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Recording formats |
MiniDV
Being roughly the size of a hotel soap bar, MiniDV cassettes are easy to store and use, . They offer digital recording with a compact design, and also give you more recording time for your money. Mini DV camcorders are also lightweight (600g - 700g). But the real advantage is in the versatility of editing footage. They use a DV encoding system which processes each movie frame individually, allowing you to extract any single frame you wish. The result is easier and more precise editing.
Benefits:
Recording time at highest-quality setting: about 60 minutes (long play, 90 minutes)
Outstanding picture and sound quality
Compact and lightweight tapes and camcorders
Ideal for connecting to a PC for editing
Can be connected to a TV or VCR using analogue connections
Memory cards (extendable) for digital still pictures
Some have over 1 megapixel CCDs for higher quality still pictures
DVD
At 8cm in diameter, blank DVDs are smaller than regular DVDs, but you can play most types in a DVD player or PC. DVDs have three main recording formats: DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM. You can’t play DVD-RAM discs in most DVD players, but with DVD-RAM and DVD-RW discs, you can do some editing of your film on the camcorder itself (rather than having to transfer to your PC and use editing software).
Whilst you can only record on DVD-R discs once, most DVD camcorders can usually use more than one format. A disc cannot hold as much information as a cassette tape, which is why DVD uses a much heavier compression scheme than DV. This affects the quality of the still image.
Benefits:
Recording time at highest-quality setting: about 20 minutes (double-sided, 40 minutes)
Record directly to 8cm DVDs with minimal fuss
Easy playback
DV quality recordings
Records onto both DVD-R and DVD-RW 8cm DVDs
Instantly access thumbnail scenes and recorded video clips on a DVD player just like chapters on a DVD
Edit or copy discs using Pixel ImageMixer software on a PC (but not Mac)
View recordings on compatible DVD devices such as DVD players, computers with DVD drives and PlayStation 2 consoles (however, image may freeze between scenes depending on DVD player quality)
Hard drive
Fusing digital camera and digital camcorder technology, the latest style of camcorder records straight onto a hard disc. And without the need for tape or DVD, hard drive camcorders tend to be smaller and lighter. They either have an internal permanent hard disc drive or a small, removable hard disc (Microdrive). Internal hard discs are usually up to 30GB in size.
Benefits:
Recording time at highest-quality setting: about 7 hours
DVD-quality MPEG-4 digital movies
Higher quality stills (VGA image resolution) |
The advantages of digital |
Size: The first noticeable difference between analogue and digital camcorders is the vast reduction in size. The new digital models are lighter, more compact and fit snugly in the hand to allow you greater versatility.
PC compatibility: A major advantage offered by digital camcorders is the easy transfer of recordings to a PC where your raw footage can be edited and then burned onto a DVD to add to your own personal library.
Connectivity: As the motion pictures are digital they can be seamlessly transferred to a PC. With a FireWire connection (also known as IEEE 1394 or iLink) you can download your movies at high speed to your PC's hard drive. FireWire connections are common on most new digital camcorders; alternatively you can use the USB connection, but this is slower and can result in a slight drop in the quality of moving images. If your PC does not have a FireWire connection you may be able to fit a separate FireWire card.
Software: On most digital camcorders it is possible to do a limited amount of editing, but PC editing software is usually included in the box for you to polish up your masterpiece. These packages vary in quality but you can usually expect to be able to add a soundtrack, cut out footage you don't want, and put your shots into the right order. Separate software packages are also available if you want a more professional final movie.
Transfer to DVD: Once you are happy with the final cut you could transfer it to a DVD (or simply leave on your PC's hard drive). Using a DVD rewriter drive ( DVD±RW ) you can burn a DVD quickly and easily for your family and friends to enjoy on a bigger screen.
Still photo mode: Many digital camcorders now feature a still photo mode so you can capture that special moment without needing to bring your camera along as well. Most camcorders offer a limited amount of memory space to store your shots but some models also feature a memory card slot for extra space. While this is a handy option, the picture quality is not usually as high as you would expect from a digital camera. Camcorders with PictBridge can be directly connected to a PictBridge compatible printer to print off stills instantly, without the need to connect to a PC.
Recording MPEG e-movies: Many digital camcorders now enable you to record MPEG footage that can be sent via email. MPEG files offer a lower quality picture and a short duration, but can be a useful and fun way to send footage quickly. They can only be recorded with selected camcorders that have a USB connection and sufficient memory storage.. Click here to see our buying guide for digital cameras |
Other features to consider |
Image stabiliser: An unsteady handgrip will blur the video images - if you don't have a tripod, ‘Image Stabiliser’ steadies the video so the shake is largely eliminated. Image stabilisation can be achieved either digitally or through the optical stabilising lenses. A ‘digital’ image stabiliser provides an adequate amount of stabilisation, however, top-of-the-range camcorders use a more sophisticated ‘optical’ stabilising lens.
Image quality: Quality of the recorded images is determined by factors such as resolution of the CCD, lens, optics and recording media. If you’re a serious user or professional who needs excellent colour reproduction, then you’ll need a camcorder with 3 separate CCD to give you a better quality image. If not, a single CCD camcorder is sufficient for most people.
