Bought an HV20...what to do with my old MiniDV cam?

[ral-clan]

Hi, Just bought an HV20 with low hours usage from eBay and am waiting for it to arrive. So I now I'm wondering what to do with my standard-def JVC GR-D850 miniDV camcorder. Its is a 2008 model consumer model, and although I was never blown away by the image quality it was always a reliable (if middling) performer with a good selection of manual control options -- but it is standard definition.
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camc...-32817173.html

If I sell it it's likely to not garner more than $50-$75 on eBay - then eBay and PayPal will take their nearly 10% cut out off that. Almost not worth selling.

But would there be any sense in keeping it? Useful as a "B" camera maybe (but the footage would obviously stand out). Can anyone think why it might be useful to keep a spare standard definition camera around?

My problem is I form a nostalgic connection to old-technology!

[HueyNRolf]

If it has an audio input and manual gain control. Use it as a sound recorder. DV does 16 bit 48 Khz.

[ral-clan]

If it has an audio input and manual gain control. Use it as a sound recorder. DV does 16 bit 48 Khz.

Unfortunately, while it does have good quality sound, it does not have a mic-input, which was one of the reasons I wanted to upgrade to the HV series.

[HueyNRolf]

Unfortunately, while it does have good quality sound, it does not have a mic-input, which was one of the reasons I wanted to upgrade to the HV series.

That's too bad. All the early DV cameras had an input, but I guess the manufacturers figured that most people don't use it, so the feature became rare.

[Daniel Rutter]

Sit it on a shelf, or frame it. Did you shoot films on it, or was it just a family-holiday type camera? If it was a film-making camera for you... then definitely keep it.

When I first started making films, I used a Nokia N95. Although it's pretty well dead now, I keep it so when people ask me how I started out and the equipment I used... I can plonk that phone down in front of them and watch their jaws drop.
Whoever said you have to part with your old technology? Just try and pry my HV from me... just because I have a better camera now, doesn't mean the old one's going anywhere.

[Gillvane]

It can be useful if you need some footage to look like not so great video. You can do that with the HV20 as well, but why not use the real deal. For example, your actors are in the living room, watching a news report on TV or a bad commercial for a Pawn shop. You might want to shoot that news report with a very "video" look to it, while the shot of your actors watching it is more "cinematic" and pretty HD.

Or say your actors find an old VHS cassette and play it... you get the idea.

[Janke]

Ever heard of a "crash camera"?

[ral-clan]

Like I said - it's not an really ancient camera, just Standard Definition (it was actually released by JVC a year after the HV20 was released - in 2008). It sold for $230 so it was on the "lower end" vacation/family cameras, but surprisingly got good reviews at this price range and had a lot of manual controls for white balance, iris lock, exposure and has a nice spot exposure feature - so it's a good versatile learner camera. It can do native 16:9 which is nice.

Yeah, I'm thinking it might be a good camera for risky situations (to the camera) where the camera could be damaged. Also for giving an "older" look - I actually find that footage from this camera at 720x480i can look a lot like Super-8 film with a little bit of grain and scratches applied in Sony Vegas.

It might also be interesting as a "B" camera, if I film everything in DV mode (set the HV20 to DV mode so the footage matches).

The only reason I was thinking about selling it is because I wanted to offset the purchase price of the HV20 (it cost $425US with a lot of accessories - extra battery, tripod, case, half a dozen tapes, 2GB SD card - probably seems high to some but is a fair used price here in Canada). But the MiniDV SD cam will probably fetch a pittance on eBay (which is flooded with people dumping theirs) so hardly worth it.

If anyone else comes up with creative ideas for an older SD camera I'd love to hear them.

[wildside50]

I use mine to rewind all of my tapes, just to save the tape mechanism in the HV

[cgbier]

If anyone else comes up with creative ideas for an older SD camera I'd love to hear them.

You got kids? My boy (9 y/o) is using my old Sony to get his feet wet.

[krewcial]

I have an old SD JVC cam that I keep for the occasional live visuals gig I do at concerts/parties. Cam on a tripod, analog video cable to video mixer and it means an extra camera angle.

[Aaron Shirley]

Huey, you are brilliant! My Sony MiniDV Handycam's touch screen stopped working the other day and the reason I keep it is to record SD footage from another underwater camera source. The camera itself still works in auto mode, but I need the touch screen to record playback from the underwater camera. It has a mic input, and it may work without having to access the touchscreen... I hope. If it works, I can use it as an audio recorder If not, I'll use it to rewind tapes or give it to my son, but he's only 2 and a half lol.

[drapeama]

If it has an audio input and manual gain control. Use it as a sound recorder. DV does 16 bit 48 Khz.

Probably the best option, as long as you can cotrol the gain = otherwise even if it's 16/48, if it records the sound with noise, it's pretty much useless (like my old Sony Digital8).

It can be useful if you need some footage to look like not so great video.

That's exactly what I had in mind: Aliens's Marine Cam, "Old" archive video, etc. Mine has a nightshot function that works great, I kept it for that reason, don't know when I'll need it though.

Ever heard of a "crash camera"?

Reminds me Kubrick in ClockWork Orange, when the camera "jumps" off the barn (or something like that).

You got kids? My boy (9 y/o) is using my old Sony to get his feet wet.

Always a good choice. So you're not affraid if it gets broke.