Looking for the Best Camera with Video?
Digital cameras can produce excellent still photographs while camcorders record video footage. Today both devices are adopting some of the functions of the other. While neither is able to produce the same quality of the others primary function, they have improved in recent years and for those who want the convenience of a single device, smart shopping can yield a camera that can perform both functions relatively well.
This page will guide you and provide a few sound recommendations for finding the best camera with video capabilities. To learn more about camcorders with still photography abilities, be sure to visit Best Camcorder for Still Pictures
Digital Cameras with Video: Potential Disadvantages
Digital Cameras are great tools for capturing still photographs. Getting one that also records video is very convenient especially if you want both functions and portability. The video you can capture with a still camera will not be as good as what you can get with a stand alone camcorder although for some, the performance will be quite acceptable. Recent improvements in fact have made some digital cameras with video capabilities a very attractive option for many.On the downside:
Recording time is more limited on a digital camera and the "smoothness" of the video less, although improvements over cameras of just a couple of years ago are significant.
Camcorders generally have larger lenses than a digital camera and can do a better job in low light situations. They also have better sensors for the job, with as many as 3 CCD sensors.
The sound you will get with a digital camera will also tend to be inferior but it is possible to get a digital camera with the capability of using an external microphone to improve performance.
For those wanting the convenience and cost savings by having a single device for capturing still photos as well as video, there are a number of things to consider which can result in a satisfactory performance for those with more limited needs. Read below to find out what to seek out when shopping for a camera with video capabilities.
Choosing the Best Digital Camera with Video
Here are a few things to look for when shopping for a digital camera with video recording skills you will prize.Digital Camera with Video vs. a Camcorder
Can a Digital Camera with Video Replace a Camcorder?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byOh yeah, one less device is a good thing!
karen550 says:
Like anything, the tool needs to fit the use. If you need a great video camera because you are filming a big event like a wedding, I wouldn't rely on my digital camera. But, if you need to just get a quick video of something like my son played a beginner song in a piano recital...it was perfect for that and less bulky.
Posted April 20, 2009
packetlog says:
not really replace but one less device in camera bag. Ummmm. delicious. i am an amateur photographer, that means video is second priority for me. and video editing takes for ever. No not for me. ... those who want a capable device, i have heard very good things about Casio EXILIM EX-F1. very high speed frame rates.
Posted September 20, 2008
Nope, I'm a purist and I want the highest quality films.
Canon Powershot SD1100 IS
Click on the image for more details or to buy
Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)
Amazon Price: $249.00 (as of 07/10/2009)
This great little digital camera makes taking great pictures a breeze. It has an 8 megapixel CCD sensor and a 2.5" LCD screen. It features 3x optical zoom, image stabilization and motion detection technology for clear/blur free images, face detection for excellent focus on people and perfect skin tones, as well as 13 scene modes, a self timer, and red eye correction. The SD1100 IS even has a single print/share button for easy printing. This camera is PictBridge compliant to allow connection to printers without the need to use a computer.
This very compact digital camera offers a great movie mode as well. It captures 640 x 480 resolution at 30 frames per second providing smooth looking footage with good quality. A 2GB card will hold approximately 16 minutes of footage at the highest quality but users can choose lower resolution or opt for a bigger card to film for an hour. Sound recording is acceptable but the primary drawback would be the the inability to use optical zoom during filming (can use digital zoom only). Overall, it is an outstanding camera with video capabilities that are better than average for a reasonable price.
Reviews and Demonstrations of the Canon Powershot SD1100 IS
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
Amazon Price: $189.95 (as of 07/10/2009)
This Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ4 is a bit bigger than the very compact Canon listed above. It offers an 8.1 megapixel sensor, 10x optical zoom Leica lens, and optical image stabilization. It features face detection, red eye correction, self timer, and a 2.5" LCD screen. It is simple to use and is PictBridget compatible for directly connecting to such printers.
