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August 31, 2004
Apple iMac G5
Apple has unveiled its next generation of desktop computers, the iMac G5, at the Apple Expo 2004 in Paris. It is the first iMac to be powered by the high-speed G5 processors, used in its Power Macs, and is touted as the world's thinnest desktop computer.
Apple's first iMac was introduced in 1998 and quickly became popular because it was simply designed and easy to use. More than 70,000 people are expected at the 2004 Expo, the main annual showcase for Apple products in Europe.
"Just like the iPod redefined portable digital music players, the new iMac G5 redefines what users expect from a consumer desktop," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing in his keynote speech.
"With the entire system, including a gorgeous 17 or 20-inch display, just two inches thin, a lot of people will be wondering 'where did the computer go?'"
The two-inch thick new member of the Apple family is small, white, and has both a 1.8GHz G5 chip and a 17-inch or 20-inch screen.
It also supports a wireless keyboard and mouse, and the whole computer, including the power supply and slot-load optical drive, is built right into the display which sits on an aluminium foot.
A wi-fi Airport Extreme card and Bluetooth module are available as an optional extra.
The iMac G5 is expected to be available worldwide from mid-September, with prices starting from $1,299 (£919).
Instant hit
The first iMac model was introduced to the world at the 1998 Expo, and quickly became a hit.
Since its launch, Apple has sold about 2.38 iMacs per minute, said Mr Schiller.
It was a translucent, all-in-one cathode-ray-tube design in multiple colours. Apple sold six million of them which helped it recover from three years of losses.
Apple has recently had massive success with its portable digital music device, the iPod, and its music download website, iTunes.
About 60% of its profits are still made through the sale of computers, however.
Posted by robeva at 08:49 PM | Comments (0)
August 24, 2004
Keep the noise down
As the figure which defines the amount of detail captured, the number of megapixels has become the primary measure of quality for digital cameras. But, like so many things, it's not that simple, as having more megapixels can sometimes reduce your overall picture quality.
This sounds hard to believe. After all, more megapixels means more detail and being able to make bigger enlargements or severe crops without losing quality.
But take a close look at digital camera images and you'll notice numerous randomly coloured specks, especially in areas of flat colour. This is mostly due to electronic noise on the sensor, and could get worse with higher resolutions.
Here's why. Each sensor has a grid of light-sensitive elements which act like buckets for light. After the exposure, the amount of light captured in each element is proportionately converted into electrical charge, then amplified and digitised.
Noise becomes a problem when there's insufficient light captured for a decent signal. This gets worse with smaller elements which are less sensitive.
There are two ways you can increase the resolution of a sensor: keep the elements the same size and increase the sensor area; or keep the sensor the same size and shrink the elements to squeeze more in.
It's clear that the latter will be susceptible to greater noise yet, due to manufacturing costs and optical designs, it's a common approach for new sensors.
The first 3megapixel cameras employed a 1/1.8in sensor which measured 8.93mm across its diagonal and kept noise reasonably under control. When 4megapixel cameras arrived, though, their sensors were almost all the same size as previous 3megapixel models, thereby employing smaller elements with higher noise levels.
Fortunately when the first 5megapixel cameras were launched, the sensors were increased to the 2/3in size with an 11mm diagonal and roughly the same size elements (and therefore noise levels) of original 3megapixel sensors.
Sadly the subsequent generations of 5megapixel cameras switched to a 1/1.8in sensor identical in size to the original 3megapixel sensors. New 8megapixel all-in-ones also use the same 2/3in sensor size as the first 5megapixel models.
Both cases demand smaller elements to squeeze these higher resolutions into the same space, and therefore suffer from greater potential noise. While the industry often claims that superior manufacturing techniques and post-processing eliminate the problem, I'd argue that new sensitivity settings reveal it as a genuine concern.
All digital cameras can increase their sensitivity, but at the cost of greater noise. Decreasing the sensitivity has the opposite effect and lowers noise levels. And what's this? Many new cameras with high resolutions and relatively small sensors now offer low sensitivity options such as 50 or 64 ISO; indeed these are present on all the new 8megapixel cameras.
Admittedly these low sensitivities seem to do the trick. I've found shooting at 50 or 64 ISO on the new 8megapixel cameras produces relatively low-noise images. Increase to 100 ISO, though, and noise begins to creep in. By the time you're at 200 ISO it's seriously affecting the picture.
The trouble is that it's rarely practical to shoot at 50 or 64 ISO, especially in the overcast UK, where 200 ISO is usually more appropriate.
You are, of course, welcome to shoot at lower sensitivities, but you'll need more light: four times more if it's the difference between 50 and 200 ISO. And if your optics can't gather it, you'll need a longer exposure which increases the risk of camera shake.
And therein lies the rub. Unless you have bright conditions, a steady hand or don't mind carrying a tripod, these low sensitivities are impractical, yet necessary to keep noise levels under check.
With noise becoming a personal issue I upgraded to a digital SLR, which may only have 6megapixels but features a sensor measuring 30mm across its diagonal.
Compare that to the 11mm diagonal of the sensor in 8megapixel all-in-ones and difference in pixel size is monumental. At 400 ISO, this bigger sensor produces roughly the same noise levels as 8megapixel models do at 64 ISO. At lower sensitivities, the bigger sensor produces incomparably smooth pictures. This is why 6megapixels worked out better than eight.
I may capture less detail, but the improvement on noise levels, not to mention flexibility of shooting at higher sensitivities, is far preferable.
Of course digital SLRs are only an option at the high end of the market. Compact consumer digital cameras will always have smaller sensors and therefore noise as a greater concern, especially as resolutions increase.
While many users won't notice noise on their images, I fear it's being compromised in favour of higher resolutions. And does the average photographer really need five or more megapixels?
Sadly, higher resolutions have become a marketing numbers game and are coming at the cost of greater noise. If you're concerned, look carefully at the sensor size of your next digital camera, as megapixels aren't the be-all and end-all of image quality. Either that or join me in a prayer for a long, bright summer.
Posted by robeva at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)
August 22, 2004
Tutorial :: White Balance
If you come from the world of films, you may remember using filters to correct for incandescent or fluorescent lighting. Most people don't bother and their indoors pictures invariably come out with a yellow/orange or bluish cast. In the digital world, these correction filters are no longer necessary, replaced by a feature found in most -- even the entry-level -- digital cameras called, "White Balance."
Light Colour Temperature
The reason that pictures turn out with a yellow/orange cast in incandescent (tungsten) lighting and bluish in fluorescent lighting is because light has a colour temperature. A low colour temperature shifts light toward the red; a high colour temperature shifts light toward the blue. Different light sources emit light at different colour temperatures, and thus the colour cast.
By using an orange or blue filter, we absorb the orange and blue light to correct for the "imbalance" -- the net effect is a shift in the colour temperature.
In digital photography, we can simply tell the image sensor to do that colour shift for us. But how do we know in which direction of the colour temperature to shift, and by how much?
Manual White Balance
This is where the concept of "White Balance" comes in. If we can tell the camera which object in the room is white and supposed to come out white in the picture, the camera can calculate the difference between the current colour temperature of that object and the correct colour temperature of a white object. And then shift all colours by that difference.
Most advanced digital cameras therefore provide the feature to manually set the white balance.
By pointing the camera at a white (or gray) card, filling the screen completely with it, then pressing the White Balance button (or set it in the menu), the camera does its WB calculation.
From then on, any picture taken will have its colour temperature shifted appropriately. It's quite simple, really, and you should not be afraid to try it out and see your indoors pictures improve considerably (assuming there is enough light for correct exposure).
Preset White Balance
To help us in those special situations without having to go through the trouble of manually setting the white balance everytime, cameras provide preset WB settings such as, Tungsten, Flourescent, Cloudy, Sunny, etc. Using preset WB can improve on a picture, especially under indoors lighting.
In the above example, the picture above is taken with the camera set to Auto WB. The indoor lighting is by two ordinary incandescent (tungsten) bulbs from the ceiling. It's not bad, but the fan should really be white. By dialing in a preset Tungsten WB, the image gives a truer representation of the scene.
