Panasonic Pv-gs400 3 Ccd Camcorder - And Ways To Use It To Earn Extra Income

Let me share with you something that happened to me just the other day.

I was contacted by a guy named David. He had just purchased a panasonic pv-gs400 3 ccd camcorder and has always been attracted to the videographers lifestyle. He also liked the possibility of earning an extra income doing something that can be a whole lot of fun.

From speaking to David I discovered that he didn't have much experience with camcorders and was unsure as to whether he would be any good (he seemed to lack a bit of self confidence), but was atleast willing to learn and have a go.

He wasn't too far from where I live me so I said I was able to get in the car and have a personal meeting with him.

One of his questions to me on the phone was "what should I film?" I told him of the traditional markets - Weddings, Business videos Training videos. Good areas to get started in and the most obvious subjects to film.

David lives in a growth area, outer suburbs continually building and expanding. I found myself driving past new homes being built, young families together in parks, sporting fields and large shopping malls.

Then it dawned on me! It was so obvious the potential subjects, and clients, David had in his own backyard!

The Builder

video proof of the quality that goes into his work satisfied customer testimonials

Sporting Clubs

club records of big games match/play review and training tapes

Parents

children's party videos records of their child's achievements (academic, sporting etc.)

Business

local shops and businesses provide potential customers with a video of services

...and the list goes on. So if you find yourself short of ideas on what to film, have a good look around you. The answer might be right under your nose.

Now back to David. He inadvertently made a great choice in the the panasonic pv-gs400 3 ccd camcorder.

It is a great tool for providing a quality finish which will be a high priority as he will be charging for the work he does. It has 3 separate image chips which help give definition to the completed video and for such a top quality camcorder is very reasonably priced.

So with just a few more tools (tripod, lights, external microphone etc.), David is well on his way to a career (either full or part time) in video production.

Mark Sturge is the owner of KMS Productions and webmaster at video-production-mastery.com. A site where visitors can find digital camcorder reviews such as the panasonic pv-gs400 3 ccd camcorder as well as useful hints and tips to better their filming techniques.

Expert Guide to DVD Camcorders

Expert Guide to DVD Camcorders

 by: Kennny Hemphill

Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's a rapidly growing sector of the camcorder market, with Hitachi, Sony and Panasonic all making more than one mini dvd camcorder.

These camcorders differ from regular digital video cameras in one important way - they record video onto mini DVD discs, rather than DV tape. This has a number of advantages. DVD discs are more robust than tape and won't get chewed up in the camera. Although this is thankfully a rare occurance, it scares me every time I here a strange noise coming from my camcorder, so it's with bearing in mind.

The second advantage is that DVD discs are random access, compared to tape on which everything is recorded sequentially. This means that there's no need to rewind and fast forward to find the clip you're after, just select it from the menu. Some cameras even allow you to perform basic editing functions on-camera. An additional side-benefit is that a mini DVD camcorder doesn't have tape heads to get worn or dirty as happens in regular mini DVD cameras.

And thirdly, you can easily watch your home movies by removing the DVD from the camera and playing it in practically any DVD player.

However, there are negative factors to. The most siginificant one is that video is encoded as MPEG-2 on a mini DVD camcorder, as opposed to DV format. This means that it needs specialist software to edit - you can't just use your regular video editing program (unless it specifically supports MPEG-2). And if a Mac user you're out of luck, as there are no MPEG-2 editing applications for the Mac.

Also, mini DVD camcorders tend to cost more than similarly specified mini DV cameras. And the media is also more expensive. However, if you don't intend editing your movies and don't mind the extra cost, a mini dvd camcorder does offer extraordinary convenience.

© Kenny Hemphill 2004.

Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of Master DVD (http://www.masterdvd.com), a website which provides information, articles, and tutorials on issues and products related to recordable DVD.

Don't Trust Digital Camcorder Reviews

A couple years ago (ok, more than a few), I became really interested in buying a digital camcorder. Like most people new to the trade, I wanted to purchase the latest digital camcorder that featured the best technology. I always enjoyed looking at the flashy camcorder magazines to check out pictures, and read articles and reviews on the latest camcorders.

