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TIPS & HINTS
Digital Vs
Analog
With all the hype about going
digital, you might be wondering whether you should join in the digital
video bandwagon. Well, making a decision isn't that difficult if you know
the advantages that digital camcorder has over its analog
counterparts.
| • Contains three times more data than analog
camcorder thus giving you better colour rendition and audio. |
| • Is almost immune to signal problems such as
interference and timing errors, which affect the recorded image and
sound quality. |
| • No loss in picture quality when you transfer
from one media to another eg. From tape to tape or from tape to
computer. |
DV
Convinced about the
advantages of getting a digital camcorder but unsure of which model to
choose? Should you get a DV,DVD or Digital 8?
The essential difference
between them lies in the different forms of recording media. The most
popular digital camcorder is a DV as it is smaller than its counterparts
and records on a mini-DV tape that is compact with advanced features.
Tip 1: Check the
CCD resolution
Image quality of the
recorded images is determined by factors such as resolution of the CCD,
lens, optics and recording media. If you are a serious user or
professional who needs excellent colour reproduction then you will need a
camcorder with 3 separate CCD. If not, a single CCD camcorder is
sufficient for any consumer. An interesting fact to note: the number of
effective pixels in a CCD is only around 470,000 and the rest of them are
utilised for functions such as image stabiliser. Therefore it doesn't mean
the more pixels the CCD contains, the better the image quality will
be.
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Tip 2: Don't
Forget The Lens
The lens is most critical attribute to
image quality because this is where lights containing colour
information and brightness must go through before they are
processed. If the lens is not able to accurately direct the lights
onto the CCD, the recorded images will not be sharp. So choose the
camcorder from a manufacturer who is renowned for its
lens. |
Tip 3: Zoom in on zoom
There are 2 types of zoom namely; optical zoom and digital
zoom. Optical zoom is the enlargement of image by the lens. Digital zoom
enlarges the images using the process of "interpolation" - which guesses
what the zoom in image will look. Optical zoom images remain sharp while
digital zoom images will be pixellated if pushed to the
extreme.
Tip 4: Are There Enough Programme
Modes?
With programme modes, it is easy to
shoot under different conditions because the corrections are pre-set
without having you to make adjustments manually. For instance, if you
shoot in poor lighting conditions, turn on the night mode.
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Tip 5: Make
sure you can stabilise shaky images
Unsteady grip on the
camcorder often produce shaky images which are unbearable to watch.
So make sure that the camcorder has a image stabiliser to smoothen
out shaky images. There are 2 types of image stabiliser - optical
image stabiliser* which uses special lens arrangement to
preserve images and electronic image stabiliser, which uses
the image processor to stabilise images. Digital Image Stabiliser
provides an adequate amount of stabilisation for most consumers.
However, if you need a more sophisticated image stabiliser, optical
stabilising lenses are needed. |
Tip 6: Immortalise old Analogue
Tapes
Analog Line-in helps you to digitise
analog tapes. If you have some precious analog tapes and you want to
digitise them to prevent degradation of image quality, then this is a
must-have feature.
Tip 7: Sound is important
Go for a model with hi-fi stereo. The 12 bit sound quality
is slightly lower when compared with the 16 bit. However the 12 bit allows
you to do recording on separate channels so that the original audio can be
left on the tape while new audio (eg music and narration) can be added
without erasing the original sound. If you want to pick up more of the
surrounding sound, you can consider buying an additional
microphone.
Tip 8: Spice up your footage
It is boring to watch an unedited footage. So spice up your
raw footage with digital effects. Not all dv come with inbuilt editing
functions though. The new Canon MV5iMC camcorder introduced late last year
comes with 9 digital effects which allows you to capture your subjects in
a spherical shape or in sepia hue. There are also 8 digital faders, which
allows you to start or end scenes with a digital effect.
And if you want to edit your moving images even
more, make sure the DV comes with an easy-to-use editing kit.
Tip 9: Buy What Fits You
When you choose a DV, try out the camcorder's control and
see if it fits snugly in your hands.
Before you reached out for your wallet, here is an
age-old advice. Buy what you need. The more features the camcorder
contains, the more expensive it will be. While it is nice to have a gamut
of features to flaunt, it is better if it is not so "painful" to own one
as well. So go easy on your pockets.
* Optical image stabilising is patented by Canon
in early 90s. It works on the concept of light that is shifted away from
the optical axis because of hand movement. It refracts the light through 2
methods :
| 1. |
by using a Vari Angle Prism
that refracts the images to the angle that is parallel to the
original image |
| 2. |
by using a corrective lens
group that shifts the lens so that the subject is parallel to the
film surface |
The precautions
for handling digital video tape are not that much different from any tape
product (video or audio). The main ones are:
Day to day
1. Do not touch the tape
2.
Always put the cassette in its case
3. Do not subject the tape to shock
or impact (dropping it)
4. Do not expose the tape to strong magnetic
fields
5. Do not leave in a car (because of the heat, cold,
vibration)
6. Do not use the tape if it has gotten wet or has had
anything spilled on it
7. If the cassette is cold, let it warm up for
at least 2 hours before using
8. Do not store the cassette in hot,
humid or dusty locations
9. Do not leave the cassette in the DV
recorder
10. Never disassemble the cassette
Long term storage
Follow the Day to Day rules
plus
1. Always store the tape vertically, tape rewound, and the tape in
its case
2. If the tape has been stored for a long time, occasionally
fast forward and rewind the tape.
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