Usually just selecting a Preset WB setting appropriate for the lighting situation is enough.
Auto White Balance
Since the days of the Kodak Brownie cameras, manufacturers have tried to automate everything for us. Hence, today's digital cameras also all sport an Auto White Balance (AWB) function. Depending on the camera brand, some AWB works better than others. On the whole, though, AWB works very well in sunny and cloudy outdoors, and fine for most indoors situations (a little orange or bluish cast does sometimes contribute to the mood of the picture anyway, e.g. the warm orangle glow of a candle).
Set your digital camera to AWB and take pictures under tungsten, fluorescent, and mixed lighting (i.e. tungsten or fluorescent, plus natural light coming throught the window), and see if the results are OK. If they are, you can just use AWB.
Special Effects
Once you'se selected a WB setting, just remember to reset this white balance setting when you head back outdoors into natural light, or you may end up with some strange, out of this world, colours.
In fact, by dialing in a WB setting inappropriate for the lighting situation allows us to create some special effects.
Let's say you are taking a picture outdoors and you want to make the light warmer, perhaps creating a late evening, sunset effect. To do that, we dial in a Fluorescent WB, in effect telling the camera that the light is too cool. The camera responds by shifting every colour toward the warm, red values. Dial in a Tungsten WB, and the camera shifts all colours toward the cool, blue values. Lots of trial and error recommended here.
RAW File Format
A discussion in WB would not be complete without a mention of the RAW file format available in many advanced digital cameras. When you save an image in RAW file format, you are saving it the way the image sensor sees it -- without applying any adjustments (including white balance) to it. In fact, the camera ignores any WB setting you dial in.
Later, in an image editing software with the appropriate RAW plug-in, you can convert the RAW image to JPEG, and apply any colour temperature shift. Undo your change and try again, ad infinitum, in as fine an increment as you wish, until you obtain perfect colour balance.
Some professional photographers always use RAW file format. Saving in RAW file format comes at a price because it takes so much longer to save a RAW image that it might not be practical in many picture taking situations. Professional dSLRs (and some prosumer models) have internal buffers that allow RAW images to be taken one after the other in quite rapid succession without having to wait for the saving of one image to be completed before you can take the next picture.
If you are taking landscapes, and it's early in the morning or late in the evening, or you are not too sure of which WB setting to use, try it in RAW.
A few digital cameras even allow you to save an image in both RAW and JPEG simultaneously, though time to write to memory card is proportionally increased.
Summary
For most of us, Auto WB is fine and does a pretty good job in diverse situations, outdoors and indoors.
For those occasions when you are not happy with the colour cast of your picture, choose one of the preset WB settings.
If this still does not give you what you want, consider manually setting the white balance by using a white card or sheet of paper (or white T-Shirt, etc.).
And, for ultimate control over white balance, consider shooting in RAW file format, and adjust in post-processing.
Posted by robeva at 02:58 PM | Comments (0)
August 20, 2004
New :: Panasonic AG-DVC60
Panasonic has announced the AG-DVC60, a 3-CCD Mini-DV camcorder that employs a wide angle, high-performance 16X optical zoom lens and delivers the stability and respect of shoulder-style shooting.
Ruggedly designed for professional use, this 5.5-pound camcorder delivers sharp, crisp, beautifully rendered images with vivid colors due to its 12-bit A/D and RGB Gamma Processor. Among its many inventive features are infrared nighttime shooting, movie-like recording mode, and 16:9 recording modes.
“The economically-priced AG-DVC60 is tricked out for top performance while its shoulder-mount design reduces fatigue and provides on-the-job respect,” said Stuart English, Vice President, Marketing, Panasonic Broadcast.
Equipped with three 410,000-pixel CCDs, the AG-DVC60 has a wide-angle 16X zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) and a focal length of 39.5 to 632 mm (35mm still camera equivalent) to meet virtually any broadcast and professional need. The new lens has low-dispersion glass to substantially reduce chromatic aberration, flare and ghosting. For sports applications, the 16X high-speed optical zoom is extremely fast in transitioning between wide and telephoto modes. It also sports a three-speed handle zoom and run switch.
An IEEE 1394 DV input makes it easy to upload data from the AG-DVC60, or to dub footage onto a digital video recorder. The IEEE 1394 interface also features a synchro lock function that allows the AG-DVC60 to remotely start and stop an external DV device. The AG-DVC60’s aspect ratio can be set to either 4:3 or 16:9 to accommodate wide-image recording. In 16:9 recording, the operator can select either letterbox or squeeze mode, facilitating more possibilities in editing and playback.
For shooting ease, the operator can slide the large electronic viewfinder to the right or left side as preferred, and lock it in place. With a multi-function lens ring that controls the zoom, focus and aperture, the AG-DVC60 has the same solid feel as a standard field camera. The AG-DVC60 also combines an oversized shoulder pad with a hand grip on the side of the lens to give professionals no-slip stability.
Like its popular mini-DV counterpart, the hand-held AG-DVC30, the AG-DVC60 offers built-in Super Nighttime Shooting (SNS) recording in black-and-white for nighttime monitoring, surveillance and newsgathering. Its built-in infrared capabilities supports near-field acquisition (up to 16 feet); and with the addition of its optional IR light, recording distance is extended to roughly 98 feet for remote surveillance applications. In IR mode, the camcorder allows professionals to view people or objects in complete darkness (0 lux).
The AG-DVC60 combines an A/D converter with 12-bit processing (the same as broadcast-quality cameras) and an RGB gamma processor (using Panasonic’s unique gamma curve function) to assure high image quality. The AG-DVC60’s movie-like mode teams a cine-style gamma curve and 30-fps frame mode, which electronically interpolates interlaced images to create frames, producing images that are remarkably cinema-like. Its slow shutter function uses image accumulation to allow four shutter speeds with frame rates down to ¼ normal rate for higher sensitivity in color recording. The slow shutter can also be used to capture artistic motion effects.
The unit’s full range of automatic controls includes focus, iris, gain, shutter speed, white balance and neutral density. Its AUTO/MANUAL slide switch permits easy visual verification of the mode selected. Its large electronic viewfinder (with monochrome and detail enhancement functionality) and 2.5” color LCD monitor make for easy viewing.
The feature-packed unit provides three user-customizable buttons that can be assigned any of 18 camera functions and three VCR functions. The AG-DVC60 can save four sets of camera settings as “scene files,” which permit instant recall of specific shooting conditions including control of detail, chroma level, chroma phase, color temperature, master pedestal, AE shift and skin detail. Shooting support functions also include backlight correction, AE lock, zebra, marker, mode check, zoom position, digital zoom and wipe and mix effects.
Top-quality professional audio functions include a built-in, full-size stereo microphone on top for capturing audio from in front of the camera; two XLR-type audio inputs (with mic/line switches); manual level record pots (CH1/CH2); and a two-channel, two-color audio level meter that is displayed in the viewfinder and LCD monitor.
The AG-DVC60 includes permanent digital stamping of date and time into the image, an especially useful feature for legal depositions, court reporting, surveillance monitoring and evidence gathering.
The camcorder’s impressive list of standard features also includes synchro-scan shutter, 18 shutter speeds (from ¼ to 1/8,000 sec.), a built-in SMPTE time code generator/reader, and SMPTE- compliant recordable color bar display.
The AG-DVC60’s body is made of carbon fiber alloy, the same ultra-rugged material used by many top-class tennis rackets and golf clubs.
The AG-DVC60 will be available in September at a suggested list price of $2,795. The optional Infrared light (model AG-YRL30G) has a suggested list price of $380.
Posted by robeva at 06:20 PM | Comments (1)
August 14, 2004
CDs aren't forever
Computer technology is fast approaching a stumbling block that has come back to haunt us. A growing number of recordable CD-ROMs, some recent, but most as old as 20 years, are not readable anymore.
Office files, letters, music and cherished photos are slowly eroding from optical disk mediums once touted to have a reliability of 50 years.
The culprit, say the experts, is Father Time, with a pinch of extreme temperatures, moisture and abusive handling.
Susan Munro, owner of Mehco Inc., an Edmonton-based CD and DVD replicating service, thinks different.