However, once I became serious about wanting to buy one, it suddenly occurred to me, as I was reading the magazine reviews, that almost every single one had a positive slant. Virtually every review I read, discussed only the benefits and cool features of the camcorders.

All of these good reviews made me realize that what I was reading was biased information designed as a marketing tool. The content within these articles and reviews was nothing more than eye candy for techies. Essentially, aside from stats (which I could barely make heads or tails of) the magazine reviews actually provided very little information about the quality and practicality of the camcorder.

So, to test my theory on my favorite "flashy magazine", I plugged in the names of the few digital camcorders that interested me into a search engine. Low and behold I found genuine reviews from consumers who had actually purchased the cameras and expressed their real opinions about the product. What did I discover with my research? I learned that my first digital camcorder choice actually only received a "good" video quality rating from most users. This was a much different result compared to the "excellent" rating it was given by the magazine. Naturally, my attitude toward this digital camcorder changed, and I began investigating other models.

What I learned as I began conducting my digital camcorder review research was that while the stats of the camera matter, they aren't the most important part of a review. Until you actually purchase the digital camcorder and compare it to another camcorder, or an older model, you won't know if the digital camcorder is true to its hype. In other words, most of the fancy stats mean squat to the average consumer who knows very little about digital camcorder technology.

Think about it, if you know very little about digital camcorders and a review only provides you with technical details and a product description, how will you know if the camcorder will suit your intended use?

For instance, observe the following example that has been based on an actual digital camcorder review:

The digital camcorder captures fantastic videos and stills. It is compact, lightweight and capable. The Camcorder features a 4x digital zoom, an internal 16MB flash memory with external SD/MMC card slot (supports up to 1 GB) and a 3.2-megapixel CCD image sensor. The digital camcorder has an image resolution of 1280x960, 1600x1200 and 2048x1536, and records MPEG-4 movies. The digital camcorder also has a 1.8" TFT monitor, NTSC/PAL TV out format, and USB 1.1 PC connection.

Did that mean anything to you? Do you know whether or not you need all of those features, or if you have the right equipment to accommodate the camcorder? If you're like me, and technical stats make your eyes cross, here's what you need to do to ensure that the digital camcorder you buy is ideal for your needs.

First and foremost, avoid getting sucked in by all technical flare such as the lab/bench tests, color/lines of resolution etc. Look for quality reviews that will tell you what purpose the camera is ideal for, and the type of person it will likely suit.

Thus, if you are looking for honest camcorder reviews, direct your browser to sites that sell these products such as Amazon.com and find out what people who actually purchased these products had to say about them in the user comments section. Here you will not only receive a consumer "five-star rating", but also find out what they liked and didn't like about the camera.

Mark Sturge is the owner of KMS Productions and webmaster at kmsvideo.com. A site where visitors can find camcorder reviews such as the panasonic pv-gs400 3 ccd camcorder as well as useful hints and tips to better their filming techniques.

Get the Facts with DVD Camcorder Reviews

One of the latest technological toys on the market is DVD camcorders. DVD camcorders are unique devices that allow you to record video directly to a disk that you can put in your DVD player to watch, or put in your PC to edit. While this sounds really nifty, what you will discover when you read most DVD camcorder reviews that have been written by techies, is that the DVD camcorder is far from perfect.

Although the new DVD camcorder models are close to achieving the same level of picture quality as the MiniDV, they aren't quite there yet. That being said, DVD camcorders shouldn't be overlooked if owning one truly interests you. The reason is because there are some exceptional models on the market that may be worth your while if you wish to obtain this technology.

One of the better models out there is the Sony DCR-DVD403. In fact, according to some DVD camcorder reviews, this particular model is considered to be one of the most advanced DVD camcorders to date. It is celebrated for capturing wonderful stills and impressive video. That being said, when compared to the top-of-the-line MiniDV's out there, it still can't match their superior picture quality. Furthermore, this DVD camcorder uses an MPEG2 compression, which is considered to be worse than the compression methods used by the MiniDV.

In other words, the problem with many DVD camcorders, aside from their expensive price tag, is that their heavy compression causes images to lose quality. Basically, the image that comes through the lens and on to the sensor of the DVD camcorder is exceptional, but it loses its quality as soon as it is compressed down into DVD format. This is currently the problem that DVD camcorder manufacturers need to overcome.

