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Please help with video camera and editing software

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Hi All,

Not sure where to post this, but here it goes. I am looking to purchase a camcorder (probably an HD, but lower end $400-$500 range) possibly SD. I read that importing video in to iMovie 09 to edit degrades the quality. Is that true? Is that also true for Final Cut Express (willing to buy)?

Does anyone have a camcorder you like that records in a native format for either of those programs to preserve video quality? I have no idea about any of this stuff!

Any advise/suggestions/tips would be VERY appreciated...baby is due any day :D
 
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Not sure about the quality degrading in iMovie, but it definitely won't be affected in Final cut. if you plan to do just simple home movies, I would stick to iMovie for editing. Final cut express is more advanced and more difficult to use.

The Canon Vixia HF200 camcorder works well with Macs and isn't too expensive depending on where you buy it.
 
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thanks!

thank you for your help! I just finished researching it and it looks like it will take up a ton of disc space when it's imported, so I might just have to go with a lowly SD camcorder that records in mpeg2. Sigh.
 
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i have a JVC camcorder with the little tapes... planning on copying the tapes to my MacBook using FireWire (that's how i did it on my XP pc), would iMovie be the software to use ? i want to put them on a DVD to have a more permanent copy..

thanks.
 

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