If you are just there like I was at the Blues Fest then you will have people come up and talk to you as if they can not be picked up. Perhaps out-board equipment along can help, but you have to lug all that stuff around, and at such a function, anything can happen. That is why I bought an external video camera mic in the first place. It was only for me and maybe a few that run into it on utube, but by no means will it be "professional" at all. Even changing around in software at home and trying to make it better, may not be worth the time it takes to do. Afterall, I was there all day, and am older, had not chair, and had the tripod up on the sidewalk on the side to get above a bit people moving about. As it was, they were constantly all day and night moving up and down that sidewalk and sometimes talking loud. I had a shotgun mic for the external mic, but built-in camera camcorder mics are more omni-directional and now some even claim to be 5.1 surround sound. Geeze I don't need that, but quite a few videos are not good at all, because you just can not tell other people want to do. Sure they had chairs there and a lot of people were sitting while I was higher, but I suppose if you have the bucks you can spend all the money you want to (if they allow you to do that in the first place - afterall, they may have someone there already recording like what should be done and with more equipment but anymore - they probably have to pay for that, and that is another question on whether they will have someone there or not). As a bystander, you are stuck with just getting what you can, and after standing up most of the day in the heat and humidity there, there are several things I would do differently. Afterall I could of that year set up in the parking ramp the street was next to, and way up there like some other people where - gotten perhaps everything better, but as it was I was in the crowd, and the crowd, walks, talks, drinks beer, and anything else and some (not many though) want to put theirselves in your camera (camcorder) and you actually want to do more than just stand there but can not). I think besides walking in front of the camera to get back to their seat or so, only one person did that (and beer drinkers seem like they are friendly when you rather hit them in the head with a baseball bat but can not even if you carried one along which you may not get into the place if you had one due to security).
 
I rather take picture of a couple of buffalo out on a old homestead type place and put that up and call them Mr. and Mrs. Buffalo Bill Cody then fight a crowd somewhat at any concert.
 
And that at a concert is another doing to get them to agree to anything you may want to do with more questions, questions, questions anyway, and I am not into it that much anyway.

 
For even $500 or up or so, you still ain't gonna get much, and it shows, just look at utube videos, either the sound is not all that good and the video images are larger at such functions or they are worse and anything is not really good at all.
 
Each to their own, and if you do it for your own purposes, then you may not be able to expect much in that regard if anything at all.
Most people do not spend the time or money to do that, they are drinking beer, listening to the music, and sitting down or walking around to the other end to listen to another band set up in a smaller venue there and much softer but far enough away for the music not to interfere with one another.
Try filming an air show some time. You may fall down from moving the camera (camcorder) around following the airplanes or else the image is not picking up all of the show and the image is way, way small.

 
I seen cameras that cost $20,000, 56,000, and even one for 80,000 that a person can buy on the Internet while even spending $5000 to $10000 may be considered about good to excellent for such equipment. One thing I will say is that camcorders must not sell that many considering consumer use and costs usually less, but then I am not into being a TV station or a producer of a radio show or anything else like that, just a person going there and maybe making a video and probably not going to be all the great of good or even good in the first place.
 
Headaches!
I guess!
 

Read reports on the best camera (camcorders) and realize that the zoom in feature (no so good on my old camera not noisy but jerky or too quick) makes noise (which will be picked up by any internal built-in mics and stereo is not really it's an X-Y pattern sorta) and anything else like video quality or anything is determined by what you may buy and cost more. Nikon has its Coolpix cameras like mine with one of them being with the new bigger chip (and still limited down) that costs $1019 maybe less depending on where you buy it, but it has no external mic in mini-plug connection and things like that - that I consider that I need. I mean my external mic (not the best either) cost as much as that cheap camera but has way better SPL (sound pressure levels) and all of that and a wind screen (yes the wind was blowing also interfering that day also) (by the river) and anything else that makes the audio reduce. Now some units have a microphone volume adjustment so you can control that, but usually the built-in mic is what is distorting, while the good external mic goes happily along and can record up to 140dB SPL or whatever you are going to use.
 
The new chip may be used in some more cameras (maybe camcorders which may have a bigger one in those to begin with) which will make videos even better and about all of them are using some form of compression in the electronics for the audio making it AAC or ACC whatever it is which can be looked up also and using a lot of memory with the SD whatever fast memory card or two or whatever the unit has in it to begin with. Some of those may come out a little later on like in June with that ASP-C whatever chip in them but then, being new, will cost more.
 
