camcorder reviews, news, how-to and more
Colin
Owner, Admin and Editor of SimplyDV since its inception in 2002. I've spent my whole professional career in video production and these days when I'm not producing video materials I'm writing about the technology and techniques of video-making for complete newbies.
Homepage: http://www.colinbarrett.com
Posts by Colin
Special Clearance Deal on Tutorial DVDs
Aug 4th
Given that Adobe Premiere Elements has been in Version 8 for some time now, we’ve decided to try and clear stocks of the 5-DVD set of tutorials entitled “Getting Started with Premiere Elements 7″.
Yes, that’s right. We need to clear some space and make room for a new set of software tutorials, so all stock must be cleared! Of course, there’s always the concern that a set of tutorials on Premiere Elements 7 (without a doubt one of the best beginners’ video editing packages available today) may not be applicable to users of version 8. That’s not true. Although there are some differences between v7 and v8 they’re not so great as to make the DVDs inappropriate; lots of aspects of the application are the same.
As a taster of what’s contained in the DVDs, take a spin through the sample modules that are freely available on our YouTube channel right here:
(Please Note: This gallery uses Flash 10 and won’t display on iPhones, iPod Touches or iPads)
Of course, the DVDs focus greatly on stuff like file and clip management as well as the finer points of editing such as the use of keyframes, simple animation, generating and manipulating titles, and so on – all of which are relevant to the later version.
So, if you’re inspired by what you see and fancy a go at editing your own camcorder, phone or DVd movies then grab your own set of Getting started with Premiere Elements 7 DVDs for the value-packed price of £14.95 (GBP) plus Post & Packing right away using the ad link on the right. This will connect you to our sister site at simplydv.tv.
JVC’s Everio GZ-HM1 reviewed
Jul 29th
We’re seeing a flurry of higher-specification high definition camcorders which offer increasingly high capacity flash memory storage, high recording bit-rates and the kind of improved connectivity we’ve been requesting for a long time. Will JVC be able to stand up to aggressive competition with its new Everio GZ-HM1 flagship?
JVC Everio GZ-HM1S High Definition Camcorder
It hasn’t been easy for JVC to keep up with the leading HD video camera brand manufacturers like Panasonic, Canon and Sony, but to give the company credit it’s been turning out some very respectable AVCHD format products of late – especially at the top end of the consumer video camera market.
The impressive new Everio GZ-HM1 is a worthy new addition to the range and earns its place as the head of the family. It compares favourably with major competing products despite there being one or two features that let it down very slightly. That said, many users will be perfectly happy with their new fully-featured full-HD camcorder so we shouldn’t knock it too much.
Read our latest review for yourself right here
Pocket-sized pleasures? Panasonic’s new HM-TA1 HD Mobile Camera
Jul 28th
As regular SimplyDV followers will know, we’re a bit undecided about the real value of pocket-sized video cameras – especially the ones that purport to produce HD video clips. However, Panasonic’s new range of HM-TA1 HD video cameras might just bring about a change of attitude.
These little pocket-sized cameras have all the convenience and physical characteristics of a regular digital stills camera or even mobile phone, yet they offer true HD video of a sort that looks good either on YouTube or even on a modest-sized HDTV display.
Panasonic HM-TA1 full-HD pocket video cameras
Stiff competition
Of course, any new entrants into this market have the Flip MinoHD (arguably the market-leader in this sector) to compare with. Not fazed by this at all, several brands have launched their own such products into this market space with varying degrees of success. And, after watching from the sidelines for some time, Panasonic has now joined the party as well.
With pocket-size dimensions and a lightweight design, the HM-TA1 HD mobile pocket camera is (according to Panasonic) designed “to let you capture life on the move”. Indeed, the camera is certainly small enough to pop into a pocket or small bag and offers not only instant full-HD video recording but also high-quality photo shooting wherever you are or whatever you’re doing. Basically, it’s for people who want to grab a piece of the action right now with no messing.
