On 6 Feb 2002 05:27:03 -0800, arnouthemel@yahoo.com (Arnout) wrote:

>1. Which codec should I use when capturing video from DV-camera to PC
>(or should I use DV-AVI, and therefore not compress my video..).

The analogue video is compressed in the DV camera
(5:1), and exists on tape already as a digital data
stream. It is transferred and saved as DV-AVI.

>2. Which codec has the best results when I'm finished editing my video
>with Premiere? DivX or MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or DV-AVI or something else?

A codec is used when modifying the footage (transitions,
effects, filters) only, and for highest quality, the
edited footage is returned to the camera for mastering
on tape as a digital data stream in the original format,
DV-AVI. There are several codecs available for operating
on DV footage while editing, and some of these are faster
and have higher image quality than others (two of the best
are the Canopus one used with their FireWire cards, and
the MainConcept, available for about $50). See:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/original_vs_10th-gen.htm for
a 10-generation test of the Canopus codec, and:
http://members.home.net/dgcom/MiniDV/DVcompressors.htm
for 5-generation tests of several other DV codecs
(the results can be surprising...;-).