Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Yes, I'll do my homework on the Internet, but I thought I'd start with the CF experts.

I'm probably going to need a new digital camera. Also, I've always fancied having a camcorder. So, the question occurred to me: would a camcorder double up as an acceptable digital camera. Offhand, the specific questions that occur to me are:

1) Price. Is a cheap camcorder still significantly more expensive than a reasonable quality digital camera.

2) Size. Camcorders seem to get smaller and smaller, but how do the smallest now compare in size with a medium sized digital camera.

3) Probably the most important. How does the quality of a camcorder digital image compare with that from a digital camera. I understand that what may seem like good quality whilst you're watching a video will be found to be markedly inferior when you extract a single image. I've noticed this on the odd occasion when I've attempted to extract a single picture from a video clip produced by my digital camera.

The question could also be put in reverse. Would the quality of the video clips produced by a reasonably expensive digital camera be better than those produced from a cheap camcorder? I'm really only after clips of the grandchildren etc, so I don't really need any complicated techniques.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

I have been doing some mini vids of my children with the Digital Camera. As primarily a still photographer (never got in to videos much) it works well enough for me. BTW I have a Kodak C340.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

1) Not so much now (although they are more expensive.

2) Depends. A decent, medium sized digital camera will probably have a better lens, optics & CCD (the device the actually records the image - similar to film) than a small camcorder. The CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) will also be optimised for still images. A CCD designed for video will be optimised for speed rather than image resolution. Admittedly, this last bit is not as important now (it's cheaper to manufacture one type of CCD than two).

3) As you have found out, an image from a digital camcorder is worse than than that from a still camera. The main reson is the resolution. Digital camcorders typically operate at 720x576 (about .5 megapixel) pixels. Newer camcorders can go up to about 2 Megapixels for stills, where as reasonable Digital Still cameras start at 3 Megapixels and go up to about 7.

Although, TBH, if you are just taking snaps (family holidays, that sort of thing), a camcorder with 2 Megapixel still photos should be more than good enough.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Reviews here:

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/camcorders...29964,4,00.htm

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

I have a Panasonic cam about 4 years ago and what you can do is just take a frame of video (25 frames per second) and save as a jpeg. Attached are a couple of pictures taken in 2001 !

Mike

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Alternatively, the Nikon D70s I've just bought is a 6.1MP digital camera, but it also has the ability to do Video output.

I'm not sure what the resolution is, and it's a fair bit of money (£700 or so) but it's an option you might want to think about.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Not that I have been looking that hard, but I have never discovered a consumer camcorder that can take stills nearly as well as even a mid-low-end digital compact camera.

You'd be better off carrying two gadgets IMHO.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

No,

Even the highest resolution camcorder is about 2mp, wheras the cheapest camera is 3mp.

Also the capture approach is different, a camcorder is capturing a continuous image and optimised as such, a camera is designed to capture a moment.

You need both.
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As would a SonyErricson K750i cameraphone, and be a lot smaller.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Thanks for all the replies. After reading them, I think I'll stick to the digital camera route. Now that Xmas is approaching, camera magazines with lots of reviews should start appearing. In the meantime, are there any suggestions for the best Internet site for reviews of digital cameras.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

You could try these:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/

http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/

http://www.pcphotoreview.com/defaultcrx.aspx

http://www.photo.net/

http://www.consumersearch.com/www/ph...amera-reviews/

http://www.photoxels.com/

http://www3.interactivereviews.com/b...photo/499052/1

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Just remember - If anyone can Canon can. A few of us are a bit evangalistic about the abilities of their wet and digital cameras of all abilities from the A series, G series and EOS range.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Thanks, I'll bookmark them. I've seen the steves-digicam site being mentioned with approval in the past. Now, all I need is the will power to to start a systematic search. :)
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I'll bear it in mind. Wet cameras - as someone who many years ago actually developed B&W films, I like the term. It was with a tank, of course; I don't go as far back as holding the film in a 'U' and feeding it back and forth through a dish of developer.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Amen. In fact I'm planning my purchase of a 20D right now!

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

Oh the joys of fumbling around in a darkroom trying to crack open the film cassette to feed into the tanks teeth and wind it in.

Re: Using a camcorder as a digital camera
 

If I remember correctly, the important thing was to have the tank dry. (Or was it the opposite? :))