best point and shoot for self tennis video shooting

[Vijay_rb]

Hi,

I do own an SLR, but I need a smaller, cheaper point and shoot that has good video capabilities for recording my tennis practice and games.

Requirements:
1. Budget $200
2. HD Video capability with sound
3. at least 2 hour video capability
4. Medium zoom, since I can't keep the camera very near.
5. Video autofocus, since I will be recoding myself.
6. decent low light video quality

7. Need to be able to run the video in my PC with slow-motion for analysis (FPS ?)
8. Tripod fixture
9. Preferably timer videos (not very important).

10. Double up as an occasional camera. (any decent point and shoot will satisfy this)

My initial findings, which I could not compare aganist each other or to my list above:
1. Panasonic Lumix FH20
2. Nikon s6000
3. Any Canon ones ?
4. Not looking for the flip kind of cameras. they have limited features.

I am still doing my re-search, but some information and direction will help.

Thanks

 

[PaulRivers]

There is one camera that I know of that pretty much meets your criteria (on paper at least) - the Sony WX5. It does 1080i video at 60fps (probably does 720p video at 60fps to?). It may have high speed movie modes at lower resolution, I'm not sure. The WX5 also has an f2.4 lens (very decent for low light, the best is f2.0 - half a stop better, but those cameras don't have as good of a framerate for video).

I know there's a Casio camera that also does high speed video, but I don't know the model offhand. Casio doesn't have a great reputation for picture quality, either.

I think your price range is to low for what you want.

30fps video, as I understand it, takes each frame at 1/30. That seems to low to me to be able to capture you in each frame as anything but a blurry mess. 60fps should take each frame at 1/60, which is closer at least.

And one last thing - you can take continuous autofocus off your list. For one thing, continuous autofocus on a compact camera isn't going to be anywhere fast enough to keep up with someone playing tennis. For another, a small sensor compact camera has such a large depth of field that even the largest sensor and widest aperture compact you can buy - the Canon s95 - has everything in focus beyond about 8 feet away from the camera at f2.0. The Sony sensor is smaller (so the distance for infinite focus will be even less), and if the light is good an f-stop like f4.0 on a compact will mean everything should just automatically be in focus.

 

[Vijay_rb]

ok, I guess my expectations were high,

lets say I bring down things a notch, forget autofocus, forget frame by frame analysis. what are my options ?

I saw one of my friends using a sub $200 Canon powershot to shoot his Table Tennis (indoor) and the video with normal playback was decent.

The slow motion was slightly choppy. (yes, it was not frame by frame, but it was not a blur). My friends Canon was not even HDMI, it was standard definition.

So with an HDMI, I would get better quality, right?
if so, what are my options for a sub $200 compact with video ?

Like I mentioned earlier, I had a few in my list, but not sure:
1. Nikon s6000
2. Sony whatever
3. Canon whatever