The Geek's Photo and Video Store

<h1>Not-So-High- Definition Camcorders </h1>


 
<h3>Well, it has started. The digital camera industry has begun diminishing the term high-definition.</h3>

These camcorders might be classified as <a href="http://photoandvideostore.com">a cheap digital camcorder</a> but if you are expecting true high definition, you might be disappointed.

The Canon PowerShot TX1 turns out to have a very good 7.1-megapixel still camera feature, but the video is jumpy.
High Definition once denoted the perfect picture you see in electronics stores on HDTV sets. Unfortunately, the use of that term is slowly becoming a marketing phrase used solely to move merchandise.

Have you noticed that not all “high def” shows on TV look equally good?  A line has been crossed. Companies have begun selling “high definition” camcorders whose video recordings can actually look worse than standard definition. This can be seen in what ought to be a killer new product category: tiny hybrid machines that take both still photos and high-definition video. Sounds wonderful doesn't it?
Once you discover the compromises involved, you won't think it is so wonderful..

<h3>Three Early Hybrids</h3>
Three of the first hybrids to market were Canon’s PowerShot TX1, Sanyo’s Xacti VPC-HD2 and Panasonic’s very first consumer high-def camcorder, the HDC-SD1.

All three record onto memory cards instead of tape or disks. Using previous technology, one might assume that video would fill up a card very quickly, however, these camcorders take advantage of a new type of SD card called SDHC (for high capacity).

These cards are now available in 4-gigabyte capacities for about $45 and can theoretically go all the way up to 32 gigabytes. A downside to this is that few of todays readers can read this type of card.

There are some tremendous advantages to using memory cards. These advantages include giving you more control over your filmed scenes. You can skip to another scene without rewinding or fast-forwarding. You can’t record over something by mistake. And you can delete a scene from the middle of your masterpiece to free space.

Each of these models has a flash for still photos, a tripod socket and a very small joystick. Each lets you snap stills while you’re filming, which leaves only a quick black blink in the video. Other downsides are none have eyepiece viewfinders; the only way to frame your shot is by using the flip-out screen.

<h3>New Hybrid Size</h3>
Two of the hybrids are astonishingly tiny. Sanyo’s Xacti (3.2 by 4.7 by 1.4 inches) is an improved version of a model that had its debut in 2006. It’s still a miniature marvel. It just fits in a pants pocket with a vertical pistol-grip design that resembles a disposable flashlight.

Canon’s radical new TX1, clad in stainless steel, is even smaller (3.5 by 2.4 by 1.1 inches).

As always, to get something, you must give up something.  In this case, while you gain in miniaturization and portability, you lose in comfort. Both cameras are ergonomic disasters. If you try to steady the Sanyo by holding the open screen with your left hand, as you’ll do instinctively, you’ll muffle or add scraping sounds to your soundtrack because the microphone is inexplicably hidden in the back of the screen.

The Canon is about the size of the company’s Elph pocket cameras, but you’re supposed to hold the TX1 vertically, on edge. That’s a problem, because there’s nowhere for your fingers to go without accidentally pushing a button on some surface.

The vertical orientation also limits the screen size to 1.8 inches diagonally. As you might guess, that is smaller than anything else around.

The Sanyo design, with a 2.2-inch screen, is somewhat better. The buttons are all on the edge facing you, one big shutter button apiece for video and stills, plus the Play/Record toggle and the zoom control. A recorded woman’s voice chirps out cheerful status reports and warnings. This option can be turned off if you prefer.

The screens of both cameras are squarish, like a standard TV screen, rather than wide, as you might expect on a high-def camera. So when you’re filming in high definition, the black letterbox bars shrink the image even further. The Canon's filming screen is almost too small to be usable.

Other compromises become apparent when you connect these cameras to your high-def TV. The Canon requires a fussy five-headed cable (three component connectors, two stereo sound). Why they didn't adapt it to HDMI one can only guess. When seated in its dock, the Sanyo lets you connect a single HDMI connector that carries both picture and sound.

The Canon turns out to be a very good 7.1-megapixel still camera; like the Sanyo, it has a 10X optical zoom. The pictures may not be quite as terrific as Canon’s own Elph cameras, but stills are clearly the TX1’s forte. Photos look fantastic displayed on a high-def TV. However, keep in mind, this is supposed to be a camcorder.

I think I might sacrifice the smaller size and opt for a camcorder that gives tru high definition.  For me, that would be the best digital camcorder, Hi-def or not.