Features
The TA1 has been fitted with a 4 x Digital Zoom; this isn’t a big deal to users of the more serious camcorder products but for the target users of this camera it’s more than adequate. With the ability to record images at a resolution of up to 8MP (megapixels), it delivers clear and vivid images that possess sharp, defined details.
To play back movie clips and images, it’s simply of matter of popping the SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory Card from the camera into the SD card slot of a Panasonic Viera TV where Viera Image Viewer will guide users through the selection and organisation of clip files.
As a complement to the digital zoom, the HM-TA1 sports an effective E.I.S. (Electronic Image Stabiliser) system that helps to minimise the kind of distracting hand-shake commonly associated with home video clips.
Connectivity and Apple Mac compatibility
High definition video clips and images can be quickly and easily uploaded to web portals and social networking sites like YouTube thanks to the TA1’s built-in USB terminal. The camera comes with software allowing users to link directly to YouTube or Facebook so family and friends can immediately share their latest creations.
Supported by Apple’s MPEG-4 based iFrame video format, it’s now possible to load and even perform simple editing of videos and pictures using Apple’s iMovie video software (note that the format used here is not AVCHD, so it’s much easier to import, edit and share the TA1′s video clips on Macs and PCs).
And that’s not all; a unique feature of the TA1 is that it can also be used with the Skype IP phone service, too; simply connect the TA1 to a PC, and it becomes a web camera for free Skype-based video calls helping you to keep in touch with the world.
The TA1′s USB terminal also doubles as its battery charger. Plug it in to a PC at home or on the go in order to recharge the battery.
Style options
According to Panasonic, you can make your camera your own by giving it a personalised skin design. From funky and floral to sophisticated and sleek, Panasonic is offering one free skin per purchase with over 40 cool designs to choose from when using a web-link provided with the product – and if users don’t fancy using one of those on offer they cango ahead and create and upload their own. Additional skins can be purchased online at a cost of £9.99 each.
Source: Panasonic UK Press Office with additional text and supplementary information ©2010 Colin Barrett, SimplyDV Ltd. All images courtesy of Panasonic UK Press Office. Used by kind permission.
Panasonic debuts HDC-SDT750 – world’s first consumer 3D camera
Jul 28th
Panasonic is bringing 3D video content creation a step closer to home with the announcement of the world’s first consumer camcorder to offer full-HD 3D recording and playback – and guess who has already been given a sneaky hands-on preview!
Yes, you’ve got it in one! The HDC-SDT750, announced today, allows 3D movie clips to be recorded by simply attaching a 3D conversion lens to the camcorder body. Without it, the camcorder functions in 2D by default.
A world-first: Panasonic's new HDT-SDT750 3D Camcorder
As a result of Panasonic’s broadcast technology being incorporated into this new 3MOS system camcorder, users are able to create create their own 3D movies for playback on any 3DTV display. This, we’re reminded by Panasonic, is a luxury previously afforded only to professional video producers.
The new SD camera is equipped with a wide range of pretty sophisticated functions; these include the 3MOS System, which features improved noise reduction (NR) technologies, 1080/50p recording, iA (Intelligent Auto) mode in the new HYBRID O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), together with a wealth of manual controls. Many other features of the sort you’ll find on the company’s flagship HDC-TM700 AVCHD camcorder are to be found on this model, too.
The high-sensitivity 3MOS System provides an effective motion image pixel count of 7.59 Megapixels (2,530,000 pixels x 3), with further-evolved NR (noise-reduction) technology achieving bright images with minimal noise when shooting under low light conditions.
1,080/50p recording (Full-HD 1920 x 1080, 50 progressive frame recording) in the SDT750 produces richly expressive images (we know because we’ve seen them and have created some ourselves!), with none of the detail loss and flickering of conventional 1,080i (interlaced) recording.
3D Image Shooting with the 3D Conversion Lens
The 3D image sequences rely on a difference between the two side-by-side lenses which is referred to as visual disparity. The brain uses this to perceive spatial depth and the appearance of solidity, and this visual disparity is artificially produced for 3D images so that the brain will interpret it as depth and solid-appearing objects.
