Newbe question

[shaylou]

I know a bit about photography but nothing about video. My friend know nothing about both and came to me for a video recorder recommendation around 400 u.s. dollars (250 there) I think. They will be recording their kids basketball games inside a gym. Could you please recommend a recorder and possibly tell me what to look for when buying one. Is it the same basic principle as buying a dslr?

Thanks for your help.

 

[st599]

1. Make sure it runs at US Frame Rates, lots of people say this doesn't matter, but for indoor shoots you need to match the framerate to the lighting to prevent flicker.
2. 3 CCD/CMOS better than 1
3. The bigger the sensor, the less noise (in general)
4. Digital zoom sucks
5. Make sure that the camera files work with the editing system they use
6. They will need an edit system, no-one will watch 90 mins of children's sport
7. Focusing and panning need to be practised a lot.
8. Add a cheap monopod to the list