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Digital video cameras?
- Thread starter Geraldo
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2001
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- 4,399
I'm going to upgrade my 5-year old digital videocam soon, so I would also like to hear some recommendations (and warnings).
- Joined
- May 7, 2004
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- 46
I've been looking for one myself and recently I've been listening to Leo Laporte's Tech Radio show where he's talked about what to look for in a DV Camcorder. Most important are the CCD and the Optical Zoom. The CCD is the chip which processes the image, the larger the chip the better the picture especially low light (Everything indoors is low light). The Optical Zoom is the max zoom that the lens itself can go to. Digital zoom is a zoom which the camcorder creates by digitally enhancing the picture, thus creating a non-true image.
Average camcorders tend to have a 1/6inch CCD which equals a 680k CCD. This is generally adequate for everyday shooting, keeping in mind with smaller camcorders come smaller CCDs sort of the cost of going smaller.
Having a firewire output on the camera is a good idea, USB 2.0/1.0 is really slow for moving large files.
Those mini-DVD camcorders use MPEG 2 compression which is exactly what it sounds like, compression of the image thereby creating a less quality image. Sort of like MP3 vs. CD
Average camcorders tend to have a 1/6inch CCD which equals a 680k CCD. This is generally adequate for everyday shooting, keeping in mind with smaller camcorders come smaller CCDs sort of the cost of going smaller.
Having a firewire output on the camera is a good idea, USB 2.0/1.0 is really slow for moving large files.
Those mini-DVD camcorders use MPEG 2 compression which is exactly what it sounds like, compression of the image thereby creating a less quality image. Sort of like MP3 vs. CD
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2002
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- 3,834
Actually, USB 2.0 is faster than firewire, it's just that if the receiving USB port on your computer is a 1.0 then it will slow down to the 1.0 speed. Most of the new computers ship with a USB 2.0. Also, Firewire isn't as common an input on desktop computers as is a USB. I think, though, that most MiniDV cams will have both a firewire output and USB outs so you have a choice (actually, it may be a Firewire to USB adapter that it comes with--don't have my camera here with me at the moment).wiredgargoyle said:
As for me, I went with a Sony TRV 70 and am quite happy with it. You may want to check out http://www.camcorderinfo.com/ for more information. I spent more on the TRV 70 since I wanted to use the 2.1 megapixel still feature. Most people nowadays will have a separate digicam for stills that will be over the 2.1 mp of the TRV 70, but I was willing to pay extra for it.
I second wiredgargoyle's suggestion of looking at the CCD for the low light capabilities of the camera. If you are planning to tape indoors or at night a lot then it's important to consider it since there is a rather large difference in the quality of the low light capabilities of the different camcorders. If you're always filming outside in regular sunlight I doubt you'll see all that much difference, but you'll probably notice a rather large difference in low light situations. Also consider getting an extra battery (probably a must have).
edited to add: Regarding USB 2.0 being faster--I just read some things that state it is only theoretically faster than Firewire. The specs read 480 Mbps for USB 2.0 and 400 Mbps for Firewire but some articles are stating that the USB 2.0 isn't quite living up to those speeds.