A modified HDC-SD600 being used to demo the new 3D lens
The SDT750 comes with a special 3D conversion lens (see images above) that records right-eye and left-eye images simultaneously through its two lenses. The right and left images (each with 960 x 1080 pixels) that enter through the lenses are recorded using the side-by-side method. By attaching the 3D conversion lens to the SDT750 3MOS System camcorder, which incorporates a variety of Panasonic broadcast technologies, and connecting the SDT750 to a TV that is capable of side-by-side method 3D playback, vividly colorful 3D image sequences can be viewed on a suitable 3D TV display when using a conventional HDMI connection.
Yours truly modeling 3D specs and - you have to admit - looking decidedly cool
The iA (Intelligent Auto) function, which has proved to be popular on many Panasonic AVCHD camcorders, is also included and is designed to take the thinking out of shooting HD video. In addition, the SDT750 newly incorporates the HYBRID O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) system to improve hand-held shot stability as well.
Leica Dicomar Lens
This F1.5 lens has a large 46mm diameter and has been engineered to offer brighter images than previous equivalent lenses. In addition, its 35mm wide-angle capability is intended to make it suitable for a wide range of shooting situations – such as self-portraits and group photos indoors, and landscape shots outdoors.
1,080/50p Progressive Recording
The SDT75′s 1,080/50p recording (Full-HD, 1,920 x 1,080, 50 progressive mode) conveys approximately twice the information present in a 1,080i (interlaced) recording in which an “ultimately beautiful image quality” is achieved. This, we’re reliably informed, exceeds even conventional Full-HD images. It minimizes afterimages and flickering caused by subject motion and renders crisp, detailed images. A 64GB SDXC card can record approximately 27 hours 30 minutes of 1,920 x 1,080i high-definition video in HE mode, and approximately 5 hours 20 minutes of 1,920 x 1,080p Full-HD video in 1,080/50p mode.
It should be noted that 3D recording is only achievable when the 3D conversion lens is attached. When it is detached, the camera defaults to a 2D recording mode.
Easy 3D Playback on 3D compatible TVs/AVCHD Compatible Player/Recorders
The 3D images recorded with the SDT750 can be easily played back by connecting the SDT750 to a 3D compatible TV, such as a Panasonic Viera 3DTV. In addition, it’s also possible to play SD Memory Cards that have 3D image sequences recorded onto them by using an AVCHD compatible player/recorder, such as a Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player/recorder.
If you’re looking to edit your 3D clips on a Windows PC, you’ll be able to do this thanks to the HD Writer AE 2.6T PC editing software that will be bundled with the camcorder. This software will allow users to easily edit recorded 3D clips and save them onto PCs or BD/DVD discs. HD Writer AE 2.6T features a “Smart Wizard” that starts up as soon as the SDT750 is connected to the USB port of a PC. At the moment, there’s no clear indication of the compatibility of the camcorder with Apple Mac computers running OSX given the issues with 50p (60p in north America, Japan, etc). We’ll certainly be checking this out when we receive a review sample in a few weeks.
Additional Requirements
Effective playback of the SDT750′s 3D sequences requires a TV that is capable of side-by-side method 3D playback. 3D Eyewear, and HDMI cable connection are also required to play the recorded 3D images.
Pricing and Availability (Europe)
We’re told by Panasonic UK that the HDC-SDT750 will be available to buy in readiness for the Christmas 2010 season. We’re guessing at a likely retail price of around GB£1,300.
Source: Panasonic UK Press Office with additional text and supplementary information ©2010 Colin Barrett, SimplyDV Ltd. All images courtesy of Panasonic UK Press Office. Used by kind permission.
Apple unveils 12-core Mac Pro, new iMacs and LED Cinema Display
Jul 27th
In addition to a new range of iMacs and a super 27″ LED Cinema Display, Apple has unveiled a new Mac Pro line with up to 12 processing cores and up to 50 percent greater performance than the previous generation.
