DaDane wrote:.
Well, I know this is not quite the right forum, - but I don't knowwhich one would be. So if you can guide me to a better forum, -that would be a nice reply as well..
My real question:I have been taking still photos for quite some time (Have a Canon20D) and would try to play a bit with video as well. I do not havethe money to buy a 'real' digital videocam. So I am thinking justto buy a real cheap one and perhaps love it enogh to find moremoney, - or perhaps find out that video isn't really for me.1) The resolution of these are (in Europe where we use PAL) 720x576(= 414.720 pixels), still a lot of cameraes claims to have 800.000effective pixels, 1,33 milliion effective pixels or even more.Why???.
Megapixels sell cameras. Also hd and the like are more and more popular..
2) I believe videolight is a bad way. Much worse than flash. Itdisturbs what you want to capture way to much and also the naturallight are obviously gone. But is there any of the cheaper cams thatcan do descent indoor capturing in the evening (normal livingroomlight and nothing more)?.
Most will do halfway decent capturing if you don't mind noise..
3) What (features) should I look for? I am thinking to buy a cheapminiDV (tape based) camera. (Mostly because I don't need to recordstraight to DVD's and think the stability of that isn't quite goodenough, direct to harddisk or even better flash seems nice, butwhat I have heard the compression is to high compared to the tapesand also I can can save some money on using tapes)..
MiniDV is a nice medium. Quality is decent and the tapes are affordable..
I recently bought my wife a tiny Toshiba camcorder which records to SD card. Quality isn't great but it's about the size of a pack of cigarettes and the portability more than makes up for quality. Cost me 100 euros..
4) What else should I be aware of?.
Plenty of disk space on your pc. Video editing eats time and disk space. A firewire card or a camera with usb connection.Also check what extra batteries cost for the camera you intend to buy.Don't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..
1) The resolution of these are (in Europe where we use PAL) 720x576(= 414.720 pixels), still a lot of cameraes claims to have 800.000effective pixels, 1,33 milliion effective pixels or even more.Why???.
Megapixels sell cameras. Also hd and the like are more and morepopular..
They sell megapixel cameraes which is standard definition, - i.e. 720x576..
To me it looks like they are simply throwing away 2/3 of the pixels, - but I guess that's not quite how it is...
1) The resolution of these are (in Europe where we use PAL) 720x576(= 414.720 pixels), still a lot of cameraes claims to have 800.000effective pixels, 1,33 milliion effective pixels or even more.Why???.
On my Panasonic camcorder, the extra pixels, as far as I understand it, are used by the image stabiliser, which is an electronic one. Otherwise, it couldbe to do with 'effective' pixels. Often cameras quote two figures for actual and effective. Not sure why..
3) What (features) should I look for? I am thinking to buy a cheapminiDV (tape based) camera..
Most will have pretty similar features. You'll want a decent optical zoom and image stabiliser. Forget about digital zoom which is a joke on camcorders..
If you want to edit on your computer and put back onto tape, or that kind of thing, look out for DV in and out sockets..
I'd definitely just get a cheap one for now, because it really won't be long before they all become HD camcorders, which are expensive at the moment..
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
If you want to edit on your computer and put back onto tape, orthat kind of thing, look out for DV in and out sockets..
I have planned to do editing on computer, - but I really don't see the reason to put it back on the tape. Noone I know have a DV tapeplayer under their television anyway..
My plan is to record on miniDV, process on computer and have final result on DVD..
I'd definitely just get a cheap one for now, because it reallywon't be long before they all become HD camcorders, which areexpensive at the moment..
It all depends what you think is cheap and expensive. You can get HD's for something like 1000$ (I guess, I haven't studied the american prices), - I think that's quite fair! But actually more than I have in mind spending now. So I totally agree..
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
I've seen harddisk camcorders here for around 400euroDon't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..
I'm working on a couple of digital video projects, but not actually shooting anything myself..
But I have produced movies in the past for nopn-theatre use..
1/ they really are memory hogs, so make sure you have lots of hard drive space..
2/ A tripod is a very good idea..
3/ What do you want to do with the pictures? Assorted moving snapshots are really boring, very soon, buyut a wellthought out and seriously (or semiseriously) produced mini-documentary is lots of fun to make and look at..
I.e. day at the zoo..
4/ I think manual exposure control is important, so that when you pan as someone walks past the camera, and the light on the peson stays constant but the background goes from bright to dark, the camera does not open the aperture, buring out the person..
5/ I think manual focus is important, for similar reasons. If the person walks behind a bench, say, you don't want the focus changing from the person to the bench, and then back to the person..
6/Decide how much attention you want to pay to sound people often forget about this. A wirelesss microphone might be an excellent investment; put the mike on the person in the movie. Or it might be overkill..
BAK..
I have planned to do editing on computer, - but I really don't seethe reason to put it back on the tape. Noone I know have a DVtapeplayer under their television anyway..
There's a good reason for being able to put the final version of your masterpiece back onto tape, and that's so you can, if necessary, edit it again in the future by loading it back from the tape to your video editing program. Things like titles and fades will be intacts and editable. If you only keep the basic 'footage' your editing will be lost..
I've never wanted to re-edit something as it turn out, but you never know, and for the price of a tape....
Once it's on DVD, you can't do that..
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..