Q. 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.
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.
A. 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).
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).
Are there any digital cameras and/or camcorders offering optical zoom in video mode?
Q. 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.
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.
A. Of course there are, just not many. Save for cameras with mechanical zoom rings (which obviously can't prevent the user from using the zoom during the video recording, so they allow it), though, most cameras with small optics use zooms electronically operated (with zoom in/out buttons, tipically), and for those, it's much rarer to find zoom-while-recording-enabled ones. The reason usually given by the manufacturer is that the motor drive that extends the zoom makes a noise that would be catched up by the microphone in the audio recording.
The most usual exceptions are cameras using “folded optics” designs (mostly ultra-compact cameras, those with tiny lenses that don't extend outside the body when zooming), because those have somewhat quieter zoom mechanisms. Not all ultra-compact cameras allow video zooming, though: the Casio EX-V and Sony T ones do, while the Fujifilm Z series and Nikon Sxx series don't.
Done with theory, and into practical suggestions:
- The Casio EX-V line (EX-V7 and EX-V8)
- Panasonic TZ1 and TZ5 (but not the TZ2 or TZ3 models); TZ4, I don't know.
- Canon PowerShot S3 IS, S5 IS, TX1
- Sony H3, H5, and most (of not all) of the T series.
If you're in a budget, I'd suggest either the Casio EX-V7 or Panasonic TZ1, or some of the more modest Sony T series.
The most usual exceptions are cameras using “folded optics” designs (mostly ultra-compact cameras, those with tiny lenses that don't extend outside the body when zooming), because those have somewhat quieter zoom mechanisms. Not all ultra-compact cameras allow video zooming, though: the Casio EX-V and Sony T ones do, while the Fujifilm Z series and Nikon Sxx series don't.
Done with theory, and into practical suggestions:
- The Casio EX-V line (EX-V7 and EX-V8)
- Panasonic TZ1 and TZ5 (but not the TZ2 or TZ3 models); TZ4, I don't know.
- Canon PowerShot S3 IS, S5 IS, TX1
- Sony H3, H5, and most (of not all) of the T series.
If you're in a budget, I'd suggest either the Casio EX-V7 or Panasonic TZ1, or some of the more modest Sony T series.
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