Video camera

[bbsteh]

We are doing a tour-cruise of Alaska in Aug.8 days land and 4 days cruise, how many people take a video camera and don't use it? We are thinking about buying one of the new small cameras, but are not sure we will use it, have a very good digital camera. Don't mind buying one, just hate the thought of taking one and not using it, have heard some people take it and never use it. Thanks.

[janmcn]

Wouldn't be without a camcorder..and the new small ones will be fine. You'll want videos of the calving glaciers, wildlife you see, etc...Enjoy the trip!

Jan

[bruce-r]

If you have one and don't use it, you only have yourself to blame, just choose to use it. But if you don't have one and keep finding yourself wishing you had one, you will regret it more than having one and not using it.

[cruznon]

We recently purchased one of those very small camcorders and took it along on our last cruise--it was fantastic! We had another camcorder,but it was heavy and cumbersome. This littlle baby fits in a pocket or purse--we used it so much! It's great to take along on shore excursions--no arguing over who has to "carry the camera" ever again.

[Stevesan]

I brought along a brand new camcorder on our first European cruise. I taped everything. After spending hours editing it, we watched it once with relatives and haven't looked at it since.

 

The major problem with carrying a camcorder is that while looking thru the viewfinder I completely missed Europe.

 

If you feel compelled to take a camcorder, use it sparingly so you can enjoy the marvelous creation that is Alaska. Videotape your on-board dining companions, the atrium, formal night, the ice carving demo and other shipboard activities.

Then leave the camcorder in your cabin while in port.

Keep your hands, mind and eyes free so you can enjoy the magnificent scenery and wildlife.

 

You can buy a professional Alaska travel video. You'll only watch that once as well, but you'll enjoy Alaska a lot more.:)

[tomc]

My opinion, as one whose videos people really like and want to watch:

 

(a) Take it, but use it sparingly.

(b) Buy videos made by Alaska Video Postcards for whatever areas you are going thru. They are superb. (They aren't still photos; the company has a lousy name. They are wonderful eye-level and helicopter videos.) I have many of theirs.

 

Footnotes to (a) above:

 

(a) Using your own camera: Pretend you work for The Travel Channel.

 

Take only such video as will tell its own story. That is, if you happen across a sled-dog place, do an overall shot, then whatever follows. At the end of each shot (before you hit the "stop" button, hold the shot for a couple of seconds so it's not an abrupt ending).

 

Avoid taking video of people at your supper table; two months later, you will have forgotten them. Even if you remember who they are, nobody you show the video to will care.

 

Keep the shots fairly short. Thirty seconds is a long time for some views, although for others you may want to hang in there.

 

Brace yourself when recording. Lean against something, make yourself rock-steady. You will appreciate this when you are taking a close shot of something at a bit of a distance.

 

When you zoom, do it slowly. When you pan from one side to the other, do it slowly. If you do both (and it can be a very good effect), do it very slowly.

 

Look for neat shots. This will not take your attention away from the scenery; it will actually enhance your vacation experience. When you are aware of what might make a good thirty seconds, you will see things that the average tourist will miss. Little things, like dockhands removing hawsers (especially if they are right below you, as happened to me -- a real neat shot).

 

Don't see Alaska thru a viewfinder. But use the camera to remind yourself of the trip and buy the videotapes.

[cruisequeen10]

Before I go on a cruise, I always say to myself "do I want to lug the video, along with its charger, batteries and tapes on the cruise. I ho and hum and decide to take it. Everytime I am glad, because there is always something interesting to see. If I did not take it, I would have regretted it. I look at my videos every couple of years. I have just had my tapes transferred to DVD's so they are nice and compact for storage.

[twinkletoes4445]

We are doing a tour-cruise of Alaska in Aug.8 days land and 4 days cruise, how many people take a video camera and don't use it? We are thinking about buying one of the new small cameras, but are not sure we will use it, have a very good digital camera. Don't mind buying one, just hate the thought of taking one and not using it, have heard some people take it and never use it. Thanks.

 

I had this same conversation with my hubby prior to our trip to Grand Cayman. We have a "smaller" camcorder, which we always take, and we always take pictures. This time I wanted to get one of the new smaller camcorders, and take along. It's not that it's that much smaller, but it was small enough to slip in my purse or his pocket.

 

We ended up getting a new smaller camcorder, and we are so glad we did. I did tote it in my purse, and he sometimes put it in his pocket. We also debated between the ones that have the disc and the ones that use a tape. My oldest son mentioned that if you scratch the disc, you've lost what you have, so we ended up getting the one that uses those small tapes.

