best cheap camcorder for the buck?

[ipoach]

I want to shoot videos better than my iphone, dont really want to buy another point and shoot and I have a dslr it just doesnt shoot video.. Im thinking about getting a flip because they are discontinued and getting CHEAP.. is this a good call? is there something better I can get decent quality video out of for cheap?

[drater]

I got a Flip, quality is pretty fucking low, but they were out of the HD ones. My new HTC I ordered supposedly takes 720 HD video, won't know quality for a couple days yet.

[slim]

Id go gopro over flip... But i consider $250 to be "cheap" when it comes to cameras.

[skav]

Flips come up on woot.com pretty regularly for super cheap.

[ipoach]

I checked the flip out today at a store.. Seemed chincy and cheap very toyish.. Looking at heap HD handhelds.. Is the gopro badass or what?

[Lox]

Gopro is hella badass. All the dirtbiking vids are shot on it. I can't imagine you would do anything more potentially injurious to it.

[pmahnn]

I also recommend you avoid the flip.

[ipoach]

Been looking up the gopro.. Looks super badass but I'm not sure how appropriate it is for handheld shooting. Seems more like a mounted pov style. That and no playback LCD kinda suck. But it does look like the most rugged, cheapest HD cam with a wideangle lens for the buck

[slim]

You can buy an LCD for the rear of the gopro, but it is not the ideal platform for handholding and playback etc.

If you up the ante to around $500 there are quite a few options.

Do you want or need HD? If not, something like this would work for $322 for a kit with flash card and camera bag etc:

http://www.adorama.com/CAFS400RDKA.html

If you need HD, which I would consider a MUST in this day and age, you have to spend a bit more... But for around $500 there are several good options:

http://www.adorama.com/CAHFM300KA.html
http://www.adorama.com/PCHDCSD90KA.html
http://www.adorama.com/SOHDRXR150.html

One from each company... There are lots of models and you just have to read reviews and determine what is important to you.

Although if you are going to spend $500 you are treading into the realm of DSLR's that shoot HD video, which would be more versatile and allow you to shoot still pictures as well. Tough call...

I do all my camera shopping through Adorama. Cheaper than BH and the service has been great... FWIW

[blimp]

iPhone 4 or one of the newer android devices. Some newer android take 1080p...

[blimp]

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/cel ... ith-Google

[slim]

THis is a good point. I'm kinda blown away by how good the iphone4 video camera is.

[dm]

A friend found a GoPro in a waterproof housing in the surf at Byron Bay over Easter. I had a play and it seems like a badass piece of kit. What dSLR do you have? I recently upgraded to a 550D and it's SO much better than my old 350D. Maybe you should just consider upgrading, especially if you already have some nice glass.