"Moisture gets in the edge of poorly sealed CD disks, and corrodes the thin foil that holds data," she said.
"If properly made, recordable CDs should last a long time."
Munro said most of her 10-year old CDs, even the more expensive gold foil ones, are not readable anymore.
Her experience underscores an alarming problem in technology... all digital recordable media like hard drives, camera memory chips, and optical CDs and DVDs can't hold a candle to the longevity of old fashioned paper and photographic film, microfilm, not to mention stone etchings several thousand years old.
It doesn't help that there are no standards in optical media making, where even brand name CDs have unknown lineage from overseas manufacturers.
Interest groups and government agencies like the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology are trying to set CD-ROM and DVD testing standards, a torture test if you will, stamping optical media with a seal of approval.
Munro applauds these efforts but thinks it is too little, too late. "All these efforts and money should not go into a mature 20-year old technology," she said.
"They should promote next generation storage devices that are not prone to oxidation and data loss."
Munro said the DVD technology, the successor to CD-ROM, has been held back by the industry due to a lack of one agreed standard and a willingness to stretch out older industry.
"The reality is that when the powers to be get going on DVD then you will see that technology accelerate much like CD-ROM did in the past ten years."
Today's recordable CD-ROMs spin up to 52 times faster that an audio CD, filling up with digital data in less than a minute. DVD's are just starting to go past four times now.
"DVD is excellent for movies but as a storage medium it has failed," said Munro. "It's as volatile as CD-ROMs."
She noted that all computer-based consumer optical media recorders write information on light-sensitive media, compared to the professional recorders that physically etch the digital information before the disc is sealed during manufacture.
The industry has countered growing concerns by making beefed up optical media. Fujifilm CD-R for Photo for example, features better sealing and extra layers of protective coating on the label side. Verbatim has released their Digital Movie DVD-R discs with similar features. Companies with a stake in computing, like Apple, decided to make optical media to a higher standard with their own label. "So what if you pay a little more for a life time of memories, it's worth it," said Munro.
What's in the future for storing our digital earthly possessions?
"FMD (Fluorescent Multi-layer Disc) shown in 2001, has 30 times the capacity of DVD," said Munro. "But the industry feels FMD stores more than most people need."
For now, most of us will have to settle for current cutting-edge technology that is fast losing its edge.
Posted by robeva at 04:44 PM | Comments (0)
August 13, 2004
Canon Announces XL2
Canon has announced the highly anticipated replacement for the XL1S camcorder, named the Canon XL2. The new camcorder features 24 fames progressive scan filming as well as a true 16:9 aspect ratio filming capability.
The news broke a few hours ago. Similar to the Panasonic AG-DVX100, the new XL2 features 24 fames progressive scan video which records at the same frame rate as conventional 35 mm film. The camcorder has options for both a 2:3 and a 2:3:3:2 pulldown. According to the press release "The XL2 camcorder provides users with frame rate options needed to achieve a wide range of 'film' looks. Whether shooting standard video for television or video for transfer to film with extremely high resolution, the XL2 camcorder features 60i, 30p, 24p (2:3 and 2:3:3:2) frame rates, so that cinematographers and electronic news gatherers have the flexibility to create virtually any desired look and feel."
The 24P option replicates the motion artifacts of film. It appears to do an identical pull down to what the Panasonic AG-DVX100 performs. The AG-DVX100 was announced in October 2003 and has been a runaway success with the independent filmmaker community because of it's options for outputting DV video to 35 mm film.
The new camcorder also features what appears to be a true 16:9 mode. According to Canon's press release, the XL2 can record video at a resolution of 962 by 480 pixels. At the time of this story, Canon had not clarified how they store the extra pixels onto a standard MiniDV tape. It appears the XL2 is the first prosumer camcorder to offer true 16:9 shooting ability.
Panasonic reacted to the story with polite acceptance of Canon XL2 "We welcome the addition of Canon's new camera to the 24 frames progressive scan DV market. Pioneered by Panasonic with the AG-DVX100 and the AG-DVX100A. It's introduction is a validation of the direction we set for the industry and we welcome the opportunity to continue to demonstrate our superior value proposition to our customer base," said Jan Crittenden, product Manager for the Panasonic AG-DVX100 and AG-DVX100A.
Canon has also included a new optical zoom lens. The new L series 20x optical zoom lens works both in the 4:3 aspect ratio and the 16:9 aspect ratio. The new camcorder maintains the interchangibility of the XL1S which it replaces. It appears the XL2 can utilize the existing XL1S lenses. According to the press release "a 72mm filter thread; 6-blade iris diaphragm; 2 independent ND filters; Electronic focus ring; Electronic zoom ring; Zoom present position; Focus preset position; and optical image stabilization."
In a move that appears to follow the direction of the Panasonic AG-DVX100 which has impacted Canon sales recently, the XL2 features advanced film like color adjustments. According to the press release the camcorder features "Master RGB Gain; Setup Level; Master Pedestal; Skin Detail; Program AE; Gain; AE Shift and Lock; White Balance; Shutter Speeds; Aperture Control; Zebra Pattern; Clear Scan and Interval Timer"
Posted by robeva at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2004
miniDV tape care
Well beyond the advancements in research & development and quality control that a manufacturer invests in the production of their product, the life span of a given video tape for the End-User is dependent to a large degree, on the conditions of their care, handling, and the storage environment. To ensure optimal results, the following precautionary measures are recommended.
TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY
For long term storage of a recorded video tape (i.e., 10 years or more), the storage area should consistently be maintained within the following ranges for both temperature and humidity:
Temperature: 15-25?C
Humidity: 40-60%RH
Fluctuations of temperature and humidity should be minimized to prevent expansion & contraction of the base film. The storage area should also be as free from dust as possible, both from internally as well as externally generated sources.
PROPER WINDING OF TAPE
Inspect the condition of the tape winding. If the tape pack is not neatly wound, rewind it on a VTR before storage. If a tape with uneven winding and “slipped” sections (commonly referred to as “blocking”) is left in storage for long periods, uneven stretching of the tape will occur. Images that are recorded in the more stressed portions of the tape will show disturbance on playback. Also, all tapes should be completely rewound to the supply side before storage.
PHYSICAL PLACEMENT OF TAPE
Recorded videotape should be stored upright in their protective cases. If tapes are left out of their cases and stacked one on top of another, the collective weight could cause distortion as well as potential breakage of the cassettes. When transporting tapes, place them in the upright position, as this will provide the best protection against vibration and tape edge damage.
PERIODIC REWINDING OF TAPE
For ventilation purposes, tapes should be fast-forwarded or rewound at least once every 3 years. This procedure should also be followed for any tapes you intend to re-record, but have not been used for a substantial period of time.
AVOID STRAY MAGNETIC FIELDS
Keep tapes away from electrical equipment (speakers, electric motors, etc.) which generate a strong magnetic field. Also be cognizant of products on the market, such as certain business/desk items, toys, and health articles which also have small but strong magnets. Magnets from these articles, which come in contact with a videocassette, can cause tape noise, and in the worst case, even erase recorded video & audio.
VTR MAINTENANCE
As video tape incorporates a thin plastic base film, irreparable wrinkles and scratches may be incurred when playing the tape on a VTR with a faulty tape transport mechanism or tape path. Regular maintenance & adjustment of the VTR is critical. Please pay particular attention to the degradation of the rubber on the pinch roller, which grips and pulls the tape during transport. This rubber should be replaced at regular intervals.
AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
If fire extinguisher equipment is installed in the tape storage area, please make sure the extinguishing agent is gaseous. Liquid or powder extinguishers will harm tape performance.
Posted by robeva at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2004
Expert Guide :: Video Editing
Camcorders have never been more affordable nor offered better quality, but even Steven Spielberg needs to edit recordings to get the best results. Whether you're making a holiday, wedding or corporate training video, all footage benefits from a few nips and tucks and smart people use their computers.
Using today's software and hardware you can quickly and easily rearrange clips by simply dragging them around your screen with a mouse. Discreet or spectacular effects can be added in a blink of an eye, as can soundtracks or running commentary.
