Video Camera for Coaching

[GeorgeP]

I'm looking to pick up a camera for on hill coaching. Some of the coaches I know have used the following Panasonic HC-X920 3MOS Ultrafine Full HD Camcorder. The latest version of this camera is around 1K, more than I am interested in spending. Is anyone using a product that they recommend that is under 1K (hopefully well under 1K)?

Cheers.

 

[BGreen]

This is a hard question to answer. Quality and price are opposites, size is in there too, as is battery life. I think you have to be honest about how much image quality you need. Realistically, 720p is good enough for most things, and if you are uploading to Dropbox, going bigger means really slow uploads. My top three "must haves" are lightning fast autofocus -- even in dark or low contrast conditions, good battery life in the cold, and perhaps most important is that it fits easily in a jacket pocket. Overall, the small Panasonic "camcorder style" cameras are the best compromise for me. I've heard that Sony may be better, but no real experience there. Canon autofocus tends to stink. We also have some of the higher end Panasonics, and they are fantastic, but too big for a pocket. Go bigger if video is a high priority, smaller if portability is more important. The screens on a bigger camera are big and good enough that you can shoot video and coach at the same time. On the smaller cameras you are staring at tiny screen and I find it hard to shoot and coach. If that sounds like what you want, a camera like this or this should fit the need. If quality is more important, but you still want to keep size and cost manageable, this. If I were buying one for me, I'd probably go with the palm size Panasonics and pick the features/price you need. One coach I know likes the $200 Sony from Walmart and considers it a disposable item.

 

[Muleski]

@BGreen, showing my dinosaur status here.

A couple of years ago it seemed like some cameras worked better if you were on a PC, versus and Apple platform. I'm guess that's not the case now? Everything now works with an iPad, Sprongo, Coaches Eye, Dartfish, etc.? So regardless of the camera, it's going to work on your iPad, or iPhone with a variety of apps?

Agree with the comments. Autofocus, battery life, size. And the ability to work it with a light glove liner on your hand, if you're filming in the real cold.

Panasonic and Sony do work, that's pretty consistent I hear. Have a couple of family coaches who have had Canon issues, too. I know one pretty serious coach who sure isn't spending more than $500 on his camera. I do know that he carries a spare charged battery, too.

 

[Fuller]

I've been considering a video cam too - one of the things I think may be important is an optical viewfinder as well as the flip out video screen. Seems like it would be a lot easier to use when it's really bright out.

 

[Philpug]

We were using a really good panasonic that was completely digital and it worked reall well. This year we invested in a good gimbal for our iPhone because the video has gotten so good on the camera.

 

[BGreen]

@BGreen
A couple of years ago it seemed like some cameras worked better if you were on a PC, versus and Apple platform. I'm guess that's not the case now? Everything now works with an iPad, Sprongo, Coaches Eye, Dartfish, etc.? So regardless of the camera, it's going to work on your iPad, or iPhone with a variety of apps?

No, it shouldn't matter, but you are correct that you need to consider what you are doing with footage and how quickly. We use a wifi card to transmit the video to ipads or to (effectively) a fileserver that handles the uploads. If you have a camera that won't talk to your app, that's definitely a problem. Also if you are using a transfer app that crashes periodically.

I know one pretty serious coach who sure isn't spending more than $500 on his camera. I do know that he carries a spare charged battery, too.

I resemble that remark. If you are shooting video to shoot pretty video, get the right tool for the job. However, these cameras get abused, the image quality is generally crap if for no other reason than you are shooting handheld, and at some point it will get dropped (hypothetically breaking three cameras in once race series ... hypothetically of course), or you will crash and land on it. My preference is small, cheap, three batteries. Just make sure you can drop it without the battery holder breaking off. Also, understand that video for coaching is a very specific need, and more expensive does not necessarily make it better for that purpose.

@Philpug A gopro on a gimbal like a Karma is a tremendous tool for follow cam (a lot of our video has been linked on this site), but it has limited use.

 

[BGreen]

@GeorgeP I was wrong, this is our bigger camera:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/996038-REG/panasonic_dmc_fz70k_lumix_fz70_digital_camera.html

 

[Primoz]

A year or two ago, pretty popular camera (at least on this side of ocean) between WC coaches was JVC GC-PX100 (no idea what's currently in in this area). Main point with camera for coaching is relatively big zoom and option for slomo. High quality HD movies are not main thing with such cameras

 

[BGreen]

Thanks @Primoz. I was trying to remember the name/model of that, but couldn’t come up with it. Great coaches camera, but not pocketable.

 

[DoryBreaux]

@BGreen did you ever pick up a camera?

 

[BGreen]

@BGreen did you ever pick up a camera?

@GeorgeP was looking for a camera. I have a few that I use.

 

[DoryBreaux]

Oh right. My lysdexia must have been at it again...