Digital Video Cameras - Brief Article

Training & Development, Dec, 2000 by Ryann K. Ellis

Trainers who want to add video to their e-learning projects don't have to rely on professional camera work and complicated and expensive video conversions. Using digital video cameras, trainers can direct, edit, and produce high-quality video themselves.

Resembling your family camcorder, DVCs are lightweight and familiar to use. But the real value of using digital video cameras--other than getting to pretend you're Spielberg--is how fast and easy you can work with the recorded images. Unlike complicated analog-video conversions, extracting DVC images only requires a simple file download.

Sound easy? It is. But you're not ready for your close up just yet. Before you buy a camera, you need to determine what features you may need. You can start your review by answering these questions:

* What will you be shooting? For instance, filming workers on a shop floor may require different lenses and noise filtering features than filming a CEO lecturing at a podium.

* Where will you be shooting? Determine if you'll do most of your filming indoors or outside. Will portability and weight be a factor? What are the potential lighting and noise conditions?

Most DVCs come with a feature called IEEE 1394--also called firewire or i.Link by some manufacturers. IEEE 1394 is a standard digital interface that allows for two-way communication between either two compatible DVCs or between a DVC and a compatible personal computer.

To record crisp, clear broadcast-quality images, a three-chip imaging system (3-CCD) is crucial. CCD is a light detection device used in professional and consumer digital cameras to capture images for video.

Finally, in addition to such features as speakers and microphones, zoom options, and shutter speeds, you need to consider whether you

* need to record for minutes or hours during a single shoot

* need still-camera options

* plan to use manual or auto controls

* plan to use special effects.

For help in understanding some of those terms and options, Panasonic's Website offers a glossary at www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/video.> The real trick to producing professional-looking video is using editing software to manipulate the video images for delivery via the Internet, intranet, or CD-ROMs. Most digital video cameras offer optional compatible editing software. (Software Roundup will examine video-editing software in the January 2000 issue.)

The roundup chart details product features and contact information for our top three DVC picks. The cameras selected offer a 3-CCD imaging system and IEEE 1394 interface and cost less than $3,000.

Zoom. Zoom.

Ryann K. Ellis is Web editor of T&D, rellis@astd.org.