Featuring the latest quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors that will be of particular interest to video editors looking to acquire every inch of performance to cope with the latest full-spec HD video editing, the new machines feature all-new ATI graphics and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD).
New Apple Mac Pro seen here with Apple LED Cinema Display
According to Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, “The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we’ve ever made.” He points out that, with up to 12 cores, the new Mac Pro outperforms Apple’s previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50 percent, and with over a billion possible configurations, customers can create exactly the system they want.
At the heart of the new Mac Pro’s performance are next generation quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 3.33 GHz. These multi-core processors use a single die design so each core can share up to 12MB L3 cache to improve efficiency while increasing processing speed. These systems feature an integrated memory controller for faster memory bandwidth and reduced memory latency; Turbo Boost to dynamically boost processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz; and Hyper-Threading to create up to 24 virtual cores. The Mac Pro now comes with the ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1GB of memory and customers can configure-to-order the even faster ATI Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of memory.
For the first time, Mac Pro customers have the option to order a 512GB SSD for the ultimate in reliability and lightning fast performance. With the ability to install up to four SSD drives in the system’s internal drive bays, the new Mac Pro can provide ultra high-speed disk bandwidth and random disk performance, two times faster than the average performance of a standard disk drive. Mac Pro also now features two Mini Display Ports and one dual-link DVI port. The additional Mini Display Port output allows customers to connect two LED Cinema Displays without an additional graphics card or adapter and the dual-link DVI port supports legacy DVI-based displays up to a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.
New 27-inch LED Cinema Display
Also announced by Apple today is a new 27-inch LED Cinema Display with 2560 x 1440 resolution and a claimed 60 percent more screen real estate than the 24-inch LED Cinema Display. Featuring a built-in iSight video camera, microphone and speakers, powered USB 2.0 hub, and universal MagSafe connector, the new LED Cinema Display is a potential companion for the MacBook family or a Mac desktop, and is available in the USA for $999.
Apple’s iMac product line updated
Apple has also updated its all-in-one iMac line with the latest Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors and powerful new graphics. Starting at £999 in the UK, the new iMac line is claimed to be the fastest ever with dual-core processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz, quad-core speeds up to 2.93 GHz and discrete graphics including the powerful ATI Radeon HD 5750. The new Magic Trackpad, with a smooth glass and aluminium design, gives iMac users the same intuitive Multi-Touch gestures that Mac notebook customers become used to and is available separately for £59 inc VAT.
Apple's new 27inch iMac
The dual-core Intel Core i3 and Core i5, and quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors feature an integrated memory controller to access the system memory directly, allowing the new iMac to take full advantage of its faster 1333 MHz memory. New discrete ATI Radeon HD processors deliver smoother, crisper graphics as required for 3D games, creative software and technical applications. The SD card slot on the iMac now supports the SDXC format to handle the latest high-capacity storage cards; these are particularly useful for AVCHD camcorder users wishing to import HD video clips for editing. Customers of the 27-inch iMac have the option to order a 256GB solid state drive (SSD) as a primary or secondary drive. The iMac SSD supports up to 215 MB/s data transfer rates for faster startup and application launch times.
More information: Apple.com and Apple.com/uk
Canon adds 64GB LEGRIA HF M32 to its AVCHD camera range
Jul 14th
Canon has added a key new model to its range of LEGRIA AVCHD models -the new LEGRIA HF M32 – which it describes as a compact, easy-to-use Full HD camcorder with 64GB extended flash storage.
This new model brings the LEGRIA “HF M” series line-up to four models and provides 64GB internal flash memory and SDXC memory card support for video enthusiasts who require longer recording times.
Canon LEGRIA HF-M32 3D Flip View
The LEGRIA HF M32 incorporates the same Canon technologies as the other models within the LEGRIA HF M series, including a Touch-screen LCD screen for greater user control and support for SDXC memory cards (the first Canon model to do so), providing increased shooting time with up to two terabytes (TB) capacity.
