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Storage
Storage functions used in the current crop of HD camcorders are HDV tape, DVD, and hard disk (HDD). Among them, the tape-type media is the smallest, which offers better mobility for the camcorder. HDD is useful with large-size HD videos and can also be quickly transferred to the PC.
However, as it is sensitive to shock, HDD has to be supplemented with other devices, making the final product relatively big. Storage using DVD allows the user to delete and edit video to some degree in the camcorder. You can also avoid unintenaded overwriting of any existing data while taking a new video. However, the storage capacity may not be sufficiently large for more intensive requirements.
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1080i, 1080p, and pixels
The discussion on what should be considered the real HD will continue. In fact, it is very difficult to recognize the differences between these two types of products with the naked eye. Clearly, 720p differs from 1080i, but only experts can tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p. Most HD camcorders currently available use a CMOS of 2 million pixels or greater. |
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Vibration reduction (VR) function
VR function comes as an electronic type in domestic products and an optical type in professional products. The electronic-type VR function recognizes image and color position at 30 pictures per second in order to correct motion blur based on the differences between each picture. However, its weaknesses include afterimages and deteriorating color and video resolution. In particular, such devices are prone to afterimages when abruptly panning to the right or left while taking pictures using a tripod.
On the other hand, the optical-type VR function compensates with motion blur by moving the lenses and changing the light level in real-time, which produce lowered video quality. However, such devices entail high manufacturing costs and make camcorders bulky due to the space required for moving the lenses.
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Digital zoom
Zoom functions are available as either optical or digital type. The optical type uses the zoom lens equipped in the camcorder, so the video quality does not get lowered. On the other hand, the digital-type zoom function magnifies pictures taken with the optical-type zooming and produces a lower-quality video. Therefore, the digital zoom has little actual use, while the optical zoom is important.
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Size and pixel of LCD
You cannot ignore the importance of the viewfinder and LCD, which are necessary to check pictures taken in the field. Viewfinders are color or B&W, and there is little difference in performance based on their makers. Rather, viewfinders used in products aimed at the experts may actually be in B&W. In fact, to check the contrast of pictures, black and white matter far more than color.
As the majority of ordinary users take pictures while viewing the LCD, this becomes very important. To check pictures that will be taken, a larger LCD is better. A larger number of pixels also produce sharper pictures. Don't forget that the picture quality on the LCD does not represent the quality of the picture taken.
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Night shot mode
The night shot mode is used for taking pictures in any dim or low-light place, and it is available as either infrared or slow shutter type. The infrared night shot mode takes a close-up shot of a subject in a dark background by detecting invisible infrared rays at night. Extra lighting is not needed. The weakness of this type is that it works only in close-ups and the picture is taken in green, although images can be shot without afterimages even when the subject is moving. Examples of this infrared-type of night shot mode are Sony's Night Shot and Samsung Electronics' Night Capture.
On the other hand, the slow shutter-type night shot mode works by lowering the shutter speed from 1/60 seconds, which is the default setting, to 1/30 or 1/15 seconds to increase the time for accepting light and getting lighter images. You can get good colors in this mode, but it produces afterimages when capturing moving subjects.
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Battery usage
Lithium-ion batteries used in camcorders are not required to be charged and discharged fully. However, such batteries may be consumed in 1 or 2 hours, which differs from the specifications of the battery supplied with the product. So extra batteries may be needed when traveling for a long time.
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Terminals for mic and headphone
The microphone equipped on the HD camcorder is a non-directional microphone, which records sounds at the same level if sources are in the same distance from the product. When recording a concert, the sound of somebody shouting near the camcorder may be recorded higher than the sound coming from the stage. In any case, if you are to record the sound that you want, you should use an ultra-directional microphone (generally in the shape of a bar). Of course, to use such a microphone, the camcorder must have a terminal built-in for it.
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Differences between 1080i and 1080p
1080i (interlaced scan) scans 540 lines for 1/60th of a second, and then scans 540 lines for 1/60th of a second to form a perfect picture with 1,080 horizontal lines in 1/30th of a second. Since the naked eye cannot recognize such rapid drawing, you see a continuous video. On the other hand, 1080p (progressive scan) scans 1,080 horizontal lines for 1/60th of a second, and then scans 1,080 lines for 1/60th of a second to form a perfect picture. Therefore, it produces no motion blur, which may occur in 1080i, but the amount of data output from a broadcaster in the same hour is twice that of the 1080i.
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