On 1 Aug 2002 10:54:46 -0700, kcelone@harthosp.org (ccnlab) wrote:

>I have a few questions about digital camcorders, they may be really
>trivial and simple, but I could not find definitive answers on them. I
>have read a ton of posts, but I just want to make sure that I
>understand completely before I buy.
>
>1) Can a dv camcorder (minidv,digital8,etc) record directly from the
>camera to the computer, or must they always be saved on tapes or
>memory sticks? I know about firewire cards, I just want to make sure
>that this definitely can be done before I purchase.

Yes, no problem - it is the same signal, either way...

>2) Once the recording is saved onto the hard drive (.avi, etc) can
>this be burned onto a DVD and play within any dvd player? Or just on
>computer DVD drives?

"Regular" DVDs can be made, with special burners, BUT,
these are generally compatible with some, or most,
standard DVD players, but not all, alas...

>3) How much hard disk space would a two hour recording take up?

A "finished" 2-hour recording (after editing, most
likely from much more material...) in Mini-DV/DVCam
takes up about 25 gigs of HD space - but big drives are
now cheap...

>4) Do all models come with an external mic hookup?

No.

>5) We are looking for a camera that will have excellent image capture
>because we will be using this to video patients in a study, and we
>need to have really good detail to discern facial expressions and
>general movements.

See:
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/vid_pict_characts.htm
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder-comparison.htm
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/camcorder--comparison.htm
www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/sony_dcr-vx2000.htm
to get some background and comparisons - from
this, you may have a better idea of what to look for...

>What would you recommend minidv, digital8,
>micromv, etc? Digital 8 and minidv seem to be the same within
>reviews, but is there really a better way to go for this sort of
>thing?

They are the same data format (as is DVCam), and a good
choice, but camcorders using these formats vary A LOT
in image and sound quality - see the URLs above for more...

>Ok, I think that's it. I really appreciate any help on this topic.

Knowing the budget amount, lighting encountered, audio
needs, user skills, etc. would narrow and define the
choices somewhat...;-)