 

The pictures are amazing! And I am so glad we bought this new camcorder. I wouldn't be without a camcorder in Alaska, but that's just me.

 

Have a great trip! :)

[sjcruiser]

I have a JVC MiniDV Camcorder that I have had for a few years now. I take it everywhere, family vacations, reunions, etc. I would'nt miss taking it on my first cruise. I'm going to take one tape for each day, the charging cord and the cords to hook up to the computer. I'm also taking my digital camera and laptop for downloading pictures.

[george@sea]

I've thought of buying a digital cam, until I found out on my Canon G5 digital camera has a digital movie option. Not the greatest. But it will record a 40 meg clip "About 3 minutes of video with sound." With a 512 meg memory card that's not a problem. :)

 

I only use the video option if there is something interesting when the ship was docking into a port, Or leaving a port. I mostly shoot stills. "Landscape shots" I've got 5.5 gigs worth of pictures I've taken on cruises and now close to a gig of short videos.

[Atomica]

I didn't take my video camera with me this year to Alaska, and I didn't regret it - until we got to Glacier Bay. I would have LOVED to have it there, to capture the action as well as the sounds.

 

If it's small, compact, and travels easily, better to have it and not need it than to want it and not have it.

[chasetf]

We are doing a tour-cruise of Alaska in Aug.8 days land and 4 days cruise, how many people take a video camera and don't use it? We are thinking about buying one of the new small cameras, but are not sure we will use it, have a very good digital camera. Don't mind buying one, just hate the thought of taking one and not using it, have heard some people take it and never use it. Thanks.

First few cruises I took one along. Even lugged a VHS (remember those, about the size of a bazooka) around the Caribbean and Mexico. Cannot remember the last time I looked at any of the videos. Those cameras are bulky to lug compared to my compat sony digital.

 

As a matter of fact, my brother took 35 mm's on the Mexico trip and we scanned those. He was not along on the Caribbean trip, but I did a frame capture of those to get some low quality digitals. Since then it has been digital stills. The are much easier to store, easier to find, they don't fade, and I can bring them up on my computer anytime I want to remember Tahiti, or Italy or Panama, or......

[sirarthur]

I agree completely with those who say extesive use of video cameras interferes with the travelers experience and in many cases is seldom enjoyed after the trip. However with a still camera, it actually enhances your enjoyement. You take time to look at things more critically...and see things that you would have missed upon first glance.... Leave the movie camera at home and grab our SLR Digital!

[ESLO]

Dear bbsteh,

 

Well I think this is a subject that many of us ask before a big trip (cruise) comes up and would like to keep a very special record of our trip.

 

We have and still have a old style VHS-C type of Panasonic CamCorder which serves & had served us well but was thinking of heading into current technology to keep up with the times.

 

I just didn't want to continously have to buy and haul cassettes around and also extra batteries and chargers also around. I also would have to watch them in a VCR player later and edit and combo them on to a master tape(s) for the trip.

 

Also having a DVD player now a days, why not just make it easier for future editing, storing and viewing of such contents.

 

So I was researching way before the trip for a couple of months different Digital CamCorders. And made a decision about a month before.

 

I purchased a JVC Hard Disk Camcorder GZMG37U that stores on a Hard Drive than on tapes or Mini Disks. I am very happy with the product and it is very very small and compact. These type of digital hard drive cameras come in different models according to the size of the hard drive capacity.

 

BUT, the one thing that is important for any camera (video or digital) is to learn the camera before using it and also taking it along. With all the features, settings and sizable manuals that come with it, it is important that you are very aquainted with the operation of the camera. You don't want to get stuck with recordings that cannot be replaced.

 

I do agree also with the statement "do I want to lug the video, along with its charger, batteries and tapes on the cruise". I also bring a digital camera with me and have it by my side every minute of the day.

 

This past particular cruise on the Noordam I took about 4-5,000 photos that I am editing and deleting till I have the ones I really want. With digital photos I can email them to people and also post them on this board as I have, something you can't do with video. I will also burn them to a CD for future record.

 

So having the right camera for the specific purpose and use is important. I would not be discouraged about what you would have to haul around as long as you have the use of it and not just bring it and not use it at all.

 

Please leave enough time to become familiar with it.

 

Enjoy Alaska......

[ESLO]

Dear bbsteh,

 

Even though others say a video camera gets in the way for the many reasons that they have stated above, you also have to understand that moving pictures also have a purpose that still shots can't supply.

 

We do take videos out and show people them. Also on those COLD SNOWY days we also watch them and remember the trips.

 

Also we use them to view the those trips after booking a cruise and also the months, weeks and days leading up to the cruise.

 

The choice is UP TO YOU!