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One of the latest trends respected
camera manufacturers are focusing on is the inclusion of HD video capture
capabilities. 2009 is apparently the year for HD features in cameras
and that is quite obvious based on the latest products released and the high
level of competition we are all seeing. This is a fairly new feature found
on a number of point and shoot cameras but also boldly introduced in a few
entry level SLR models.
Depending on the user, it is also one of high debate. Regardless of
the fact, it is a feature most they target will certainly take full advantage of and one
that happens to be a main factor in their purchasing decision.
Depending on the model and/or type of high-end camera you choose these days,
you can expect it to support some kind of HD video capture feature.
Whether it is 720p or full 1080p captures, the ability to support this
feature from such a compact and highly useful device is something most
should seriously appreciate and stop whining about.
If you happen to be one on the market for one of these, you'll
likely turn to the internet for some advice and/or tips regarding the
ability to encode videos to your specific needs. That's the whole
purpose behind this new "Extreme Guide" and while some cameras are capable of
taking impressive videos that don't really need any kind of tweaking at
all,
this guide will cover some encoding tips to satisfy those advanced users and
video enthusiasts looking to take
full advantage of this feature and create high quality HD videos not
only capable of playing flawlessly in different devices, but also clips that
will be substantially smaller in size as well.
The camera that will be used as an example for
this article is Canon's new SX1 IS we recently
reviewed here. This is
an excellent camera to use because it is the first of its kind that is
capable of taking highly impressive full 1080p videos at 30fps. The
videos taken with this camera are nothing short of stunning.
However, depending on the manufacturer, they
tend to focus on one particular format with no other user options.
For example, this particular model from Canon will capture full HD videos in
.mov format.
Other respected manufacturers like
Nikon tend to stick to the more popular .avi
format for captures. While these high quality videos are more than
acceptable in terms of quality and compression, you can make them much smaller
and still maintain a high level of quality.
The point is that you will be stuck
with one format "out of the box" but should not accept or be limited to it.
All it takes is just a bit of effort and knowledge to convert your HD videos
to your specific needs.
What This Guide Will Cover
This informative guide will
primarily focus on the following areas...
1. Hardware Requirements & Playback
Software
2. Software Encoding Tools
3. Conversion Settings & Quality
4. Conclusions & Final Tips
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