Something else that needs to be taken into account when considering DVD camcorders is DVD disk technology. DVD disks are endowed with a technology known as "transparency". This type of technology allows the user to record video you can instantly play, edit, and share with no strings attached. While the technology does exist it still hasn't been totally perfected.

Another aspect that you need to consider about DVD camcorders is that most of the disks you use will need to be finalized in order for your DVD player to be able to read them. DVD camcorders come with the feature to finalize the disk so you shouldn't have a problem with this procedure.

As far as DVD disks are concerned there are different ones that you can use. For instance, there are DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM disks. DVD-R and DVD+R hold approximately 30 minutes of video, as does DVD+RW. However, the major difference between DVD+RW and DVD -R and +R is that a DVD+RW is a re-writable disk, which means that it can be recorded over and used more than once. These disks do not need to be finalized. A DVD-RAM disk, on the other hand, can hold more video than the others, and produces slightly better images. However, the images on the disk need to first be transferred to a PC, as most DVD players can not play the format of this disk.

Finally, if you are really interested in getting a DVD camcorder, you should check out plenty of DVD camcorder reviews about the camcorder you are interested in buying before you make any final decisions. Find out whether or not purchasing a DVD camcorder is worth your while, or if you should just stick to the MiniDV.

Mark Sturge is the owner of KMS Productions and webmaster at kmsvideo.com. A site where visitors can find digital camcorder reviews such as the Sony DVD range as well as useful hints and tips to better their filming techniques.

Mini Dv Camcorders

Mini DV camcorders have many advantages over traditional analog video cameras and even Digital and DVD camcorders. Mini DV camcorders are compact, small and afford better editing. They have a better picture resolution compared to Digital Camcorders and even though they cost more, it comes as no surprise that many people prefer them over their more traditional counterparts.

Mini DV camcorders are sold on many websites, electronics stores, through shopping magazines and niche magazines like the ones dedicated specially to white goods. These camcorders are sold by brand, zoom strength, LCD display properties, price, and size, so it becomes easy selecting the one that best suits your needs.

The major brands of Mini DV camcorders are Sony, Panasonic, and Canon. Sony is the market leader in the Mini DV camcorder segment, while Canon, though a late entrant in the market, is fast catching up. Sony camcorders are popular owing to a wide variety and many innovative features, and they come with a reasonable price tag . The Sony Handy cam DCR HC 42, for example, is a Mini DV digital camcorder with still recording as well as MPEG movie recording features. This light, compact camcorder delighted users with it?s easy to use features and high sound and image recording quality on it?s May 2005 launch into the Mini DV camcorder market. Another new feature is the facility for low light and night time recording. And it has a lithium battery which lasts up to eight hours, far more than the batteries of it?s nearest rivals Panasonic and Canon. The camcorder costs around $600.

Panasonic Mini DV camcorders are the next popular after Sony Camcorders. The PV-GS 150 model, for example, comes with 3 CCDs, instead of one, as is the case with the Sony camcorders. You can choose between internal or external microphone for sound recording. Canon?s ZR 300 camcorder series has similar features, but it is available with only one CCD.

The mini DV camcorder market is still evolving, and newer features are being introduced almost every day, with a decreasing price tag. It is important to research the products available in the camcorder market to check suitability regarding your needs, and to see if the recording format is compatible with players in other formats.

A Review Of Digital Camcorders

Digital camcorders that record directly to DVD discs are called DVD camcorders. Rather than recording to mini DV tapes, these models burn video to 8-centimeter DVD-RAM, DVD-R or DVD-RW discs. DVD-R and DVD-RW media can be read in most home DVD players, but DVD-RAMs are readable only in a few home players.

Reviewers say there are some drawbacks to recording straight to DVDs. Because of frustrating incompatibilities between the various DVD formats and DVD editing software, reviews say you shouldn't plan to do much editing on your computer. In addition, although you can select different quality levels to maximize storage on a mini DVD disc, you'll only be able to record about twenty minutes of top-quality footage.

