HD camcorders
HD's higher resolution, broader color space, and advanced compression algorithms have opened the door for a substantial improvement in video quality, even for the most prosaic of home movies. Though prices for consumer models hover well above the budgets of many wanna-haves, as more units trickle into the market in 2007 we expect the prices to drop into mainstream territory. And pros need HD capabilities to stay competitive: even if you're not quite ready to go HD-only, some of the entry-level pro models are priced reasonably enough to merit an educational investment.
HD camcorders allow to record video in High definition format. Most HD camcorders can record 1080 horizontal lines of an image and offer a huge increase in image quality compared to standard definition camcorders that can only record 400-600 horizontal lines. High definition (HD) is no longer the future. It’s here. With so much new terminology it is frustrating for consumers to make sense of it all. Codecs, media, formats, compression types—it’s all a mess of confusion. This article is meant to help you understand what’s going on in the world of HD camcorders so that you can make sense of it all and make an informed decision on your next purchase.
HD camcorders allow to record video in High definition format. Most HD camcorders can record 1080 horizontal lines of an image and offer a huge increase in image quality compared to standard definition camcorders that can only record 400-600 horizontal lines. High definition (HD) is no longer the future. It’s here. With so much new terminology it is frustrating for consumers to make sense of it all. Codecs, media, formats, compression types—it’s all a mess of confusion. This article is meant to help you understand what’s going on in the world of HD camcorders so that you can make sense of it all and make an informed decision on your next purchase.
All the HD camcorders' video looks great. Every one of the latest HD camcorders we've seen—seven in all—delivers kick-ass video, almost as good as what you see coming down a lot of cable or satellite systems from the networks. But it doesn't look as clean and sharp as Blu-ray or HD DVD.
Prices are reasonable. The best HD camcorder I've seen, the Panasonic HDC-SD1, costs around $800. You'd be surprised how prices are plummeting with HDTV camcorders. Since it's not brand-spanking new, you might be able to find an even better deal on that Panny SD1 on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
Catch up on some reviews of the latest HD camcorders to get a lay of the land. Camcorder Info picked as its camcorder of the year the Canon HV20, an HD model that uses old-timey DV tapes and records in the HDV format. We found the camcorder's video spectacular, with very few motion artifacts. It's also nice to be able to output in good ol' DV whenever you want with no further rendering.
The HD camcorders are easiest to use if you plug them directly into an HDTV via HDMI. Almost all the camcorders have HDMI output, so it's easy to just connect that camcorder to your HDTV and use the supplied remote. In fact, it feels like this is what the camcorder.
Hard drive camcorders have many different features, and can vary from one to another. The best ones will have the following features:
Hard Drive Capacity
It’s pretty simple. The larger the hard drive, the more record time you have.
It’s pretty simple. The larger the hard drive, the more record time you have.
Resolution
It goes without saying that the higher resolution a camera has, the better your pictures will look.
It goes without saying that the higher resolution a camera has, the better your pictures will look.
One of the most important things to consider when choose a HD video camera is the different HD camcorder formats available. The two most popular storage options are hard disk and memory card. Hard disk camcorders offers the largest capacity where as the memory card camcorders are often the smallest and lightest available. Other options can include Mini-DV tape, DVD and internal memory or a combiniation of two of these.
Zoom
Zoom allows you to get closer to your subject without moving your feet. These days all HD camcorders have a zoom function but the amount of zoom they offer varies from model to model. As a rule of thumb a x10 optical zoom will be sufficient for most budding film maker’s needs. Although, if you’re planning on filming lots of things in the distance, e.g. wildlife then you will probably benefit from a more powerful zoom. But bear in mind, the more you zoom in on a subject the more you will notice the smallest of movements if you hand shakes. This can be negated by using a tripod.
Zoom allows you to get closer to your subject without moving your feet. These days all HD camcorders have a zoom function but the amount of zoom they offer varies from model to model. As a rule of thumb a x10 optical zoom will be sufficient for most budding film maker’s needs. Although, if you’re planning on filming lots of things in the distance, e.g. wildlife then you will probably benefit from a more powerful zoom. But bear in mind, the more you zoom in on a subject the more you will notice the smallest of movements if you hand shakes. This can be negated by using a tripod.
Most HD video cameras now come with image stabilisation. A shaking effect can be seen when filming if you hand or arm moves and this can be noticed even more when you are zoomed in. Image stabilisation should remove some of the shakiness from the recording.
Battery Life
What good is having all this storage space to record if the battery is constantly dead? Good camcorders will have a long battery life. Most cameras; however, don’t come with the largest capacity battery. Make sure you include the cost of an extra battery in your budget.
What good is having all this storage space to record if the battery is constantly dead? Good camcorders will have a long battery life. Most cameras; however, don’t come with the largest capacity battery. Make sure you include the cost of an extra battery in your budget.
Anti-Shock Mechanism
Let’s face it, your kids are going to drop your camcorder eventually. Good hard drive camcorders will have an anti-shock mechanism to protect the hard drive.
Let’s face it, your kids are going to drop your camcorder eventually. Good hard drive camcorders will have an anti-shock mechanism to protect the hard drive.
Size
Size may pay an important part in your choice of HD camcorder. Size varies wildly between models, some are a more traditional size (the size of a shoe or bigger) and others are available that are not much bigger than a mobile phone. HD camcorders that record onto memory cards tend to be the smallest and those that record directly onto DVD or Mini-DV tapes are larger since they have to accommodate the recording media.
Video lamp
Some HD camcorders feature a video lamp that can help to illuminate what you are filming. This feature can be ideal for close-up work and is kind of similar to a still camera flash. Although using this feature for prolonged periods of time can drain the battery faster than normal use.
HD video cameras can struggle to record a quality image in low light conditions both outdoors and indoors. However, many camcorders now come with features to improve the image quality. Some HD camcorders even have a special night mode which will give you a brighter picture.
The sound quality from a camcorder recording can vary model to model. Some higher end HD camcorders allows you to attach an external microphone. An external microphone should offer a large improvement in sound quality compared to the camcorders own built in microphone.
Many HD camcorders offer the option to take still photos. If you are filming something and spot a nice photo opportunity you can snap the picture from you camcorder rather than having to get you separate still camera out it’s bag. This feature can be useful but the quality is no where near the quality you would expect from a standalone digital camera.