Advanced features and performance
Canon has given the LEGRIA HF M32 a 3.3 Megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor, 18x Advanced Zoom, Canon HD Video Lens and DIGIC DV III processing technology. In addition, Advanced Face Detection Technology identifies up to 35 faces in a frame, ensuring that friends and family remain in focus and well-exposed at all times. An individual face can even be manually selected to track someone moving around. Canon’s Instant AF technology provides what the company describes as “high-speed, pin-point auto-focus required for HD”.
In addition to its Super Range Optical Image Stabiliser, the HF M32 offers two additional stabilisation modes for tricky shooting situations: its Dynamic Optical Image Stabiliser minimises camera shake when walking or moving, especially for wide angle shots, whilst – at maximum zoom – its new Powered Optical Image Stabiliser mode can be activated at the touch of a button, and is designed to improve image stability when focusing on distant subjects.
The LEGRIA HF M32 features a 2.7” gesture-based Touch-screen LCD, providing instant control and ease of use. Touch Focus, Touch Exposure and Touch Tracking each offer the ability to change focus, select exposure levels and track moving subjects simply by touching the screen. Sliding on-screen controls allow users to make fine adjustments to zoom, aperture and exposure.
Video Snapshot for instant video playlists
Canon’s unique Video Snapshot offers one-touch recording to capture clips of two, four or eight seconds in duration. Clips can even be copied from previously-recorded footage, allowing users to create shorter scenes from long videos. They can then be assembled into a video ‘playlist’, which can be played back as a movie montage with background music. Music can either be added by uploading audio tracks to the camcorder memory or playing through the camcorder using an MP3 player. If they wish, users can then export the full playlist – including music – as a single Standard Definition movie to upload to the internet or burn to disc.
Canon LEGRIA HF-M32 LCD Screen
The LEGRIA HF M32 offers an easy way for users to share content online. An in-camcorder HD-to-SD conversion tool combines with an Easy Web Upload feature to allow clips to be transferred to YouTube with the minimum of effort. Supplied PIXELA ImageMixer software automatically locates content and allows users to log-in, upload and annotate their footage in one step. Individual user account details can also be stored for regular use.
Eye-Fi support for computerless uploading and sharing
Support for Eye-Fi connected functions means users can also upload their converted SD video clips direct from the camcorder to YouTube (or other supported websites) at a wireless hotspot, without the need for a computer.
Dual flash memory
In addition to 64GB of built-in flash memory, a memory card slot is also provided – compatible with SDHC and next-generation SDXC cards. Ranging to a maximum capacity of 2TB, SDXC offers storage for hours of additional full HD video content. Relay Recording also complements Dual Flash Memory by automatically switching recording to the memory card when internal memory is full, so there’s no need to miss recording the end of an exciting event.
LEGRIA accessories
The new LEGRIA HF M32 is compatible with a range of Canon LEGRIA accessories, including lens adaptors, video lights and the Canon WP-V2 underwater case, which enables users to shoot under water at depths of up to 40 metres. The integrated Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe also supports the Canon SM-V1 5.1ch surround sound microphone.
LEGRIA HF M32 Key features
Here’s a summary of the Canon LEGRIA HF M32′s main features:
- 64GB Dual Flash Memory, SDXC support and Relay Recording
- Easy HD Shooting
- 6.8cm (2.7”) Touch-screen LCD
- Video Snapshot
- 3.3MP Canon HD Camera System
- Dynamic OIS and Powered IS
- Easy sharing
- Pre REC, 25p Cinema Mode
- Superior audio
- Creative options
Availability
The Canon LEGRIA HF M32 is available from September 2010.
Want to discuss this further? Check out the new-improved SimplyDV Forum (you’ll need to register with the site first).
Source: Canon UK Press Release. Additional material by Colin Barrett. Image supplied by Canon UK. ©2010.
