Setting The Standard Digital Camcorders – Accessories

14Jan/100

A Digital 8 Camcorder Makes File Transfers a Breeze

Chris Smitts
asked:





When you purchase a digital 8 camcorder, you are going to be getting the best of both worlds when it comes to camcorder technology. This camcorder is fully digital and yet uses high 8 film to store the video images and sound. This means that the media is going to be less expensive than a high definition or fully digital camcorder is going to cost.

The great thing about the digital 8 camcorder is that it is fully capable of file transfers to a desktop or laptop computer. The only thing needed is a firewire port and the cable to attach the camera to the computer. This is called a firewire cable.

Most of the digital 8 camcorders come with the firewire cable so the only thing that needs to be purchased is the firewire port if your computer did not come with it standard. You simply plug in the camcorder to the computer and before you know it, you are going to be transferring your files at a quick rate.

Once you have transferred the media, you are going to be able to edit the files however you want to. You are going to need some type of movie editing software. Windows comes standard with Windows Movie Maker. This is going to allow you edit and save your files in a format that can be burned onto a DVD or sent to a video sharing site online.

File transfers are not going to be any problem with this type of digital camcorder. Not only are file transfers a breeze, but the cost is well worth it as well. Ease of use and great price are only two reasons that digital 8 technologies is still as popular today as when it was first introduced to the public...

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12Jan/100

Sony Digital Camcorders – Simply The Best

Ray Nwambuonwo asked:




When shopping for digital camcorders, several choices are available. Some of these options involve the products features, characteristics and price ranges. This objectiveness also exists when one is purchasing any product ranging from sneakers to furniture and from toys to SUVs. Another way that a type of commodity is differentiated is through the company that produces it. Today, Sony is one of the most trusted names in electronic equipment, which includes its line of Sony digital camcorders.

Sonny, sound, Sunny

Sony was actually started with the name Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation. Mr. Morita Akio and Ibuka Masaru founded the company in 1946, and then changed the name to Sony in 1958. "Sony" is a combination of a Latin word that is the root of the word "sound;" the English word "sunny;" and the term "Sonny-boys," which in Japanese refers to a nerd.

The first significant consumer product that the company sold was an audio tape recorder that Sony put on the market in 1950. Sony is renowned worldwide for manufacturing the first transistor radio that can fit in a pants pocket (1957), the portable tape player known as the Walkman (1979), and the famous Playstation video game system (1994).

The great achievements in analog

Right before the first Sony digital camcorders were released, the company made two groundbreaking camcorders. Sony introduced its Betacam in 1982. This camcorder was produced for professional recording via television. The initial units were analog, though the Digital Betacam was added to the arsenal of Sony digital camcorders, in 1994. Many of Sony's digital video tape recorders (vtr) can play back all of Sony's analog and digital Betacam formats.

In 1983 Sony's Betamovie, based on its Betamax format, became the first domestic camcorder. The compact video head drum of this analog camcorder was subsequently used for camcorders manufactured afterwards. Today's users of Sony digital camcorders would find the Betamovie to be bulky. In fact, one could not hold it by using a single hand, so users oftentimes laid the camcorder on their shoulder. Nevertheless, camcorders that followed the Betamovie were even bulkier, as Betamovie units lacked playback and rewind features.

Most trusted company in a digital world

Many Sony digital camcorders are offered on the market today. These fantastic products vary significantly in appearances, features, and price. The primary groups of Sony digital camcorders include: hard disk camcorders, dvd camcorders, hi8 Camcorders, high definition (hd) camcorders, minidv (digital video) camcorders.

Since its inception in 1946, the Sony Corporation has become a leader and innovator in the world of digital electronic equipment. Following the tradition of the Betacam and Betamovie, today's Sony digital camcorders connote the best of their company and the best of the industry.

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12Jan/100

Canon Xl2 Digital Camcorder – Do Pro’s Really Use a MiniDV Camcorder?

Mark Sturge asked:




Canon Xl2 digital camcorder and a chance meeting as I was on a lunch break.

Did you know that you can get fed & paid to learn about video production? Picture this:

You're down the street at the local shops when you hear a lot of screaming from up a side street.

"What the heck was that?" you think to yourself and make your way around the corner to see what all the commotion is about.

To your surprise, you see twenty or thirty people screaming and carrying on as they chase a New York City taxi-cab, only to have it stop after twenty yards and back-up, ready to do it all over again.