Best of all, once you're finished, you can shrink videos for emailing, stream them directly from a website or even turn them into high-quality DVDs complete with interactive menus.
There has never been a more exciting time for editing your home movies and professional results are cheaper and easier than you may think. There's no need to buy a supercomputer or take a degree in film making either, as most of today's computers already have all or most of what you need.
In this feature we'll help you select the right equipment, discover which camcorder format is best for you, and find out which features are essential or nothing more than gimmicks.
Whether you're filming a family celebration, an important company meeting, or have Hollywood-style aspirations, we'll tell you everything you need to know.
What computer do you need?
Almost any modern computer can be used for video editing, but there are various aspects you can upgrade on an existing machine, or select on a new one, to make your life easier.
You don't need the fastest processor in the world. Faster chips will generate special effects and fades more quickly but, if you don't mind waiting, you can successfully use a 500MHz model. Installing lots of memory can also accelerate the overall editing experience, but most packages will happily work with 128Mb of Ram. If you're buying a new computer, though, go for at least 256Mb.
The one specification where you can't skimp is the hard disk, as this is where you store your video while editing. The bottom line is that video files can be huge. If you're using a MiniDV or Digital-8 camcorder, you're looking at around 11Gb of hard disk space to store just one hour of footage.
Most editing software also needs spare hard disk space in order to manipulate such huge files, so we recommend at least a 20Gb disk and preferably much more.
Getting the video into your computer
Most importantly of all, you'll need some means by which to get the video into your computer and onto the hard disk. If you're using an analogue camcorder, your footage must be converted into a digital format for editing, then converted back into analogue for recording onto tape.
Most computers require special video capture cards to do this, which can cost over £100, but some high-end graphics cards, such as the ATI All-in-Wonders, have analogue capture facilities built in. Sadly, there is an inevitable loss of quality during the conversion from analogue to digital and back again.
Digital camcorders make the capture process much simpler by already having their video in a digital format. So long as the computer can understand the format, footage can simply be copied directly from the camcorder onto the hard disk for editing, then copied straight back again afterwards. Since no conversion takes place, there's no loss of quality.
Thankfully one format and connector dominate the consumer digital video market. The leading system is called DV and is used by both MiniDV and Digital-8 camcorders. Meanwhile, the standard connector is a single plug that's called different things by different companies. Apple calls it FireWire, Sony calls it iLink, while the techies prefer IEEE-1394. Either way, these are all the same thing.
To avoid confusion, we'll refer to it from now on as FireWire. FireWire has long been a standard fitting on all but the cheapest Apple Macs and is now becoming increasingly common on new PCs. If your PC doesn't have a FireWire port, it can be added using a card costing as little as £30.
Before you get too carried away, though, here's a word of warning: while virtually every digital camcorder has a FireWire connector, some cheaper models can only use it for playing. They cannot use it for recording.
While this doesn't matter if you only intend to email your videos or burn them onto DVDs, most people will want the option of digitally outputting edited footage back onto tape, if only to save space on their computers or have a high-quality archive.
Camcorders with FireWire plugs that can both play and record are described as having 'DV-in and out', and normally cost about £50 more than models which are DV-out only. We can't recommend highly enough that you go for a camcorder with both DV-in and out facilities if you intend to edit with your computer.
Editing software
Once you've got your video on the hard disk you'll need software to edit it. The good news is that basic editing software is available free of charge. Windows Movie Maker is a free download for Windows XP users (from www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/moviemaker), while iMovie comes as standard on modern Macs.
Both of these packages allow you to arrange scenes in any order, shorten them and add titles or various special effects. If you're after something different or more sophisticated there are plenty of other options available, including tools which can produce truly professional results. See our editing feature here for more information.
Since DV is the most widespread digital format, it is supported by all editing packages. The MPEG-2 format, which is used by MicroMV and DVD camcorders (see later), is supported by fewer editors, so check the software's capabilities if you have one of these models.
Finally, if you're using an analogue video capture card, it will automatically convert your footage into a format that can be understood by most editors.
After editing
Once your video has been edited, there is a variety of options open to you. The simplest is to output the final project onto tape, which will preserve it with the best quality.
Alternatively, most editing packages allow you to compress video into something small enough to email to a friend or even stream from a website.
For the ultimate in sharing, how about turning your masterpiece into a Video CD or even a DVD? DVD recorders cost from £200 and normally come with software for making DVD videos, although alternative software costs as little as £25. If you buy a Mac with a built-in DVD recorder, it will come with software to get you started.
One other thing to note is that there are currently five different types of blank DVD discs available and no recorder can use them all, so it's essential to buy the right ones for your model. Alternatively, if you're in the market for a new recorder, it makes sense to buy a model that can use the most compatible blank format.
In our tests, the two most compatible blank discs are the write-once DVD-R and DVD+R formats. Since DVD-R is more established and currently the cheapest too, we'd recommend buying a recorder which can use these discs.
Choosing a camcorder
Choosing a camcorder can seem a daunting task due to the bewildering array of formats and options available, but at what point are you paying for unnecessary gadgetry? To separate the wheat from the chaff we'll now explain the pertinent features on today's models, and which ones are particularly important for someone who's into video editing with their computer. If you can't wait any longer before handing over your cash, check out 'If you only remember three things' (below) for some advice.
Camcorder formats
The camcorder market is very roughly divided into digital and analogue models. Digital camcorders ultimately deliver better quality but, just as crucially, allow cheaper and better quality editing with your computer.
If the video is recorded digitally, it's relatively easy to transfer onto a computer for editing and back again without any loss of quality. This alone makes digital camcorders the most sensible choice for anyone who wants to edit using their computer.
Digital camcorders are, however, more expensive than their analogue counterparts, so if your budget can't stretch, you'll need to choose between one of the four analogue formats currently available. Remember, though, that computer equipment for capturing analogue video is more expensive than for digital.
Analogue camcorders
The cheapest analogue camcorders use either the 8mm or VHSC (compact) formats. They're both roughly equivalent in quality to normal VHS, and indeed the VHSC tapes can be inserted into existing VHS machines using a special adapter. Prices for 8mm and VHSC camcorders start at around £199, for models such as Samsung's VPW70.
For almost double the quality, go for a Hi8 or S-VHSC camcorder, which are both equivalent to the superior S-VHS format. Since these models offer much better quality, yet start at under £299, we recommend them over plain 8mm or VHSC.
Digital camcorders
The digital camcorder market is dominated by the MiniDV format, which can deliver quality comparable to DVD; the tapes are also smaller than the analogue formats, in turn allowing more compact models to be produced.
The cheapest MiniDV camcorders start at under £350, but these have DV-out facilities only. As explained earlier, you'll need DV-in and out facilities to make the most of editing with your computer, and these models start at around £399. One of the cheapest models with DV-in and out is Panasonic's NV-DS30.
While MiniDV is the dominant digital format, there are alternatives. Digital-8 is, as it sounds, a digital version of 8mm. Invented (and offered almost exclusively) by Sony, it uses precisely the same recording system as MiniDV, resulting in identical quality; some models can even play old 8mm and Hi8 tapes, which is great for the upgrader. Digital-8 camcorders with DV-in and out are available from £349.
It's often difficult to differentiate between MiniDV and Digital-8 models, but the best features, lenses and smallest designs are traditionally reserved for the former.
Consequently Digital-8 is targeted as an affordable entry to digital recording and editing, while MiniDV models are aimed at the mid-range and upwards.
Either is suitable for digital editing on your computer (so long as you go for a model with DV-in and out) but, given the choice, we'd recommend MiniDV for the sheer variety of models, not to mention access to better features and designs.
As MiniDV camcorders have matured, the limiting factor to their size is the cassette itself. With this in mind, Sony developed its new MicroMV format in late 2001, with tapes that are 70 per cent smaller than MiniDV, yet still record up to 60 minutes of footage. MicroMV manages this by using the more efficient MPEG-2 compression system, which is also used by DVD and digital television broadcasts.