There's no question that digital camcorders will eventually be the only camcorders available. Still, reviewers express surprise at the resilience of analog models, which still fit the bill for those who don't own computers and just want a simple, inexpensive VHS-compatible camera.

This Sony digital camcorder records to miniature DVD discs, and once finalized, the discs are immediately playable in most home DVD players. Reviews say the Sony DVR-DVD403 is easily the best DVD camcorder, with image quality that competes with the best mini DV camcorders, such as the Panasonic PV-GS250 below.

While recording to mini DVDs is convenient, it's not as easy to edit footage on a computer, so the Sony is best for those who don't care much about editing their video. Since the Sony doesn't have many manual features, the Panasonic is better for those who like to fiddle with settings.

Reviews say image quality is comparable between this Panasonic mini DV camcorder and the Sony DVD camcorder above. Both get high scores in reviews, but the Panasonic records to inexpensive mini DV tapes, and the DV format is much easier to edit on a computer than the Sony's MPEG -2 format.

Plus, the Panasonic has a bunch of features missing on the Sony, like a remote control, manual focus ring, an accessory shoe for an external flash unit, optical image stabilization and a voice recorder for narration. The whole package is comfortable to hold, with well-placed controls.

Canon isn't known for making big innovations when it comes to camcorders; rather, reviews say Canon consistently and quietly offers sturdy, reliable, consistently good video cameras. The Canon Elura 90 gets high scores for image quality (though it falls a bit behind the Sony and Panasonic above), and has a bunch of useful, basic features, like a 20X optical zoom, digital image stabilization, responsive autofocus and intuitive menus. If you want something more than the very cheapest camcorder, but don't need something as cutting edge as the Sony or Panasonic above, the Canon Elura 90 is a great value.

This is one of the cheapest miniDV digital camcorders you can buy, and reviewers say the Panasonic outclasses similarly priced camcorders from Sony and JVC. It performs much better in low light than its budget competition. Included are a handful of manual controls. Although reviews say the Panasonic camcorder's menus can be a bit clunky, this is the best cheap digital camcorder you'll find, with better features and performance than its competitors.

The majority of digital camcorders are 'DV' camcorders, which record video to widely available DV tapes. Some new models, however, are looking to push tape into obsolescence. A small handful of digital video cameras can record to memory cards or an internal hard drive. Still others record to miniature DVD discs called mini DVD.

What to look for when purchasing a digital camcorder.

Mini Dv Camcorders

Mini DV camcorders have many advantages over traditional analog video cameras and even Digital and DVD camcorders. Mini DV camcorders are compact, small and afford better editing. They have a better picture resolution compared to Digital Camcorders and even though they cost more, it comes as no surprise that many people prefer them over their more traditional counterparts.

Mini DV camcorders are sold on many websites, electronics stores, through shopping magazines and niche magazines like the ones dedicated specially to white goods. These camcorders are sold by brand, zoom strength, LCD display properties, price, and size, so it becomes easy selecting the one that best suits your needs.

The major brands of Mini DV camcorders are Sony, Panasonic, and Canon. Sony is the market leader in the Mini DV camcorder segment, while Canon, though a late entrant in the market, is fast catching up. Sony camcorders are popular owing to a wide variety and many innovative features, and they come with a reasonable price tag . The Sony Handy cam DCR HC 42, for example, is a Mini DV digital camcorder with still recording as well as MPEG movie recording features. This light, compact camcorder delighted users with it?s easy to use features and high sound and image recording quality on it?s May 2005 launch into the Mini DV camcorder market. Another new feature is the facility for low light and night time recording. And it has a lithium battery which lasts up to eight hours, far more than the batteries of it?s nearest rivals Panasonic and Canon. The camcorder costs around $600.

Panasonic Mini DV camcorders are the next popular after Sony Camcorders. The PV-GS 150 model, for example, comes with 3 CCDs, instead of one, as is the case with the Sony camcorders. You can choose between internal or external microphone for sound recording. Canon?s ZR 300 camcorder series has similar features, but it is available with only one CCD.

The mini DV camcorder market is still evolving, and newer features are being introduced almost every day, with a decreasing price tag. It is important to research the products available in the camcorder market to check suitability regarding your needs, and to see if the recording format is compatible with players in other formats.