This camera is capable of recording 1920x1080 pixel high definition motion pictures. It can capture footage/images in 4:3 or 16:9 formats, including 848x480 in widescreen mode at 30 FPS. The great news about this little camera's videography skills is that users can make use of the optical zoom even when filming. Both images and video can be played back on HDTV as the camera is compatible with Panasonic Viera Plasma HDTVs and has HD component output capability.
Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ4 Review
Canon TX1
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Canon PowerShot TX1 7.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Amazon Price: $586.93 (as of 07/10/2009)
This Canon TX1 has a 7 megapixel sensor, 10x optical image stabilized zoom lens and a handy, flip out, rotating 1.8" LCD screen. It offers face detection, automatic red eye correction, and 14 shooting modes to make capturing great photos a breeze. It has a built in lens cover to protect the lens and can be directly connected to many Canon or PictBridge compatible printers.
This camera is also pretty respectable in movie mode. It can record 720p images at 30fps VGA or 60fps QVGA. It records stereo sound, offers a wind filter, and allows you to make use of the face detection, auto focus, and zoom functions in movie mode as well. Users can even capture still photos while filming. The camera can handle 13-14 minutes of filming without download using the highest, 720p setting, or up to 30 minutes at the 640x480 setting making it a great choice for those searching for a camera with video that will impress.
Canon TX1 Review and Demos
Canon PowerShot S5 IS
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Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Amazon Price: $509.99 (as of 07/10/2009)
The Canon Powershot S5 IS is a well loved superzoom camera that provides users with many of the manual controls that avid amateurs want. However, for those with less skill there are plenty of automatic features although it is certainly larger than the other models featured on this page. This camera has an 8 megapixel CCD, a very quiet and quick 12x optical zoom lens, and 2.5" vari-angle LCD screen. It also offers optical image stabilization, face detection, auto focus, 22 shooting/scene modes, and a single print/share button for easy downloading and printing.
This camera is also a very capable movie making tool. It can record VGA (640x480) films at 30 fps or QVGA (320x240) at 60 fps to allow users to record for a full hour. The wind filter, stereo recording, and audio volume adjustment also make for good audio quality on films.
Canon Powershot S5 IS Review and Demos
Canon EOS Rebel T1i
Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens
Amazon Price: $809.95 (as of 07/10/2009)
The Canon EOS Rebel T1i offers users a flexible digital camera with video capture capabilities. It has a 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor with Canon EF-S, 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 image stabilized lens. It can also capture full HD video at 1920x1080 at 20 frames per second as well as 640x480 or 1280x720 video at 30 fps. Users can record for just under 30 minutes. It features a built in mono-microphone for capturing sound and offers HDMI output for viewing on your television. (no external mic jack)
The Rebel has a wide ISO range from 100-3200 and even has an auto lighting optimizer function that helps avoid over/under exposure in tricky lighting situations. For beginners, there's also a Creative Auto Mode which provides an on-screen guide to help with getting just the right shot. It records images to SD/SDHC cards and comes with the needed editing software. Compatible with both Macs and Windows PCs it's a good choice for beginners as well as exerienced enthusiasts. It's even compatible with 60 different Canon lenses for those who want to get more creative.
Review of the Canon EOS Reble T1i
Canon EOS 500D (Rebel T1i) hands-on preview by What Digital Camera
What Digital Camera takes a close a close look at the new Canon EOS 500D (Digital Rebel T1i) DSLR. (Video shot on the Canon EOS 5D Mk.II) To view a higher quality version of this video go to: http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/videos/reviews/314026/canon-eos-500d-video-preview.html
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Nikon D90
Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 07/10/2009)
The Canon D90 is a more sophisticated digital camera with video capabilities. It has a 12.3-megapixel DX-format CMOS imaging sensor and 5.8x AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. It also features a 3-inch 920,000-dot color LCD monitor and D-Movie Mode which allows users to record 720p HD video at 24fps HD with sound.
