best camcorder zoom optical image
A H
I have a photography background with 35mm film and digital cameras. I am on the market to buy a camcorder and I would like to understand the "reach" of the zoom when it mentions things like "10X optical"? I can easily figure out the reach of, say, a 75-300mm lens in 35mm film cameras. How does the camcorder zoom labels compare to 35mm film camera zooms?
Answer
It is as simple as it seems.
10x zoom means that at 0% zoom or no zoom, the image is at the same size you can see with the naked eye from the same spot and vantage point as the camcorder, and at 100% zoom or maximum zoom, the same image is now ten times larger than its original size (and part of the image may now be so big it went our of frame or out of view).
If you are talking about focal distance or in your case "focal length", that is a different issue. Most built-in camcorder lenses can focus from macro to infinity. In most cases, you can find an adapter to adapt a 35mm camera lens onto the front of the built-in camcorder lens, and then, focal length and "reach" come into play because your camera lens is based on f-stops. Several professional camcorders (such as the Sony PMW-EX3) also allow the removal of the camcorder's lens and the placement of another lens including those from 35mm cameras to be installed instead for specialized filming situations.
It is as simple as it seems.
10x zoom means that at 0% zoom or no zoom, the image is at the same size you can see with the naked eye from the same spot and vantage point as the camcorder, and at 100% zoom or maximum zoom, the same image is now ten times larger than its original size (and part of the image may now be so big it went our of frame or out of view).
If you are talking about focal distance or in your case "focal length", that is a different issue. Most built-in camcorder lenses can focus from macro to infinity. In most cases, you can find an adapter to adapt a 35mm camera lens onto the front of the built-in camcorder lens, and then, focal length and "reach" come into play because your camera lens is based on f-stops. Several professional camcorders (such as the Sony PMW-EX3) also allow the removal of the camcorder's lens and the placement of another lens including those from 35mm cameras to be installed instead for specialized filming situations.
Are there any digital cameras and/or camcorders offering optical zoom in video mode?
Charlize
Hi, anybody knows if there are any digital cameras and/or camcorders offering optical zoom in video mode?
All I've ever had are camcorders and digital cameras that feature only digital zoom when recording video, and the quality of that zooming is lousy; you see the quality difference immediately, when playing back the videos.
If anybody knows, I'd appreciate some suggestions, preferably budget cameras, USB compatible, so I can transfer to my PC.
Thanks a lot in advance for your suggestions.
Answer
All "real" camcorders have optical zoom and digital zoom.
It sounds like you are using a very low-end flip-like or toy camcorder or a camera that is primarily used for taking stills (and happens to have a "video" feature).
MiniDV tape based camcorders provide the best available video quality - but they use firewire (not USB) to transfer video to your computer. USB is only used for transferring stills from the camcorder's memory card or webstreaming (of the camcorder has either of these features). Adding a firewire port is typically not difficult - and it is pretty cheap.
Canon ZR800, ZR950, Sony DCR-HC52, HC62 and Panasonic PV-GS320 are good, entry-level, examples.
Hard drive and flash based camcorders compress their video a lot, but the quality isn't too bad... Video is transferred using USB. Sony DCR-SR45 and Canon FS10 are examples. They typically cost more than miniDV, but that does not mean the video quality is better - compression of the video information translates into lost data and can result in reduced video quality.
In any case, when you shop for a camcorder, do not use digital zoom as a feature comparison item - because when you bring the camcorder home, your first step is to turn digital zoom off. Use only Optical zoom.
Other things to look for in a good camcorder:
Mic-in jack (optional, but very useful)
Some sort of audio manual control (again, optional, but if you think you might be recording loud audio, like bands, this will be a requirement).
DO NOT BUY A DVD BASED CAMCORDER. Their video is terrible - especially for editing or uploading to the web. The discs are a pain and can be unreliable (resulting in list video).
All "real" camcorders have optical zoom and digital zoom.
It sounds like you are using a very low-end flip-like or toy camcorder or a camera that is primarily used for taking stills (and happens to have a "video" feature).
MiniDV tape based camcorders provide the best available video quality - but they use firewire (not USB) to transfer video to your computer. USB is only used for transferring stills from the camcorder's memory card or webstreaming (of the camcorder has either of these features). Adding a firewire port is typically not difficult - and it is pretty cheap.
Canon ZR800, ZR950, Sony DCR-HC52, HC62 and Panasonic PV-GS320 are good, entry-level, examples.
Hard drive and flash based camcorders compress their video a lot, but the quality isn't too bad... Video is transferred using USB. Sony DCR-SR45 and Canon FS10 are examples. They typically cost more than miniDV, but that does not mean the video quality is better - compression of the video information translates into lost data and can result in reduced video quality.
In any case, when you shop for a camcorder, do not use digital zoom as a feature comparison item - because when you bring the camcorder home, your first step is to turn digital zoom off. Use only Optical zoom.
Other things to look for in a good camcorder:
Mic-in jack (optional, but very useful)
Some sort of audio manual control (again, optional, but if you think you might be recording loud audio, like bands, this will be a requirement).
DO NOT BUY A DVD BASED CAMCORDER. Their video is terrible - especially for editing or uploading to the web. The discs are a pain and can be unreliable (resulting in list video).
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