More efficient compression also means you need about half as much space on your hard disk to edit MicroMV projects. The bad news, though, is that most editing software is designed for the DV format only and won't work with MicroMV's native MPEG-2 video. Sony's supplied software is also for Windows only, which rules out editing on a Mac. Pinnacle's Studio 8 editing software now supports MicroMV files, however, and costs around £55.
MicroMV is a remarkable technology, but should only be chosen by people who demand the smallest camcorders on the market. MiniDV still offers greater flexibility, not to mention cheaper tapes and cameras.
Tapeless formats
All the formats mentioned so far use tapes, but there are further alternatives. Recording directly onto DVDs has the benefit of fast access and a disc which, in theory, can simply be inserted straight into existing DVD players.
Last year Hitachi launched the first DVD camcorder. It used 8cm DVD-RAM discs which certainly boasted fast access and even on-disc editing, but the DVD-RAM format remains unreadable by most existing DVD players. During summer 2003, Sony will release its first two DVD camcorders, using 8cm DVD-RW and DVD-R formats which are more compatible with existing players and don't require DVD-RAM's caddies.
Like the MicroMV format, DVD camcorders use the MPEG-2 system, which is not supported by all editing packages. Consequently we recommend sticking with MiniDV or Digital-8 if you want the widest range of editing solutions on your computer, or carefully checking an editor's specifications for compatibility.
It is also possible to record video onto solid-state memory cards, a facility offered by most still digital cameras, albeit at a quality much lower than even a cheap analogue camcorder. However, the high price of memory cards and vast amount of data required for good-quality video makes solid-state camcorders impractical. But prices always fall and compression systems are getting better all the time.
Besides, the temptation to use solid-state technology sooner rather than later in order to produce the world's smallest camcorder (regardless of price) is bound to prove irresistible to certain manufacturers.
Features to look out for
The lens is, of course, one of the most important parts of any camera, but camcorders often have a strange way of describing them. The important figure is the optical zoom, which normally operates in a 10x range, roughly equivalent in coverage to a 50-500mm lens on a 35mm camera. Some camcorders offer longer 12x or even 20x optical zooms, which are great if your subject is small or distant.
Most camcorders also offer digital zoom facilities, but these just electronically crop the centre of the image and enlarge it. With fewer pixels in the image, the result is fuzzy and if you are holding the camera images will suffer badly from even the slightest shake above 50x.
Certainly the claims up to 1,000x are nothing more than gimmicks. Perhaps acknowledging this, many camcorders now offer a setting that limits the digital zoom to more practical magnifications.
LCD screens
All but the cheapest (or unconventionally styled) camcorders feature two means of composition: an electronic viewfinder and a flip-out LCD screen. The screens are great for shooting at unusual angles, while the viewfinders are handy backups when the sunlight's bright.
Generally speaking, the more you pay the larger and better quality the screen. Bigger screens don't offer any particular advantages, but they're undeniably nice to have. Some screens are now also touch-sensitive, but this is just a novelty. Budget camcorders may only have a black and white viewfinder.
Image stabilisers
Image stabilisers help eliminate handheld wobbles, but vary in their effectiveness. The best are optical ones, where moving lenses ensure that the image is kept steady. These are expensive, though, and generally only used on models costing in excess of £1,500.
Digital stabilisation is much more common, and uses spare pixels around the outer edge of the imaging sensor as a buffer. Stabilisers can be surprisingly effective, although they may over-compensate for intended motion. If you're using a tripod for proper stability, it's best to switch them off.
Microphone connectors
The built-in microphones of all camcorders are highly susceptible to ambient noise. The answer is to use a separate microphone, and some models offer dedicated 3.5mm inputs, while others accommodate models mounted on an accessory shoe at the top.
If good quality audio is important to you, look for a camcorder with the right connectivity, although do bear in mind that you can always add audio later during editing.
AV connectors
All camcorders feature some kind of video and audio outputs for connection to a VCR, TV or other analogue display. More expensive camcorders can also record from these connectors, which is handy if you want to use your camcorder as a high-quality digital VCR, for making MiniDV copies of old analogue tapes, for instance. Once recorded onto MiniDV, you could also then edit these old tapes on your computer across FireWire.
Night modes
Night modes are common on today's camcorders, but again vary in capabilities. Cheaper models simply increase the exposure and sensor amplification, resulting in a blurry and noisy result. Models with infrared lamps can genuinely see in the dark, but have a short range and produce an eerie green tint resembling military footage.
USB ports
Many digital camcorders now feature USB ports. These are meant for copying still images from the camcorder, and in some cases stream video for use as a webcam. Generally this is only supported in Windows.
Progressive scan
Conventional camcorders record interlaced video, which builds each frame from two separate fields: one has the odd lines, the other has the even lines.
Progressive Scan modes record the entire frame in one go, resulting in considerably less blur when pausing or grabbing still images from video.
So, now you know what features and equipment you need, read on to discover how to create great digital video. You will find it's much easier than you think and tremendous fun. Happy video editing!
PCs VERSUS MACs
Both PCs and Apple Macs can be used for video editing, but which is best? Until recently Macs definitely had the advantage, as all but the cheapest came complete with FireWire and free movie-editing software as standard.
FireWire was an optional extra on PCs, which meant having to fit your own card. You also normally needed to buy your own editing software. As time has moved on, FireWire has become more standard on PCs and Microsoft now offers a free video-editing package for Windows XP users which greatly resembles Apple's iMovie.
Today Macs and PCs are both excellent choices for video editing. Macs tend to have everything ready-to-go as standard, while PCs often work out slightly cheaper but may require a little setting up.
IF YOU ONLY REMEMBER THREE THINGS
If you're shopping for a new camcorder and want to edit video with your computer, you should remember the following three things:
1: Buy a digital model
Digital camcorders offer better quality than analogue models, but crucially allow their video to be cheaply and easily copied from camera to computer and back again, with no loss in quality. Of all the digital camcorder formats, MiniDV is the most popular and flexible, delivering excellent quality and value.
2: Make sure it has DV-in and out facilities
Digital camcorders talk to computers using a single cable, and the important thing is to ensure that the connector is labelled In and Out. Cheaper camcorders have only DV-out, which means they can get video into your computer but not record the edited footage back into the camcorder. In order to transfer your masterpiece back to tape, you'll need a model with DV-in as well. They're a little more expensive, but essential for anyone wanting to edit with their computer.
3: Ignore digital zooms
Camcorders make ludicrous claims with their zoom lenses, often boasting magnifications up to 1,000x. In reality, most camcorders can only optically zoom between 10 and 20 times but, by digitally enlarging the middle, deliver these huge magnifications. The quality of 'digital zooms' beyond 30 or 40 times is awful though and impractical to handhold. It's therefore best to ignore digital zooms and only compare genuine optical ranges instead.
SEMI-PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS
Camcorders costing less than £1,500 normally use a single sensor for capturing video. These sensors are colour-blind and require a mosaic of red, green and blue filters across their surface, along with clever processing to generate a full-colour image.
Far better quality can be achieved by using three separate sensors and devoting each either to red, green or blue light. This is precisely what three-chip cameras do, although such models are understandably larger and more expensive than single-chip cameras. They are great for enthusiasts and essential for professionals.
Three-chip camcorders start at £1,499 for models such as Panasonic's NV-MX500, while spending £1,800 gets you Canon's versatile XM2. The next step starts at £2,500 to £3,000 for a three-chip camera with excellent optics and options to connect professional quality microphones, such as Canon's XL1S.
If you only need professional quality for a day or two to shoot a wedding, conference or training video, consider hiring instead of buying - £3,000 camcorders can be hired for less than £100 per day.
WIDESCREEN CAMCORDERS
Judging by the number of TVs, programmes and DVDs that use widescreen 16:9 pictures, it might surprise you to learn that all but a handful of (usually professional) cameras still use the squarish 4:3 picture shape.
So what's a widescreen fanatic to do? Most camcorders do offer widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio modes, but simply crop the top and bottom of the normal 4:3 frame and put black bars in the space created. Since the crop reduces the vertical resolution of the picture, the only benefit is being able to frame a shot correctly for displaying on a widescreen TV without accidentally chopping heads off.