It's a fast camera. It powers up within .15ms and offers continuous shooting as fast as 4.5 frames per second. It also features five advanced scene modes as well as program auto, shutter priority, aperture priority and manual to give you full control, 11 point auto-focus with face priority, ISO sensitivity from 200 to 3200, and built-in sensor cleaning. GPS for geotagging is an available option.
Nikon D90 Review
Nikon D90 review
Full review at http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikon_D90/ . A ten minute video tour around Nikon's latest mid-range DSLR, the D90, including clips from its movie mode, by Gordon Laing, Editor of http://www.cameralabs.com . For our full review, sample images and current pricing, please click the link at the start of this text or visit cameralabs . com. If you have any questions regarding the D90 or this review, feel free to comment in the Nikon D90 thread in the Cameralabs forums.
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Canon EOS 5D MarkII
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens
Amazon Price: $3,999.99 (as of 07/10/2009)
This higher end camera offers a 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and Canon's EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens. It's also a digital camera with video capabilities which can capture full Hd video at 1920x1080 resolution for up to 4GB per clip. It also offers HDMI output for HD viewing on your TV. It has a 3.0" LCD with 170 degree viewing angles and anti-glare coating.
This camera features 14-bit A/D conversion, wide range ISO setting 100-6400, DIGIC 4 Image Processor; high-performance 3.9 fps continuous shooting, integrated lens cleaning system, and Live View Function for stills. Click on image for more details.
Canon EOS SD MarkII Review
Digital Cameras with HD Video: New for 2009
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Digital Camera with 4.6x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Sea Green)
The TS1 is a 12.6 megapixel camera with 4.6x optical zoom. It's waterproof to 10 feet, dustproof, and shockproof to survive a significant drop. It will also record 1080p video and has built in face recognition. It features a 28mm wide angle Leica DC Vario Elmar lens. It's available in orange, sea green, and silver.
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 07/10/2009)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black)
The ZS3 is a rugged 10 megapixel camera with 12x optical stabilized zoom that has the capabilitiy of recording 720p HD video. It also features a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens.
Amazon Price: $399.99 (as of 07/10/2009)
Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD 10MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom
The S2000HD is a 10 megapixel camera with 15x optical zoom, a wide angle lens, and a 2.7" color display. It offers a maximum sensitivity of 6400 for capturing good low light images, face detection, super macro mode for up close photography, and continuous shooting at high-speed (13.5fps, up to 33 frames)
Amazon Price: $289.00 (as of 07/10/2009)
Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Deep Red)
Available in red, silver, black and gold the SD780IS is a 12.1 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom, a 2.5 inch LCD display, and the ability to capture 720p HD video. It also offers face detection, self timer, red eye correction, and intelligent contrast correction to give you the best shots everytime.
Amazon Price: $233.00 (as of 07/10/2009)
Casio High-Speed Exilim EX-FC100 9 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD
Available in black and silver, the FC100 is another digital camera with video capabilities; capturing 720p video as well as 9.1 megapixel still images. It features a 5x optical image stabilized zoom and a high -speed burst shooting mode that captures 30 shots-per-second at 6 megapixels.
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 07/10/2009)
Review of 2009 Digital Cameras with HD Video
Canon PowerShot SD780 IS 12.1-Megapixel Digital ELPH Digital Camera
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Pentax K-7
Pentax K-7 14.6 MP Digital SLR with Shake Reduction and 720p HD Video (Body Only)
Amazon Price: $1,299.95 (as of 07/10/2009)
The K-7 offers pros a digital camera with video capture capability. It offers a 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor and a high speed continuous shooting mode that allows you to capture up to 40 JPEG images at 5.2 images/second. It will also record 720p HD video at 30 fps in 16:9 aspect ratio. In addition, it features a 3" LCD and a durable body that is cold, dust, and rain resistant.
Pentax K-7 Review
Pentax K7 video preview: first look
What Digital Camera takes a first look at the new Pentax K7. Read all about it at http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/1/news.html
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Photo Credits
Introduction: dafydd359. (no derivative work allowed)
The Disadvantages: ArtBrom.
Choosing a Digital Camera with Video: hageatama.
