FAQ
:: GLOSSARY :: TIPS &
HOW-TO'S
"I
downloaded the demo... I chose my video, music and style and playing
on my screen was a piece of film that blew away anything I have been
able to do before..."-Mike R
Consumer
Market
As
the mainstream consumer market favors ease of use, portability, and
price, consumer camcorder emphasize these features more than raw technical
performance. Consumer units offer a plethora of I/O options (1394/firewire,
USB 2.0, composite and S-Video, A/V), but curiously, many lack basic
manual settings for video exposure (perhaps due to the perceived increased
complexity of manual settings.) For the beginner,
entry-level camcorders offer basic recording and playback capability.
For the sophisticated user, high-end units offer improved optical and
video performance through multi-CCD components and name-brand optics,
manual control of camera exposure, and more.
Before the 21st century, consumer video editing was a difficult task requiring a minimum of two recorders. A contemporary Personal Computer of even modest power can perform digital video editing with low-cost editing software. Many consumer camcorders bundle a light version (with limited features.)
As of 2005, analog camcorders (Hi8, SVHS-C) are in decline. In terms of sales, Digital8 and miniDV recorders dominate most first-world markets. Camcorders which record directly on DVD media are also on the rise. However, video-capture capability is now available in selected models of cellphones, digicams, and other portable consumer electronic devices. Hence, the traditional (single-purpose) camcorder now faces indirect competition from other consumer electronics. Multifunction cellphones and digicams will likely become the gadget of choice for casual use, with traditional camcorders reserved for special-event coverage.
the
Digital Video news
CNET recommends cheap camcorders.
We look at four camcorders that offer plenty of zoom for the buck.
A guide to choosing among MiniDV, DVD-recordable, and SD-based camcorders and a comparison review of the top tapeless products.
CNET recommends compact three-chip MiniDV camcorders.
CNET recommends shoulder-mounted camcorders.
CNET recommends inexpensive MiniDV camcorders.
CNET recommends camcorders that offer excellent value for their price.
CNET Reviews offers side-by-side product comparisons of the Canon XL2, Panasonic AG-DVX100A, and Sony HDR-FX1 featuring detailed specs, the latest prices, and in-depth buying advice.
CNET Reviews offers side-by-side product comparisons of the Sony HDR-FX1, JVC GR-HD1, and Sony Handycam HDR-HC1 featuring detailed specs, the latest prices, and in-depth buying advice.
Camcorders are sophisticated, complicated tools, and some mistakes are almost inevitable unless you've studied cinematography.
CNET Reviews offers side-by-side product comparisons of the Sony Handycam DCR-HC40, Canon Optura 300, Canon Optura 30, Hitachi DZMV550A featuring detailed specs, the latest prices, and in-depth buying advice.
CNET recommends digital cameras with built-in help features.
CNET recommends digital cameras that are compatible with docks.
Reviews of fast, compact point-and-shoot digital cameras.
Reviews of digital cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Casio that can flip, twist, and rotate to let you shoot from odd angles.
CNET recommends inexpensive digital cameras that are compatible with many accessories.
CNET recommends semipro digital SLR cameras.
With only two models out and another that's not slated to ship until January, it's premature to start talking about a wireless revolution in digital imaging.
CNET recommends digital cameras that are easy to operate.
CNET recommends point-and-shoot digital cameras with touch screens.
CNET recommends cheap digital SLR cameras.
CNET recommends Halloween cameras.
The digital cameras and camcorders that CNET editors think will be the big hits this holiday season.
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A
Camcorder
Overview
Camcorders contain 3 major components: lens, imager, and recorder. The lens gathers and focuses light on the imager. The imager (usually a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS sensor IC) converts incident light into an electrical (video) signal. Finally, the recorder encodes the video signal into a storable form. More commonly, the optics and imager are referred to as the camera section.
The optic
lens is the first 
component
in the camera-section's "light-path." The camcorder's optics
generally have one or more of the following adjustments: aperature (to
control the amount of light), zoom (to control the field-of-view), and
shutter speed (to capture continuous motion.) In consumer units, these
adjustments are automatically controlled by the camcorder's electronics,
generally to maintain constant exposure onto the imager. Professional
units offer direct user control of all major optical functions (aperature,
shutter-speed, focus, etc.)
The imager section is the eye of the camcorder, housing a photosensitive device(s). The imager converts light into an electronic video-signal through an elaborate electronic process. The camera lens projects an image onto the imager surface, exposing the photosensitive array to light. The light exposure is converted into electrical charge. At the end of the timed exposure, the imager converts the accumulated charge into a continuous analog voltage at the imager's output terminals. After scan-out is complete, the photosites are reset to start the exposure-process for the next video frame. In modern camcorders, an analog-to-digital (ADC) converter digitizes the imager (analog) waveform output into a discrete digital-video signal.
The final section, the recorder, is responsible for writing the video-signal onto a recording medium (such as magnetic videotape.) The record function involves many signal-processing steps, and historically, the recording-process introduced some distortion and noise into the stored video, such that playback of the stored-signal may not retain the same characteristics/detail as the live video feed.
Camcorders are often classified by their storage device: VHS, Betamax, Video8 are examples of older, videotape-based camcorders. Older camcorders recorded video in analog form. Newer camcorders include Digital8, miniDV, DVD, and solid-state (flash) semiconductor memory, which all record video in digital form. (Please see the video page for details.) Note, the imager-chip is considered an analog component, so the digital namesake is in reference to the camcorder's processing and recording of the video.
The
latest camcorders can also record video on flash memory devices (in
MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4) or directly on DVD (either DVD-RAM or DVD-R)
in MPEG-2 format. Other digital tape recorders transfer their video
content in DV format over a IEEE 1394 connection to a computer, where
the huge files (approx. 2GB for 5 minutes on PAL DVD resolution) need
to be edited and compressed or played back on tape. The transfer speed
is currently 1x, which means one hour of footage needs one hour to transfer.
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the
Professional
Market
Beyond the
consumer market, the industrial, broadcast, and professional industry
are served by equipment built to a higher standard. Both the camera and
recorder sections are expected to survive harsh environments under repeated
use, and the heavier and larger size of professional-use camcorders reflects
more robust construction.
In terms
of camera performance, the best broadcast and professional imagers produce
more accurate color, capture more detail with less light. Compared to
the integrated high-power zooms in consumer camcorders, professional cameras
use higher-quality interchangeable lens. The zoom-range on professional
optics is limited, but of better sharpness throughout its range.
It should be noted that the pace of technology has created a situation where modern consumer devices often outperform professional equipment of older design. For example, a consumer HDV recorder will may higher resolution video than a Betacam/SP recorder, although the latter still costs more. Professional equipment tends to be designed for a specific application, with a standardized environment. Consumer equipment is often "built to marketing standards," covering a target market with overlapping yet constantly evolving standards. One observable effect is the disparity in product-life cycle for each equipment tier: consumer products, semi-professional products and broadcast quality products (see professional video camera). Product cycles are 6-12 months, 2-4 years and 5+ years respectively.