An increasing number of camcorders are being fitted with higher-resolution sensors for image stabilisation or still photos, and there's no reason why their full width couldn't be used to record a widescreen picture.
Sony is the first to offer this true 16:9 option on all its 1megapixel camcorders launched in 2003. The widescreen picture is then squeezed into a 4:3 shape for recording, and unsqueezed to its full width by widescreen TVs in the same way as DVDs and digital TV; this technique is known as anamorphic.
USING CAMCORDERS FOR PHOTOS
The vast majority of modern camcorders offer the facility to capture still photos, but don't sell your digital camera yet. The most basic models capture stills directly onto the tape by simply recording the scene for a few seconds. This captures photos at the video resolution of only 640 x 480 pixels, which works out at just one third of a megapixel - next to useless for printing.
Fortunately most MiniDV camcorders these days feature higher-resolution CCDs (charge coupled devices) than are strictly required for just recording video. Since these stills can't be stored on tape, the camcorder must be fitted with alternative storage, such as a removable memory card; most models use the small SD (Secure Digital)/MMC (Multimedia Card) format, while Sony camcorders use the company's own Memory Sticks.
The presence of a memory card in a camcorder does not automatically translate into high-resolution stills, though. Many cheaper models are still limited to modest (and essentially useless) resolutions of either 640 x 480 or 768 x 576 pixels. Spending a little more gets you 1,024 x 768 resolution or, if you're lucky, 1,280 x 960 pixels. While the latter now equals 1-megapixel, it's still far from useful in quality terms.
During 2002, the first camcorders with 2-megapixel still capabilities were launched, and now in 2003, at least one model with 4-megapixel stills has been announced. At last these resolutions are beginning to be useful, but they're currently the exception rather than the rule.
While camcorders and digital cameras are likely to converge into single products in the future, that remains some way off. The photo capabilities of camcorders may be getting better with every generation, but the majority remain little more than a novelty. So if you want decent stills, buy a still camera.
Posted by robeva at 08:27 PM | Comments (0)
Digital8 FAQ
The features offered in the Digital8 format are comparable to those offered in the Mini-DV camcorders, except for one key ability. The Digital8 camcorder can playback your old 8mm and Hi8 videos. The Digital8 format uses the 8mm tapes, but reduces the recording time. It can record up to 500 lines of resolution for one hour per tape.
1. Are the recording times for 8mm and
Digital8 the same?
2. Can I connect
a D8 camera to a PC/Mac?
3. Can I have
Video8 and Hi8 recordings on the same tape as D8
recordings?
4. Can I playback
D8 recordings on a DV or MiniDV player?
5. Can I playback
D8 recordings on a Video8 or a Hi8 player?
6. Can I playback
my current Video8 or Hi8 tapes on a D8 Camcorder?
7. Can I use a
Digital8 Handycam to convert other analog formats to digital?
8. Can I use my
Digital8 Handycam to edit on my computer?
9. Do Digital8
Handycams have Stamina?
10. Does Digital8
have an LP mode?
11. Do I need any other cable than the i.LINK
Cable to connect to a PC/Mac?
12. Do I need special Digital8 tapes?
13. Format
comparison at a glance ...
14. How can I make
copies of my Digital8 recordings?
15. How much better
will Digital8 look?
16. Is Audio Dubbing
possible with Digital8 comcorders?
18. So can I
still use my current Hi8 tapes to record in a D8 camera?
19. What does it mean
that Digital8 is backward compatible?
20. What is the
difference between Digital8 and DV?
21. What type of
sound quality does Digital8 offer?
22. Why should I
upgrade to Digital?
1. Are the recording times for 8mm and Digital8 the
same?
No. Although Digital8 uses the same 8mm tapes, recording times differ
as a result of recording in digital. For recording in the Australian
standard of PAL, the recording time is 2/3 of the analog recording time.
So on a P120 (120 minutes in analog), a Digital8 Handycam will record 80
minutes in SP mode.
Newer Digital8 models have an LP record feature which allow you to record the
same amount of video as analog SP mode (in thos example, 120 minutes).
back to top
2. Can I connect a D8 Camera to a
PC/Mac?
Yes. Using the built-in i.LINK terminal, you can easily connect a Digital8
Handycam to a personal computer by using an i.LINK cable, an optional capture
board and editing software. If you already have a computer with an i.LINK terminal
(also named FireWire™ or IEEE 1394), all you need is editing software. You can
even use the camera to convert your analog Video8 or Hi8 recordings into digital
signal for editing on your computer!
back to top
3. Can I have Video8 and Hi8 recordings on the same
tape as D8 recordings?
Yes. Playback momentarily pauses whilst the Handycam detects the different
recording system. The equipment automatically adjusts, and playback resumes.
4. Can I playback D8 recordings on a DV or MiniDV
player?
No. Although both systems are digital, the different tape sizes and the way
the information is arranged on the tape means they are not compatible. By using
Sony's optional LaserLink receiver; you can playback your recordings on your
TV without having to wrestle with messy connecting cables!
5. Can I playback D8 recordings on a Video8 or a
Hi8 player?
No. Due to D8 using digital recording technology, analog Video8 and Hi8 cannot
read the D8 format.
6. Can I playback my current Video8 or Hi8 tapes
on a D8 Handycam?
Yes! This is one of the unique features of Sony's D8 Handycams. You can enjoy
the superior advantages of digital recording without having to sacrifice your
precious analog library.
7. Can I use a Digital8
Handycam to convert other analog formats to digital?
Yes! Although possible in the 1999 range**, it's even easier with newer models
- with complete pass-through analog-to-digital conversion. This means you can
feed an analog signal into the video inouts of the camera, and it will immediately
convert it to a digital signal to the i.LINK socket. No need to buy a separate
converter box - Sony digital cameras have it built-in!
8. Can I use my Digital8
Handycam to edit on my computer?
You can use your Digital8 Handycam to edit on the Sony VAIO Digital Studio
series computers, and many other computers that feature either analog capture
capability, or full motion digital capture utilizing the i.LINK (IEEE-1394)
interface for digital connection between computer and camcorder. Video played
back in the Digital8 Handycam for the purpose of digital editing may not be
compatible with some other manufacturer's full motion digital capture/editing
devices. Please check with the device manufacturer for more information.
9. Do Digital8 Handycams have Stamina?
Yes! All Digital8 Handycam camcorders will record up to 10 hours on one charge
of the optional NP-F950 InfoLithium battery (with the LCD closed).
10. Does Digital8 have an LP mode?
Yes. Models introduced in 2000 will have an LP record mode.
11. Do I need any other cable than the
i.LINK Cable to connect to a PC/Mac?
No. The i.LINK cable will transmit all the picture, sound and other data both
to and from the camcorder. This means you have one cable, and less confusion.
12. Do I need special Digital8 tapes?
No. You can use standard 8mm or Hi8 tapes in your Digital8 Handycam. Sony recommends
Hi8 metal particle tapes for best performance.
13. Format Comparison at a Glance
| size=2>Video8 | size=2>Hi8 | size=2>D8 | size=2>MiniDV | |||
| Recording Technology | size=2>Analog | size=2>Analog | size=2>Digital | size=2>Digital | ||
| Horizontal Resolution | size=2>~280 lines | size=2>~440 lines | size=2>~500 lines | size=2>~500 lines | ||
| Playback Video8 | size=2>yes | size=2>yes | size=2>yes | size=2>no | ||
| Playback Hi8 | size=2>no | size=2>yes | size=2>yes | size=2>no | ||
| Playback D8 | size=2>no | size=2>no | size=2>yes | size=2>no | ||
| Playback DV | size=2>no | size=2>no | size=2>no | size=2>yes | ||
14. How can I make copies of my Digital8
recordings?
Making copies from the Digital8 Handycam is easy. Record to VHS, or another
analog source such as a Video 8 or Hi8 Handycam, by using the video outputs
located on the side of the Digital8 Handycam camcorder, with the supplied audio/video
cables. When making digital copies, use the i.LINK interface to connect to a
DV Handycam, second Digital8 Handycam, or other Digital product equipped with
the i.LINK interface. Making digital copies means no loss of quality, so copies
look as good as originals.
