On Mon, 7 Apr 2003 01:40:35 -0700 (PDT), bigrocketman3@webtv.net (Steve McDonald) wrote:

> I believe that the Sony TR400 was their first Hi-8 camcorder with

>electronic image stabilization. It didn't work as well as their later

>EIS models, but it did give the option of turning it off and the full

>CCD would then be used for active video.

Yes. I didn't bother to point this out...;-)

>Their later EIS systems use

>only the smaller, inner-sector of pixels, even when the stabilizer is

>off-----a distinct disadvantage. I believe that one benefit of the

>Panasonic EIS camcorders is that when the stabilizer is off, the whole

>CCD is available for video.

>Steve McDonald

Not sure if it does - but it would be a good option...

BTW, in Panasonic's earlier 3-chippers (AG-EZ1U, 30U/950),

turning the stabilizer on both robbed image angle-of-view

and sharpness. I trust that the latter does not continue,

and that stabilizer-on images have sufficient pixels to

provide good sharpness... Also, BTW - with cameras that have

a still-mode (just about all...), the FireWire signal from

them while in still-mode can be fed to another camera for

motion-recording (though the slow frame-rate and other

image oddities can make this undesireable...;-).