All video cameras contain 3 major components - the lens, imager, and recorder.  The lens gathers and focuses the light on the imager, which is normally a charge coupled device (CCD) or CMOS sensor IC.  Finally, the recorder will encode the video signal into a form that can be stored. Commonly, the optics and imager are known as the camera section.

The optic lens is the first component in the camera section’s light path.  The optics normally have one or more the following adjustments:
1.  aperture - controls the amount of light
2.  zoom - controls the field of view
3.  shutter speed - captures continuous motion
In most consumer units, these adjustments are automatically controlled by the video camera’s
electronics, normally to maintain constant exposure onto the imager. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve been looking for a high definition video camera, there are many out there for you to choose from.  In this article, we will take a look at some of your options available in each of the different formats.

HDV
JVC, Sony, and Canon all produce HDV cameras of various stripes and abilities.  The JVC HD100U shoots 720p, offers a true 24p frame rate, and provides a professional looking form factor, along with sporting the ability to change out lenses.

The two popular HDV cameras from Sony include the HDR-FX1 and the HVR-Z1U.  Both of them shoot only 1080i and provide 24p.  The XL h1 is Canon’s entry to the HDV roundup.  It provides HD SDI output and gives you the option of interchanging lenses.  Like Sony, it shoots 1080i without true 24p capabilities. Read the rest of this entry »

At first look, the JVC HD100 looks like any other high definition camera with a lot of switches, dials, and places to plug in peripherals.  In operation, it functions like an old regular video camera.  You don’t really need to do anything special to make a high definition recording, just press a button - although there are differences.

One of the things that makes this camera so nice and unique is the amount of control you have over pretty much everything you record.  JVC really outdone themselves here, as you can record all of your settings on a SD memory card and save them to move on to another JCV camera, which will save you a lot of time. Read the rest of this entry »

The amazing company of JVC (Victor Company of Japan) released the first high definition video camera for consumers back in 2003.  The GR-HD1 high def camera was the first digital video camera in the world to record and play back high definition images.

By utilizing a newly developed 1/3 inch type 1.18 million pixel progressive scan CCD and JVC type processing, the new camera records and plays back 750/30p digital high definition and 525p progressive wide screen images to mini DV tape.

Features
The GR-HD1 is was the first digital video camera in the world to record and play back high definition video and images.  The GR-HD1 records digital images to mini DV tapes using MPEG 2 compression, recording and playing back digital high definition images while still maintaining conventional 525i DV standard recording times. Read the rest of this entry »

HDTV or high definition television normally refers to any video system of higher resolution than the standard definition.  The original HD specifications date back to the early 1980s, when Japan first experimented with a 1025 line television standard.

Japan presented their parameters at an international meeting of television engineers in Algiers in 1981 and Japan’s NHK presented their analog HDTV system at a Swiss conference in 1983.  Except for these early formats, HDTV is digital broadcast and therefore it’s introduction will sometimes conincide with the introduction of DTV, or digital television.

The signals for high definition require a high definition television or a computer monitor in order to be watched or viewed.  High definition video will normally have an aspect ratio of 16:9.  The aspect ratio of the regular widescreen film that is shot today is normally 1:85:1 or 2:40:1.  The standard type of television has a 4:3 aspect ratio. Read the rest of this entry »

A while back, Sony, Sharp, Canon and JVC announced the creation of a new high definition video standard for video cameras - HDV.  HDV utilizes MPEG-2 image compression with a definition of 1080 lines and a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Shortly after that, Sony opened the door to high definition by creating the first HDV camcorder, the HDR-FX1.  This release was on par with the launch of the first DV camcorder in 1995, which at the time was a giant step forward for image quality, marking the break from traditional analog.

At the time, consumers were moving from the Hi8 format to DV, which featured much better image quality, along with the ability to transfer to a computer without any degradation of signal.  With HDV, the resolution of camcorders can be doubled, from 576 lines to 1080.  The compression method is no longer DV, but MPEG 2 instead. Read the rest of this entry »

HD, or high definition, is creating quite a lot of interest, due to some very high spirited campaigning done by the cable networks wanting you to buy HD boxes to watch HD on television.  What you may not be aware of, is the fact that HD is delivered in a widescreen format of 16:9 instead of the normal television format of 4:3.

The average everyday customer has every right to be confused as to what HD really and truly is, as most companies involved with it can’t agree on one simple standard.  The standard getting the most support with HD is 1080i, which means a resolution of 1080 interlaced lines or 720 progressive lines.  The television signals in general will give you 525 lines so the increasing quality is dramatic, if you have the HD gear to watch the video the way it was meant to be. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s quite impossible to choose a camera without knowing which format best fits your needs.  Below, you’ll find many of the most popular formats.

DVCPRO HD
Based on the standard definition of DVCPRO format, the DVCPRO HD from Panasonic uses a data rate of 120 MBps and intraframe compression, both of which will provide strong protection from generational loss.

The DVCPRO HD also has supporting cameras and decks that use FireWire I/O, which is a very important feature for keeping an eye on your bottom line.  The cost of the equipment is a bit pricey, as it can cost upwards of 80,000$. Read the rest of this entry »

Working with the video of camcorders such as the Sony HDR-HC1 can produce a serious business.  HD video contains four times the number of pixels that standard definition offers, and it’s much more heavily compressed.

Keep in mind that you need a powerful computer with a lot of memory to deal with the extra data and compression.  Pinnacle for example, recommends a minimum 512 MB of RAM and a graphics card with 128 MB of RAM for standard resolution video, although that goes up to a GB of RAM and a 256 MB graphics card when working with 1080i HD video.

You can find plenty of software available that supports editing high definition videos.  For example, the latest versions of Pinnacle Studio and Ulead Media Studio 8 can import and edit files in HDV format. Read the rest of this entry »

The central part of a DV camcorder is the CCD, or Charge Coupled Device.  This sensor creates a video picture by recording the light intensity to recognize an image or shape, along with the color levels to reproduce a full color picture.

There are several tape based DV camcorders that have both color eyepiece viewfinders and a flip out TFT LCD screen to view the action as well as the previous recorded footage.  Most tape-less models however, only offer the TFT screen to preview your captured video and to view while you make a recording.

When you need to get closer to the action, a zoom lens can be a great feature.  Don’t get swayed by the digital zoom figure however; as no matter how large it may be, you should always base your final decision on the optical zoom. Read the rest of this entry »