15. How much better will Digital8 look?
Digital8 has the ability to reproduce up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution
for sharp, highly detailed images. That's more than twice the capability of
VHS or VHS-C. Digital8 also has very good signal to noise reduction, which makes
your video extremely clean and clear. Because the video is recorded digitally
to a high quality tape, your Digital8 videos will also look great for longer,
so memories can be enjoyed for many years after the video is recorded without
suffering the deteriorating effects of other types of video.
16. Is Audio Dubbing possible with Digital8
camcorders?
Digital8 records audio in 12-bit AND 16-bit PCM modes. While current models
do not incorporate audio dubbing functions, the 12-bit recording mode let's
you add narration background music to your video with a DV VCR or camcorder
after dubbing to the DV format.
Yes. D8 uses the same video technology used by DV and MiniDV cameras. It too
offers up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution, the difference being that D8
records onto readily available Hi8 cassettes.
18. So can I still use my current Hi8 tapes to
record in a D8 camera?
Yes. D8 records onto standard Hi8 tapes. To record the higher quality picture
and sound, D8 cameras use a faster tape speed than analog cameras. This means
you achieve two-thirds the recording time of Hi-8*. For example, a 90-minute
Hi8 tape will offer you 60 minutes of D8 recording.
19. What does it mean that Digital8 is backward
compatible?
Digital8 Handycams are capable of playing back virtually any 8mm or Hi8 analog
cassette. Your existing library of 8mm and Hi8 analog videotapes can still be
played back in your new Digital8 Handycam. Also, if you currently have VHS,
VHS-C, or Beta tapes, you can record them onto Digital8 using the analog inputs
found on all Digital8 Handycam camcorders.
20. What is the difference between Digital8 and
DV?
Basically, Digital8 and DV share the same picture quality, sound quality, and
PC interfacing capabilities. Digital8 Handycam camcorders also offer playback
compatibility for 8mm analog recordings as well as many features such as Analog
to Digital conversion, making it the right choice for consumers seeking high
quality and great value. Sony Mini DV Digital Handycams, on the other hand,
incorporate exclusive devices, such as Zeiss lenses, and features such as Cassette
Memory and Audio Dubbing. Sony Mini DV Digital Handycams are also extremely
compact, making them the right choice for frequent travelers as well as users
who want to enjoy advanced video editing and PC interfacing.
21. What type of sound quality does Digital8
offer?
Digital8 records in 12-bit or 16-bit PCM (pulse code modulation) stereo audio.
This is the same type of digital audio quality applied to the compact disc,
which means the sound will be cleaner, more dynamic, and it has the capability
to reproduce wider frequency response than other consumer analog formats.
22. Why should I upgrade to Digital?
Digital technology offers far superior picture and sound quality. You can duplicate
a digital recording literally hundreds of times with virtually no loss in quality;
and digital recordings will remain crystal-clear for longer.
Posted by robeva at 12:16 AM | Comments (0)
August 09, 2004
Windows SP2 ready
The long overdue security update for Microsoft's XP operating system will soon be available.
Microsoft has released the SP2 update to PC manufacturers and it is expected to be widely available in late August. The update can be downloaded from a Microsoft site, ordered from the company or found on CDs cover-mounted on some consumer technology magazines. The security update is already available to companies who subscribe to Microsoft's developer network.
Security risk
Service Pack 2 has been created to close many of the loopholes that many Windows viruses have exploited over the last few years. Malicious hackers have used other loopholes in Windows XP to take over and remotely control PCs.
The SP2 software installs a security centre that lets people see and manage the measures installed on their machine to block viruses and hack attacks.
The update also blocks pop-up ads and lets users know when spyware is trying to install itself on their machine.
The software also stops graphics in e-mail messages loading automatically. This is because spammers use these graphics as a way to log live e-mail addresses.
The Service Pack 2 security update was originally supposed to appear in 2003 but successive technical hitches have delayed its arrival.
To make sure the update is widely used, Microsoft said it has worked hard to ensure that it conflicts with as few existing applications as possible.
Microsoft hopes to have the software installed on more than 100 million machines in the next two months.
To reach this many machines it is making the software very widely available.
On its main site, Microsoft is telling visitors to turn on Windows auto-update to prepare for the SP2 download. At 80MB in size, the software will take a while to download.
Microsoft has made software available that will let people download SP2 in bite-sized chunks that can be re-assembled to be the full update.
Those on dial-up links will be able to order the CD from Microsoft or simply install it from disks distributed with popular PC tech magazines from newsstands.
The only people that will not be able to get install the software will be people running the most pirated versions of Windows XP.
Microsoft knows the product ID numbers for the most-pirated versions of XP and has decided to stop the software installing on machines using any of these copies of its operating system.
Posted by robeva at 04:52 PM | Comments (0)
August 08, 2004
Interview :: Nathaniel Geary
Vancouver, on Canada's West Coast, is a vibrant, multicultural city surrounded by magnificent scenery of mountains and ocean. The city regularly tops those global charts of cities with 'Best Quality of Life' for its easy-going and comfortable lifestyle. The flipside to this picture-postcard perfect image is that of Vancouver's downtown Eastside, the poorest neighbourhood in Canada and a place ravaged by drugs and decay.
This was the setting for Nathaniel Geary's film On The Corner, a verite style drama about a young aboriginal teenager who leaves the reservation to hook up with his sister, only to find himself dragged into the world of drugs. Much of the film takes place at night, and Geary was also looking for a dark aesthetic to match the tone of the film. Not only was this risky subject matter in terms of the box office potential, but this was Geary's first feature, making the project a natural candidate for a digital film conversion.
As well as being a poignant story in its own right, what impressed me when it was shown at the Vancouver International Film Festival in October last year was the quality of the transfer from video to 35mm film. In this interview Geary explains the process that he went through in choosing and controlling the look of the film.
Why did you decide to shoot your film on video?
Nathaniel Geary Originally, I always wanted to shoot on video. At the time I was writing the script, back in the late Nineties, films like The Celebration were coming out, and I really loved the look of film shot on video and transferred to 35 because it was an unusual, very different look. It’s neither film, nor video, but a hybrid. And I liked the idea of the portability of video... but it kind of changed along the way. It took me three years to write the script, so ideas that I had at the beginning were quite different by the end. I guess I really wanted to do a cinema verite kind of thing, and I went on I kind of decided to do something a little different and not strictly verite, but also using formal elements. I didn’t want a camera whipping around and very few cuts… I wanted to shoot scenes with a more formal aesthetic and combine that with some of the looser more handheld techniques. So it changed, and by the time we were shooting if I had the choice to shoot 35 or video I would probably would have chosen 35. What started as an aesthetic decision really became a budgetry decision. There was no way we could have shot this film on 35 and probably we couldn’t even have shot this on Super 16 for the budget.
What was the shooting ratio?
NG It was probably four or five to one.
So you didn’t really take advantage of the fact that tape is cheap?
NG No, I couldn’t – I only had 18 shooting days and I didn’t have time to screw around and shoot tapes and tapes worth of stuff. It was exactly like you would shoot on a shoestring 35 budget… I was shooting minimal number of takes, we just had to cover too much material every day, so that is kind of how it went.
What about the camera choice?
NG We tested a number of different cameras. We tested different formats. We ended up choosing DigiBeta over the other formats. We tested the newer progressive scan – the Panasonic progressive scan camera. We did MiniDV and a few other different formats.
When you say tested them did you shoot them and take them to the labs?
NG Yes, I think we tested about five formats. We did tests in the neighbourhood with all five cameras.
How long was each test strip?
NG Thirty or 45 seconds or so. With each format we shot some night stuff and some day stuff.
The DigiBeta held the black. The other formats, especially the Panasonic progressive scan got really muddy. The DigiBeta was just true black and really it looked as if it could have been shot on 35. So there wasn’t even a discussion about it. Everybody – the producers, the DoP and myself – were: “Okay: DigiBeta.”
How did the MiniDV look when you did your tests?
NG The MiniDV looked surprisingly good, although it just has limitations. When you put it up against the DigiBeta it was definitely the weaker.