You hesitate for a moment and contemplate if it would be better to turn around and walk in the other direction.

It's then you notice the traffic control personnel, the lights, cameras and huge number of support people. You have stumbled across a location shoot for a television commercial.

"Ahaaa", you say to yourself "perfect opportunity to learn about 'the business'".

So you hang around and study the camera angles, positioning of the lights and how it is all controlled by the director. The placement of screens and reflectors, the use of microphones and the roles of the support crew.

It's when you speak to the 'extras' (the rowdy 'mob') that you discover they are being paid $20 an hour and the whole event is fully catered!

Now if you want to learn more about the business of film and video production with the added bonus of being paid to do so, sign up as an extra and learn from the inside. If you are unsure where to start, just type 'movie extra' in a search engine like google.

Now this is a true story and as my luck would have it, was taking place right outside my office window for most of the day (the screaming and yelling did get a bit tedious after a while).

It was good to speak to the cast extra's, but this was a better opportunity to talk to the technical crew on aspects of filming and production. Just had to pick the right moment.

And that I did and picked up some good info to boot!

The production house was not a large firm so they had developed systems and procedures to control costs while providing quality outputs. One of these was using a Canon Xl2 digital camcorder as the secondary camera.

The size and weight of the Canon Xl2 compared to the betacam unit allowed it to be placed in unusual locations quickly and easily (thus saving time, which equals money) and the image quality showed no discernible difference (you would need to view on a new digital system to notice a difference and even then you'd have to be looking closely.

I even managed to get a word in with the main production cameraman so I could 'pick his brain' on the Canon xl2 digital camcorder. He loved the unit but did say he found it's performance questionable when filming vertical stripes and off green colourings (the types of situations you might find in filming catwalk models). Other than that he said the xl2 was a great asset for a pro or semi-pro operator.

So if you'd like a whole lot of fun while getting paid, sign up as a movie/production extra. And if you want a great camcorder and have the experience to use it get yourself a Canon xl2 digital camcorder.

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11Jan/100

Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Camcorder – Refurbished – (Pink)

Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Camcorder - Refurbished - (Pink)

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer Become an instant celebrity or paparazzi with the Kodak Zi6 pocket video camera. Just hit record to capture the action, adventure and all the juicy details in stunning HD quality video. Make your cinematic debut on any HDTV. Or just pop the USB in the nearest PC and you're ready to share the fun on YouTube. Edit, add music and personalize your flick and then easily share with your adoring fans. There/s no such thing as "you should've been there" with the Zi6. Catch life as it happens. Kodak Zi6 Highlights Catch life as it happens Capture HD quality video (720p at 60 fps with 16:9 aspect ratio) Record hours of video with the expandable SD/SDHC card slot that can hold up to 32 GB You're the director See it all on a vibrant 2.4-inch LCD screen Catch the highlights with slow motion playback right in the palm of your hand Choose the video quality that works for you: HD at 60 fps, HD at 30 fps, or VGA (Video Graphics Array) Be creat (more...)

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11Jan/100

Digital Camcorder Reviews

Ross Bainbridge asked:




Technology is changing so fast these days that the new camcorder you bought only a year ago has now become obsolete. Utterly confused by this rapid technological progress, the most you can do is rely heavily on product reviews to make a decision as to which brand and model of camcorder you are going to buy. But unfortunately, all of them cannot be trusted, as not all sources of information for consumers to make a choice between, say a Sony and a Panasonic digital camcorder are unbiased.

Most companies dealing in electronic goods rely heavily on their products’ getting good reviews so that they record a brisk sale. But the newspaper article may be based on the information sent by the manufacturer; the retailer may push a product that earns them better margins; and the online site may work on a commission basis from a particular brand. What you need is an unbiased review, which can be found in consumer camcorder magazines or web sites that discuss in detail each camcorder's relative merits and demerits. You will find plenty of them; just extract the truth from them.

As analog camcorders are now an almost extinct species, you have to choose from the selection of digital camcorders that are available. For making the right choice from so many fiercely competing brands, you should closely consider the following things: price, charge couple device (CCD), media choice, LCDs and playback.

Be prepared to pay a few hundred dollars for entry-level digital camcorders, and thousands for top-of-the-line versions. If the size of a CCD is large and they are more in number, the camcorder will be more costly. You must decide whether you need a camcorder that records onto tape. You need a camcorder with an LCD screen if you want to view your recording straightaway. Once you have considered these things, choose the brand accordingly.