Zooms: There are 2 types of zoom; optical and digital. Most digital camcorders have an optical zoom that ranges from 10x - 20x and digital zooms between 300x and 400x. Try to avoid excessive usage of the digital zoom as image quality degrades due to interpolation (a process where new pixels are added to an image based on the colour values of the surrounding pixels – it’s not ideal and often results in a blurry image). To get the best image quality during zooming, optical zoom should be used.
Manual focus: Essential for situations when the auto focus can’t cope such as shooting through a window, or when the image lacks detail or you want to concentrate on something closer to the lens than the main subject.
Night vision: Many camcorders allow you to film even in total darkness by using infrared light to produce footage taken at night.
AE (Auto Exposure) modes: These are provided in addition to a fully automatic recording mode. Each AE mode is tailor-made for different conditions such as Sports, Sunset, Landscape and Portrait with the shutter speed, exposure and focus adjusted automatically. Some camcorders also have manual overrides for extra creative control.
Special effects: These can enhance your footage to really capture the moment. They include mirrorball, strobe light, black and white, sepia, slim and stretch modes. They can be seen on the LCD monitor or through the viewfinder as you record, although some effects can be added into the playback or while editing.
LCD screens: The LCD monitor can be used as a viewfinder or playback screen which enables you to preview your shots. A LCD screen which swivels around will give you maximum shooting comfort, even from difficult angles. Fold-out LCD screens allow you to hold the camcorder away from the body which is less tiring on the eyes. You can make smoother camera movements, use the screen to quickly watch your recorded footage, and access other controls without pausing the recording.
Analogue Line-in: Analogue Line-in helps you to digitalise analogue tapes. If you have some precious analogue tapes and you want to digitise them to prevent degradation of image quality, then this is a must-have feature. |
Accessories |
What's in the box? Most camcorders usually include a manual, AC adaptor and the relevant cables for PC or Mac connection. A hand strap is often supplied for comfortable, single handed use. A manufacturer's own brand editing software is also usually included.
Carry cases These are not usually supplied, but a durable carry case is a good idea to protect your camcorder and keep all your equipment in one place for convenient easy access. A range of cases is available online.
Spares There's no greater horror than to realise halfway through recording a wedding service that your battery's running low. Instead of agonising over whether you will make it to the ‘I do's' , it's best to bring along a spare. Having a spare tape or memory card also pays dividends if you come across something spectacular.
Guarantee John Lewis offers a 2 year guarantee on all camcorders; this is extendable to 5 years if you purchase an extended warranty, which will also covers repairs in the event of damage. |
Glossary |
Audio Dubbing: Add your own commentary or soundtrack to the footage.
CCD: Charged Couple Device - the light-sensitive chip in a digital camcorder used to store images. It uses an optical sensor to convert light in to electronic signals for high-quality still pictures.
Compression: Compression is the process that shrinks a photo's file size. The majority of digital cameras take photos as compressed JPEG files, which means more images can be stored on the memory card. Compression makes for speedier saving and downloading of pictures and also means it is easier to email them. Because compression results in a small amount of data loss, it is best to buy a camcorder which takes uncompressed photos if you want only the sharpest possible results.
Digital zoom: This works by enlarging the central 50% of the image. This is fine for most uses, but if you will be taking a lot of long-range telephoto pictures you might want to consider a camcorder with a more powerful optical zoom (see below).
Docking station: Plugs into your computer and enable you to hook up a camcorder quickly and easily for simpler downloading and charging.
DV Terminal: Directly connect your camcorder to your PC for picture editing and processing.
DVD: Digital Versatile Disc. These 8cm discs are smaller than regular DVDs, but you can play most types in a DVD player or PC with a DVD drive.
FireWire/IEEE 1394: A fast method of file transfer (even quicker than USB 2.0). Both your camcorder and PC must have FireWire ports in order to transfer footage.
Hot shoe: A device found on some digital camcorders to which an external flash unit is attached.
Image stabilisation: Compensates for hand movements causing camera shake, especially useful when zooming, or processes the image to help keep the picture rock-steady.
JPEG files: (Joint Photographic Experts Group) files - the file format used to store compressed still images.
LCD view screen: (Liquid Crystal Display) Large viewfinder screen offering high resolution images.
Long play: 3 times longer than standard play3 times longer than standard play, e.g. 4 hours' recording on an 80 minute tape.
Macro: Describes (camera/lens) getting very close up but not microscopic.
MegaPixels (MP): one million pixels (see below). The greater the number of pixels, the better the quality, but the greater the file size (see below).
Memory card slot: Allows you to easily store still images in JPEG and MPEG formats and transfer them from your camcorder to your PC. Often an 8MB MMC (Multimedia Card) or 32MB SD (Secure Digital) Card, which offers advanced copyright protection.
Optical zoom: Digital zoom works by enlarging the central 50% of the image, so for long-range telephoto pictures, an optical zoom function is best. |
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