What was the MiniDV camera you tested?
NG I can’t remember… it might have been the PD150 or the Canon XL1. We also shot DVCam and that was disappointing to me, because that was the format that I thought we were to end up going go with.
What was wrong with that?
NG It was just issues like a subject standing in front of a bright window, there would be tons of artefacting on the window frame for example. It just couldn’t hold the contrast whereas the DigiBeta held up a lot better.
It was a news camera wasn’t it?
NG Yeah, it was the old warhorse DigiBeta cam. It’s the camera that’s been around for a long time…
Do you think that contributed to the verite style?
NG I don’t think so. People don’t know if it’s one camera or another.
Did you negotiate a deal for the tests separately with the post-production house or did you negotiate a deal for the whole process…?
NG We knew that we were blowing up to 35 and we knew that we were going with Digital Film Group here in Vancouver, so we just set it up with them and they had a relationship with the lab so it was just part of the deal that we had.
So once you made the decision to go with DigiBeta, how do you optimise that format?
NG Well, really it was down to my cinematographer Brian Johnson. He has done a lot of shooting, he knows all the formats and that was just in his hands. He and I had spoken a lot about the look of the film and what we wanted and we were pretty in synch as far as that went. He’s a very good lighting cameraman and he knew the look we were after... I wanted really dark black and I didn’t mind if the subject fell into shadow… we decided when we were doing the drawings and storyboards and stuff, we would use a combination of handheld stuff, with a jib bar which is a tool that he’s very familiar with using and very good at using. You have that marriage of the handheld movement and the jib, which is more fluid.
Were there any problems specific to shooting with video?
NG Brian knew the limitations of the format and if there was an exterior light problem he would just gel the window or whatever. So that’s just regular problems that present themselves to DoPs no matter what format you are working with.
Were there any films that influenced you in your decisions?
NG There were some films, in terms of visuals: The Killing of a Chinese Bookie by Cassavetes, which is a very dark movie. Again, there are really large areas of shadow. Stylistically and in terms of content there were a number of influences: the Dardenne brothers who did Rosetta and La Promesse were also influences for sure. I really liked Harmony Korine’s stuff - I liked Kids a lot and julien donkey-boy. Then, obviously, The Celebration (Festen), which is very much using the video as video and shooting MiniDV. But they really do have an aesthetic and perhaps they were a bit more influential for me earlier. Then I started looking at other things it became a little bit more formal, but still they were really in my head when I was shooting the film.
How were you checking that the video you shot would work when it was blown up?
NG We were looking at dailies… we were getting our dubs back, taking a look at them... We always had in mind that we were going to film and we always knew that the colour correction was going to be a major step in the process. We were all really happy with what we were seeing along the way, and we just knew that it was going to get better, because what you see is what you get. That’s video.
We knew that we could manipulate the process even more and create exactly the look that we wanted. We went through the colour correct scene by scene. We desaturated the whole thing and we added some green and then that was basically the template that Digital Film Group worked from and created the 35mm print.
We cut it on an Avid and then we did the colour correct with the post house and that was the master that DFG worked from to do the print.
Did it turn out as you expected?
NG Pretty much. I was really very happily surprised by the look of it. If you are sitting at the back of the theatre then you need to be a film professional and probably a technician to know that it is shot on video. If you are sitting at the front of the cinema and you know what you are looking for then you can tell it was shot on video. But I’ve had other filmmakers say, “Wow! That looks great I didn’t know you shot on 35mm…” And I say, “Well we didn’t.” But that is just a huge compliment, to both Brian, the shooter, and the Digital Film Group.
You went with NTSC?
NG Yup.
Did you ever think about going with PAL?
NG We did think about it, but we were dissuaded from doing it by almost everybody we talked to. They said it’s fraught with too many potential problems, and NTSC has been done a lot in North America, and it looks good and it will be a lot smoother for you guys. I’m actually really glad we went with NTSC because the whole PAL thing is still a little bit unknown, you know…
If we had been in Europe there may have been no question, but all the post houses here, they really havn’t dealt a lot with PAL. It’s kind of unknown still here.
Posted by robeva at 10:51 PM | Comments (0)
August 05, 2004
Review :: Canon MV500i
Canon has extended its entry-level range of MiniDV cameras with the MV500i, which provides a comprehensive set of features and improvements over previous Canon products.
The standard 1/4in CCD has been replaced with a smaller 1/6in sensor, which is twinned with a new f1.8 Canon video lens that provides a maximum optical zoom of 18X.
The device is a DV-In/Out model and provides an A/D converter for analogue signals, so you can record or archive digital and analogue video to MiniDV tape.
It also benefits from an Infrared Night Shot mode for filming in darkness, while manual control options include focus, shutter speed and white balance calibration.
Like the MV450 before it, the MV500i falls short in the CCD department, with only 340,000 effective pixels. This puts it at a disadvantage when compared to higher resolution DV cameras.
There's also no memory card, so stills are captured to tape.
Price: GBP 649.99 (inc. VAT)
Contact: Canon 01737 220 000
www.canon.co.uk
Posted by robeva at 12:32 AM | Comments (0)
August 04, 2004
Google yourself!
Many net users seem to be much more vain than you might think. A survey carried out by MSN has revealed that more people have looked themselves up online than have looked up a member of their own family.
It found that 39% of those questioned had searched to see how well-known they were online, but only 29% have looked up fellow family members. Over a third of those who responded in the survey, 36%, said they had looked up long lost friends online.
Search form
While many people "Google" prospective girlfriends and boyfriends before a date to see if they have any dark secrets, the survey shows that many people are more curious about themselves than they are about anyone else.
The survey of American net users reveals that many people are curious to see how popular they are in comparison to other people with the same name and have spent time finding out net search results for themselves, their website, postings to newsgroups or anything else they have had placed on the web.
Many people are likely to be surprised at how much of what they did and said can be found online and how much of their privacy they have inadvertently lost.
Allied to this searching for oneself online are the small proportion of people, 17%, who have turned to the net to look up old flames on the web.
The research also revealed that Generation Xers, the group that has grown up with the web, are the most likely to look for new flames online.
Harris Interactive, which carried out the research for MSN, broke down some results by age and location.
It found that older people, those aged 59 and over, were more likely to use the web to find out about their family and ancestors.
Justin Osmer, manager of search at Microsoft, said although the results show that search engines are hugely important to many people, a lot of work needs to be done to make results more accurate to what people are looking for.
He said that, on average, people spend 11 minutes combing through the vast number of results returned by most search engines.
The research revealed that many people, 29%, regularly abandon a search without getting any useful information at all.
Far better, he said, would be fewer more relevant results.
Posted by robeva at 04:04 PM | Comments (0)
Fujifilm Finepix F420 Zoom
Fujifilm has stuck with the familiar square design for the new Finepix F420 Zoom, the successor to the popular F410. Although it might not be the easiest camera to hold when composing shots, it'll impress those with an eye for style.
Fujifilm is sticking by its fourth-generation Super CCD, which is capable of producing 6megapixel images from the 3megapixel sensor. It does a reasonable job upping the resolution and you're unlikely to notice the difference in quality unless you look at close-ups of your photos.
Colours are well reproduced, but the F420 seems to follow in the footsteps of many other Finepix cameras by applying a little too much sharpening to photos. The lack of an auto-focus lamp also hampers focusing in low light conditions.
3megapixel images only come in at around 780KB, while the 6megapixel versions are just 1.5MB. While this means you can fit more photos on the 16MB XD memory card, the small file sizes are the result of severe compression.
What's more, you can't alter this level of compression and there's no tif or raw mode either. You do, however, get a range of white balances and ISO settings to play with.
For those who want to shoot the odd movie, the F420 is capable of capturing 30 frames per second, which allows for smooth flowing video, albeit at a resolution of just 320 x 240.
With the over-application of sharpening and compression, and the lack of manual controls, the Finepix F420 won't appeal to serious photographers. However, for the point-and-click market, it's priced fairly and performs well.
Contact: Fujifilm 020 7586 1477
www.fujifilm.co.uk
Posted by robeva at 03:52 PM | Comments (0)