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10Jan/100

Choosing An 8mm Digital Camcorder

Bryan Seah asked:




This article was written to answer many of the most frequently asked questions on 8mm digital camcorders..

It includes

1. What is an 8mm digital camcorder

2. Mini Review on Sony CCD-TRV238E

3. Mini Review on Canon ES410V

I hope you find all of this information helpful.

What is an 8mm digital camcorder

Digital 8 camcorders work by recording a digital signal onto 8mm digital videotape. While not as compact as MiniDV ones, digital 8 camcorders are generally more affordable and have the added advantage of being able to playback analog Hi-8 as well as standard 8mm tapes. If your aim is to get an inexpensive method of capturing digital video or to upgrade from an analog Hi-8 or 8mm camcorder, the Digital8 format is your best bet.

Choosing an 8mm digital camcorder can definitely be difficult, especially if you have never owned a camcorder before and are clueless as to where to start. Today there are more makes and models of camcorders than ever before, and so it is easy to get intimidated by the wealth of options that are available to us.

There are hundreds of different 8mm digital camcorder models in particular that are worth considering, but a few that really stand out from the crowd.

Sony CCD-TRV238E 8mm camcorder

This is truly an ideal introductory camcorder, one that offers no-nonsense camera functions and so even if you do not have much experience using camcorders you should have no problem with this one. This 8mm digital camcorder features a 2.5%u201D LCD display with easy to read menus, 20x optical zoom which allows you to zoom completely in on any object, and which offers a high quality picture throughout zooming to the subject, rather than going blurry as most camcorders do.

Canon ES410V 8mm camcorder

Another 8mm digital camcorder is the Canon ES410V. This is actually one of the leading 8mm digital camcorder models, and for good reason. It is small enough to fit in your pocket but loaded with features.

With it you get picture perfect quality each and every time even when you are shooting motion, and you get point-and-shoot recording, which means that you can basically just turn the camcorder on and start recording, anytime, anywhere.

These 8mm digital camcorders are all worth checking out and although each offers their own separate features and components, they all offer you just what you need from a digital camcorder. Although digital camcorders have gained most of the attention in recent years, they aren't for everyone. The 8mm format offers a well-balanced mix of price and performance.

The Bottom Line: You should choose a digital camcorder based on the features and accessories you need, price and convenience.

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10Jan/100

Digital Camcorder Shopping Tips

Bob Brown asked:




With all of the choices on the market, it can definitely be overwhelming choosing a digital camcorder. There are several things to consider when shopping. A lot of brands can now record in high definition, but, there are some limitations to having an HD camcorder, such as incompatible video editing software.

The amount of zoom should also be taken into account, but, not the digital zoom. The higher the digital zoom, the more the resolution is decreased, making for blurry, pixelated pictures.

The optical zoom, however, will actually let you zoom in on your subject without sacrificing the picture quality. The optical zoom and the digital zoom are often not differentiated clearly on the manufacturer's information. Keeping this in mind, paying close attention to the specs, and not being 'fooled' by a high digital zoom number on the camera box, will help to make sure you wind up with clearer zoomed pictures and videos.

Another thing to consider is the size of the viewing, or LCD, screen. The LCD screen is both the viewfinder and the playback screen, so having a large one would be beneficial. The cost will go up as the size of the screen goes up, however. On the subject of size, the size of the camcorder itself, along with the weight, are important things to consider. Most electronics for sale today boast of their tiny size. This has not always proven to be a good thing. If the camera is too small for you to properly hold onto, or operate the different functions, then you will want to think about getting a larger one.

A very important feature of a digital camcorder is the microphone. If you can hear more of the activity around the person filming than the subject, then this is definitely a good thing. One way to help alleviate this issue is to make sure you get a camcorder with a front-mounted microphone, as opposed to a top-mounted microphone. Some camcorders even come with audio zoom for the microphone, that zooms the audio when the picture is zoomed.

There are lots of different features to check out when buying a camcorder, like what kind of battery is needed and how long it will last. Doing some research online and asking lots of questions at the store will help you make an informed decision.

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9Jan/100

Camcorder Deals – Tips on Getting a Great Deal on a Digital Camcorder

Jamie Jefferson
asked:





Using a digital camcorder is the best way to preserve memories of the people and places that are important in your life. If you are tired of using the video function on your digital camera and want to expand into better looking digital video, a digital camcorder is the way to go. Here are a few tips for getting the type of camera you are looking for - at the right price.