Well, there is the search function and the company, like Cannon, Samsung, Nikon, whatever but Nikon may not be rated all the good anymore, and surely they only come out with cameras, and there is Sony also and zooming has to have fast electronics and Sony has about the fastest one, but then there are sport cameras and camcorders and all of that and when all done, they all cost more, or more, or more, or even more.

And all that reading may give some headaches and such, but older technology used in cheaper units may work okay and all of that, but maybe for a few videos, recycling switches and life-time uses means more money usually a better unit unless perhaps you are Lexcia cameras whatever.
 
Take a deep breath!
 

thx guys for all the replies.  I'm not concerned about audio and agree that the onboard camera sound only serves to sync to a separately recorded audio.
 
I'm just looking for something that won't break the bank, can record up to 30 minutes or so, can do HD (better than 720p) and a zoom would be handy but not necessary.  95% of my stuff is for Youtube and my Sony camera does great 720p and I was wanting to just go up a notch, since my screen capture stuff does 1080.  I DO NEED a manual focus though, since the auto focus isn't reliable with arms waving around, etc
 
I will NEVER do concerts and MAYBE the occasional documentary as an outside project. Mainly this is for me and my Youtubes.
 
When the 4k prices come down a bit more for the monitor and the camera, I MAY opt for that...but I see that a couple years off, actually.
 
If you check my Youtubes, THIS is what I'm doing and the need to update my 3 year old camera.
https://www.youtube.com/user/mixmkr/videos?view=0&shelf_id=1&sort=dd
 
I just wasn't sure whether I should just get a newer point and shoot with manual focus that does 1080p, or a Camcorder....OR something else.  I won't spend over $4-500 at this point....and yes I realize pro stuff adds another digit to the price tag.  I'll leave that to the pros anyway, as I don't have that talent either.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1022654&Q=&is=REG&A=details
 
well??

eewww... lots of bad reviews, especially the video quality.  One even said their point and shoot camera had better video.  Keep looking, I guess... but this gives an idea of what I'm looking at.

Actually remember that I recommend nothing and you will have to try it out. It may be the one I was looking at last year at bestbuyo, but I am not sure, but it was one mentioned I think the $500 one ( ah, H52 maybe one of those though which as higher priced last year).
 
And on my computer I have a external cardslot (reader) and just put the SD memory card into that, and transfer the files over to my computer from the camera (excuse me - camcorder). I don't need USB transfer, I guess that may be for tablets or iOS or whatever you call those nowdays (iPad maybe).
 
Canon VIXIA HF R500 Full HD Camcorder (Black)
http://www.bhphotovideo.c...full.html/prm/alsVwDtl
$249

"If you're in the market, I suggest you opt for the 2013 models right now during the small window while they're cheap and before they disappear." (one of the website suggestion)

"And that new remote-monitoring feature seems to be optimized for -- or maybe even require -- the new Pan Table Accessory, a cradle for remotely rotating or tilting the camcorder. That'll run you $99.99." (since it is the HF R500, probably don't need or can't use that and again that was written at the website).

http://www.cnet.com/produ...n-vixia-hf-r500-black/

http://www.photographyblo...r50_and_vixia_hf_r500/

http://sexytechychic.com/...ital-camcorder-review/

http://hdvcam.net/canon/c.on-vixia-hf-r500-review/

 "Then you have to bear with the fact that the VIXIA HF R500 comes with no internal memory so you need to spend a bit extra on a SD card. Don’t forget too that you can save about $30 by getting the R400 if you are fine with the 53x and Baby Mode being restricted to a single individual. But even at $299, you can get a fairly high-capacity SDXC card that allows you to record more video than say the $449 VIXIA HF R52 model out of the box and still have some extra money so you can buy another accessory of your choosing."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard to find a review on it, since it just came out, but I know I was looking last year at one of those, but I did not want to spend that much as listed above which was the price back in 2013 on one of those models, so I bought the cheapie camera on sale then
for $250.
 
But for the price they want, it may be fine, and you may want to try it out at a store to make sure.
 
