video camera for hunting

[Jake Fr]

Wich video camera do you use for your hunts I just got a handy cam and cant wait to use it on turkey hunts but what do you guys use I may want to upgrade here before next season

[Shawn Leonard]

I have a Sony Hany-Cam and have filmed several hunts with it. You cannot go wrong with that in my opinion ecsp. for turkey hunts where you can set it up on a tri-pod. The new Go-Pros are nice for do it yourself deer and other critters too. Shawn

[Jake Fr]

I am stoked to use it and start filming stuff and I am gonna take it with me in may on a bear hunt as well so maybe I will figure out how make it work this fall for deer

[beaunaro]

I just use a JVC non-HD with a tripod. Unless you plan on filming for the Outdoor Channel, it's all you need.I picked the whole works up new at B&H for around $350. I always use a tripod or tree arm. It's so much steadier. Be sure your cam has an anti-shake feature and if you are going to film in low light, I recommend a Sniper Hog Light, either red or green for those last moments near dusk, or for night hog hunting.A friend made his own bow camera mount that fits in place of the stabilizer. You'll need the strap-on adapter if your bow doesn't have the female insert. He just points the bow and shoots like normal and captures the shot and all. The release is a bit of shaky video for a moment but then you train yourself to follow the animal as it runs off. Good for reviewing the shot and last known location.
I might get a Go-Pro Hero one day. I don't think they zoom, but might still be OK.
It's more stuff to drag around hunting, but you get used to it.My partner, Jim, takes his with him religiously and gets a lot of video for True South Adventures. I forget mine 1/2 the time, but wish I had it.
Great fun, and adds another dimension to the hunt.Clients seem to like it.
Irv Eichorst
www.truesouthadventures.com

[VictoryHunter]

Panasonic Lumix Lx7. Cost about $400 new. Shoots in 1080 HD and has zoom capabilities during video recording. Good sound quality as well. I'm going to pick up a mini tree arm for it when season gets closer. This actually a regular camera and the still photo quality is superb. I highly recommend it!

[Jake Fr]

Well after playing with my new camera and figuring out it know way morethan me I think it may be a year or two before a upgrade thanks for all the info guys

[sticksnstones]

I got a Contour Roam last year and I'm planning to swap it out for a GP silver as soon as I can. It's OK for ease of use, but way too fisheye for hunting, and the mic is not sensitive enough when I whisper during a hunt. Lost about 4 hours of Nebraska pronghorn hunting footage due to not being able to see any bucks walking in, or hearing my own narration of what was happening.

Contour is great for strapping to your boot before riding your motorcycle through some twisties, but that's the only great use I've found for it.

I know you didn't ask about them specifically, but I wanted to post my experiences in case it helps somebody else not end up with the wrong gear for the job.
Thom

[Gehrke145]

Canon HV40 is hard to beat

[Hoyt]

I use my SZ-20 Panasonic Lumix Digital camera. It has good HD video, sound and can be hand held to 20 optical power also is a little smaller than a pck of cigarettes.

[StickSlinger74]

I use the Canon Vixia HF R300 and an Oak Sturdy Tree Arm.  Love the set up!  Here is a link to a video from Nebraska last year.  There are a few other videos on my channel from Nebraska where I used it.  Great video quality and it's compact in size and won't break the bank!!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYtiPjRkxEs

You can change the settings to HD before viewing the video.  Excuse the jerkiness as this past season was my first to attempt self filming or ANY filming for that matter.

Buddy

[BD]

Any others ?

[Jake Fr]

I looked at some of the cameras on Campbell out door challenge they looked good but outa my price range.Who sales a tree arm or is it just as easy to make one

this is what i use,..panasonic HC-v10p .
 i think it was a hudred bucks and a tripod for about twenty something. it works pretty good for what i use it for, and its pretty small, tripod goes from 1 ft. to about 4 ft.





guille suite close-hen at about 3 yds.click for video.

[Gil]

I use a Kodak Playsport,quite inexpensive, waterproof,shockproof and its got a remote controller when bought as a kit with a small tripod

[beaunaro]

My partner Jim, uses a tree arm from Sportmans Guide I think. It comes with a number of screw-in mounts that you leave in all your trees.
I use the Lone Wolf strap-on. Easy to mount, and light and sturdy.
Irv Eichorst
www.truesouthadventures.

Read Billy Berger's article in Traditional Bowhunter this month about our Florida hog hunts.

[Jake Fr]

I think my wife has the bug now she broke out her nokon cool pix 100 it takes nice videos as well and she is gonna try to do her bear hunt with it I think thisay turn in to a lot of fun

[RK808]

There are so many options out there that it really depends how far you want to go with it or what your budget is.
Assuming a consumer level budget, I've used both Canon and Sony models.  I would lean a bit toward Canon as their components are usually more universal than Sony's so it makes expanding your system to external mics and other stuff easier on selections.  I'm sure you'll find, with some time, that the onboard mics of consumer models can really kill your footage with wind or over gained static background noise.
I've also found, for entry level users that Canon controls seem a bit more intuitive and new users are able to get nice pictures easier.  Default pictures on Canon's tend to be a bit more saturated on color than Sony which some folks may like as the colors "pop" a little better.  This helps folks who do not have the option of color correcting video editing software.
I'm not a Canon over Sony fan (I own/use both), just giving my experience since I've got them.
Hope that helps!  It's fun to capture your memories!

[Jake Fr]

I took it out this mornin and filmed me missing two Jakes it was a blast I just need a diferent pack for my ground blind and stuff I think a rack pack is in dier need

[Dirtybird]

I highly recommend a rack pack been useing one for years now and it's like carrying nothing.