimeo, YouTube, etc).

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Great re-read! Just one thing.
Mar 4, 2015 9:06AM PST

This passage they had in the top post concerns me.

"Found the limitations of using an SLR but never saw them through the streaming TV. "

It's never been made clear if the streaming failed from their current content or not. You might run into folk that would think that the camera/camcorder mattered after post production and setting you the streaming server. But we know that is not a camera/camcorder issue at all.
Bob