Oh! My files in my cheapie camera come out as *.mov files (or quicktime) but any company should have a transfer file program perhaps and software for the camcorder (camera). Nikon does and I downloaded an update to it just a few months back and new firmware revision for the camera. It was easy to do and was done in a few minutes. Mainly for viewing the videos but Windows Media Player works also or Quicktime which I never seem to use. I think it is mainly just a program so the files are put into a folder and shows a graphic icon (thumbnail) of what the video is and then another program to make a Panoramic view kind of thing perhaps only for photos, since it is a camera.) (whatever it is I guess).
??
You will have to look at what kind of files that camcorder has, but I think mpg files is not so good, (mp4 files are better and the other AHCD whatever is probably the best but may be sort of like for blue-ray or something like that, maybe not. (??????)
 
Buyer beware I suppose!
All I know is what I read!
 
And as far as I have read, any cinema mode on a camcorder ain't much and probably should not be used. You will have to read about that also, as my head is spinning around from all the reading. (ya, sorta).
 
Also on that HF R500:
Built-in Light/Flash Light - No
Flash - No
 
that means no hot shoe, which may or may not be important. (needed on photos ?? Handy to have but then a lot of camcorders or cameras are that way nowadays, and using an external mic - how - tape it on, the cord on my external mic fits on a hot shoe and only has about a 3" cord on it (stereo with a mini-plug like small jack headphone connection ). (?????)
 
I recommend nothing because whatever.................................................. has to be done by the buyer.

 
Here is something that may help with the under $500 reviews:
http://www.smartreview.com/digital-camcorder-buying-guide
 
Well, that enough babbling for another late night. Good Luck!
 Still more babble, and maybe it does have a hot shoe, not sure from photos of it.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I8VTUXQ?tag=smartreview302-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00I8VTUXQ&adid=15F97318644DB2MSNG4T&&ref-refURL=
 
until I twist thumbs I believe nothing, and whatever is Beach Camera I think store there that has those perhaps.
???? (only joking about twisting thumbs). Oh, could be the 2013 model also, since minor few changes were made with the 2014 model. (again ????).
 
Okay, done!
 
Forgot to view your video, which I may do now.
Indoors, it may not be much until you stick a bright light on yourself making the video. I know my camera is not so good indoors with energy saving lights unless a lot of them are on. Might need a spotlight, or buying such a light may cost more then the camcorder.
 
I'm outta  here!
(Indoors is not outside in the sun).
 
 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00HLDFTRS/hdvcamip-20
 
And as I said, I recommend nothing because the manufacturer to me always seem to make it look better than what it may be.
Oh, I looked at some of your videos, and some did not look all that bad to me. As for doing software or anything on a computer, that is another subject and I did not look at those videos.
??
To me, always try it out I guess.
 
 
 
 

Ugh, different model a bit more (under $500)
Oh, it is late.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/...P&&ref-refURL=

Different model Canon Vixia HF R52
$459
--------------------------------------------------------------
I do not know what the difference is between the two since they have the same chip I think in them. ????
But there must be something I guess.
I think like I said that was the one I was looking at last year, but did not try out.
 
I recommend nothing, there is Panasonic, Sony yet, and look around that other link with that last review up there to see different Canon camcorders. (Sony, maybe Panasonic).
 
Okay, kick myself off of this Internet.
 

In a day they change prices. Looked at some of your videos, did not look bad to me, but that is up to you.
There is (or was last night) a Sony for $598 that is rated good.
Otherwise to me, you won't get much for around that price.
I would go to a store first and see how it works and what it looks like (probably BestB).
 
Changing prices from what I saw last night, that is all I can say.
Canon RF H52 ($40 more, but more like the price I saw last year if I am remembering correctly).
 

I use a couple Canon's for shooting videos.  I have one of the 2nd generation HD units and the HF R500.  Picked up the R500 for $195 during the Black Friday sales.  I also use a Zoom H6 for recording audio with a matched pair of external mics plus and sometimes a couple extra spot mics.
 
I shoot high school marching and concert band concerts with this setup.
 
I do not use SMPTE to sync up the 2 cameras and the audio tracks.  I've found that once I line everything up in Sony Vegas, they stay in sync for over an hour.
 
Jim   

Only thing about I take a video of is people looking through a telescope in the very dark no lights except small red lights nite at the stars. My old Sony has super-night time video but it is green and like I said the image is only 320 x 240 in size and DVC whatever tape. Now try and find a newer camera that actually goes down to 0 lux and the expense goes way up. I take a video of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Buffalo (acutally buffalos) chomping on the grass where they are at.

 (and I don't need a flash on my Sony from 11 years ago but the images are green in the very dark night and work for about goodly 30 feet).
(but the images are just all green).(sometimes noisy also in the video part).