Before you start shopping, it's absolutely essential that you set a budget for your camera. Without a budget, you'll either experience sticker shock when you head to the store, or you'll end up buying a more expensive camera than you should. Good quality digital cameras costs anywhere between $300 and $1000. Make sure you know where on that range you fit so you can start looking at the right models of cameras.

A lot of people suggest reading reviews first before heading to the store to see the cameras in person. However, there are a few disadvantages to this process. First of all, you'll probably be overwhelmed by the amount of reviews and information available on digital cameras in magazines and online. The models you see in these sources may be light years ahead of what you actually need, and cost a lot more. Secondly, your personal opinion of the look of the camera and its operation is more important than what the technical reviews say.

With this in mind, head to the local electronics store and get your hands on the digital camcorders in person. Evaluate how the different models feel in your hand and take note of how easy it is to use the controls. Do some testing of the cameras in different lighting situations if you can manage it in the store. While this won't be as accurate as testing outdoors, it will definitely help you see how well the camera will perform. If you find a few good ones, write down their model numbers.

After finding a few potential camcorders, it's time to look at the reviews. The published reviews can be helpful once you've narrowed the field in person. You can look to the experts and other users to help guide your decision. Every camcorder will have at least one negative point. Try to pick a camcorder that covers your needs as much as possible. If you don't plan on taking it out on a boat, the fact that it isn't waterproof might not be a big deal.

When you have seen the camcorder in person, taken the reviews into consideration and have narrowed down your price, it's time to make a decision. Pick the camcorder that meets your criteria and is within your budget. Generally, you'll want to get a camcorder that is the top of the line for what you can afford. This way your camcorder can meet your needs for a long time before you'll want to upgrade.

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9Jan/100

Digital Camcorders

Ross Bainbridge asked:




Containing a camera and video recorder in one unit, a camcorder is a portable electronic device (usually a digital camera) for recording video and audio images. Sony, followed by Kodak in 1984, first launched the camcorder in 1983. In its early stages, camcorders were large devices that required a sturdy tripod or strong shoulders to stably support the camera's bulk.

Following a continuous process of evolution, the camcorder in the late 1990s entered the digital era with the introduction of the miniDV. As its cassette media was even smaller than 8mm media, it became possible to reduce the size of the tape transport assembly. The digital nature of miniDV led to far better audio and video quality than the best of its analog counterparts.

When the camcorder was first launched, it was a bulky shoulder-operated luggable that more than $1,500. Today, an entry-level MiniDV camcorder costs less than $300 and fits in the palm of a person's hand.

A digital camcorder is the perfect tool to record your child’s first steps, or even shoot a film for the coming film festival! When you want to buy a camcorder, you should take into account its user-friendliness and affordability. In any case, if you are not going to compromise on the exact image quality, a digital version is your best option. Digital camcorders come in different formats that include MiniDV, DVD-R, DVD-RAM and flash memory-based recorders. Your choice will also depend on what you wish to do – record directly to standard DVDs or need maximum flexibility when you begin to edit your footage.

Camcorders are used in almost every aspect of electronic media, from news organizations to TV/current-affairs productions. In locations where there is no distribution infrastructure, camcorders record the initial video. For casual use, camcorders mostly cover marriage ceremonies, birthdays, graduation ceremonies, and other personal events. Political protestors, animal rights protestors and even voyeurs now use camcorders to suit their own needs.

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8Jan/100

Kodak Zx1 HD Pocket Video Camera (Yellow)

Kodak Zx1 HD Pocket Video Camera (Yellow)

From the Manufacturer

Adventure can strike at any moment. Capture it in HD with the Kodak Zx1 Pocket Video Camera. Built to take on rain and snow, bright light and low light, this camera is ready for action. Now, no matter where life leads you, recording it all in stunning HD quality is as close as your front pocket. HD video, right in your front pocket Easily capture 720p HD video up to 60 fps with 16:9 aspect ratio Compact design goes with you anywhere Record up to 10 hours of HD video with the expandable SD/SDHC card slot that can hold up to 32 GB Choose your favorite from a wide array of vibrant colors A video camera that’s fearless Designed with action and adventure in mind, the Zx1 is resistant to rain, snow, sand, dirt and more so you can get in the action without fear of damaging your camera Rubberized doors protect all the ports and the stainless steel panel gives strength with good looks Certified for protection rating IP43 Quality videos, automatic (more...)

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