Video Camera

Video perfection tool catches up with TV cop technology

By Darren Quick

03:39 July 3, 2009 PDT

Anyone who has watched CSI or any of the Law & Order franchises has no doubt witnessed a well groomed police technician magically clean up fuzzy security camera vision, thereby providing the detectives with the vital number plate or the face of a criminal at the push of a button. The truth is, of course, far removed from such TV fantasy – at least it has been until now. A new video “perfection tool” developed by researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) helps investigators enhance raw video images to improve the quality at which the images were originally recorded. Read More

Panasonic releases 'two of the world’s lightest HD camcorders'

By Darren Quick

00:46 June 15, 2009 PDT

At just 0.5 lbs each, Panasonic's two new high definition (HD) camcorders are almost half the weight of the company's first AVCHD offering released in 2006 which tipped the scales at just under a pound. While a pound may not sound like much anyway, any weight loss in a device that may need to be carried at eye level for extended periods of time is good news for tired arms everywhere. Read More

JVC 4K2K 60p camera and SHV D-ILA projector offer a glimpse of the future of ultra high resolution imaging

By Mike Hanlon

16:52 May 17, 2009 PDT

Demand for hi-res applications such as monitoring, remote health and digital cinema is ensuring we are forever moving towards higher definition moving imagery and JVC zoomed the future a lot closer this week in announcing the world’s first 4K2K 60p video camera and the world’s first full-coverage, high-resolution Super Hi-Vision (SHV) D-ILA projector. Both offer remarkable resolution and their size belies the remarkable technology inside, with the 4K2K camera weighing just 3 kilograms yet capable of 60 progressive frame live signal output and 8.29 megapixel (3,840 x 2,160) images - approximately four times the resolution of full HD (1,920 x 1,080). The SHV D-ILA projector can render video in a resolution of 33 megapixels (7,680 x 4,320 pixels) with 10,000 lumens of brightness and a staggering 5,500:1 contrast ratio. The camera will go on sale this year and advance orders are now being taken. Read More

Flipping out over the new Flip Ultra and Flip UltraHD

By David Greig

21:12 May 5, 2009 PDT

Pure Digital Technologies has launched the second generation of its popular Flip Ultra and Flip UltraHD. The two new Ultra camcorders feature two hours of recording time, a high-resolution two-inch anti-glare screen and a AA rechargeable battery pack, which can be charged using the camera’s flip-out USB arm. Read More

Getting a grip of Samsung's new ergonomic camcorders

By Darren Quick

17:21 May 4, 2009 PDT

The unabated miniaturization of technology has seen camcorders quickly shrink from bulky, shoulder-supported behemoths to tiny feature-packed devices that fit in the palm of your hand. Samsung’s latest SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 camcorders reject the pistol grip design that some manufacturers have embraced in favor of a horizontal body with the same shiny Touch of Color (ToC) finish as the company’s latest TVs. Read More

Genius G-Shot HD520 easy on the pocket in more ways than one

By Darren Quick

20:59 May 3, 2009 PDT

If you’re in the market for a camcorder that isn’t too hard on the pocket when it comes to both size and cost, then the Genius G-Shot HD520 could be just the thing for you. Capable of capturing 11-megapixel still images or 5-megapixel video in MPEG-4/H.264 format, the camcorder has a pistol-grip form that is compact enough to slip into a pocket and carries a comfortable USD$149 price tag that is sure to appeal in these economically uncertain times. Read More

Panasonic climbs aboard Hollywood's 3D roller coaster

By Darren Quick

01:21 April 29, 2009 PDT

While the popularity of 3D movies has had more ups and downs than a roller coaster, the technology is experiencing a resurgence in popularity with Hollywood scrambling to generate more 3D content. The latest manufacturer taking the ride up is Panasonic. The electronics giant has announced it will start developing a professional 3D Full HD production system consisting of a twin-lens P2 professional camera recorder and a 3D-compatible High Definition Plasma display. Read More

WristShot gives the wrist a break during filming

By Darren Quick

01:23 April 23, 2009 PDT

Camcorders have come a long way from the analogue behemoths people were forced to lug about in days gone by. With the steady reduction in size, it has not only lightened the load for budding directors, but also it has done away with the need to rest the camera on your shoulder when filming, with the exception of expensive professional models. But this has had a downside – increasingly unstable shots as the user’s hand tires and begins to shake. Camera accessory manufacturer Hoodman has come to the rescue, however, with a simple solution that gives videographers’ wrists a rest. The WristShot is a camera mount that transfers the weight of the camera from the wrist to the forearm. Read More

Filmmaker takes a new look at the world through Eyeborg project

By Paul Best

15:37 April 9, 2009 PDT

After years of wearing a patch to hide his disfigured right eye, damaged as a child in a shooting accident, Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence was forced eventually to replace the eye with a prosthetic one. The camera on Spence’s cell phone, though, gave him a rather novel idea. What if he could build a miniature, wireless video camera into his prosthetic eye?

What followed has become the Eyeborg Project, the progress of which can be now followed online. Read More

Crayola goes digital

By Darren Quick

21:04 March 30, 2009 PDT

Crayola is a name that conjures up happy childhood memories for generations of kids – or former kids. Although the Crayola brand is synonymous with crayons and other assorted ‘coloring implements’, that hasn’t stopped them embracing the digital age with a range of colorful electronic toys designed to combine learning with fun. Gizmag got the low down on the latest from the company at the recent Australian Toy Hobby and Nursery Fair. Read More

Sanyo Xacti dual camera shoots HD video and stills simultaneously

By Darren Quick

00:52 March 10, 2009 PDT

The convergence of video and still cameras has been happening practically since the first digital cameras rolled off the production line. It’s now pretty standard for still cameras to be able to capture short bursts of video and it’s easy to capture a still pic using most video cameras. Sanyo’s Xacti dual camera range seeks to blur the lines between still and video cameras even further by allowing the capture of still and 60 fps video images simultaneously. Read More

JVC announces new Everio X compact HD video camera

By Dave Weinstein

06:39 March 9, 2009 PDT

JVC's newest solid state camcorder offers 9 megapixels stills, full 1080p HD video, super slow motion video modes and more; all in a compact sexy package. We had a chance to see a demonstration of the device at PMA 2009, and were impressed. Read More

The Top 50 Best Selling Camcorders

By Tim Hanlon

01:06 December 22, 2008 PST

Need a last minute Christmas gift, or just a way to capture the special moments over the coming holiday period? Check out this list of the 50 best selling camcorders on PriceGrabber, and the best prices available on the net. Read More

IQinVision's IQeye 4 offers cost-effective 2-megapixel IP Video

By Jack Martin

08:37 September 6, 2008 PDT

September 6, 2008 IqinVision specialises in high-performance network cameras, smart IP cameras, and network video recording systems, and the range-topper in its new IQeye 4 series of IP video cameras is both simple and ever-so-powerful with 2-megapixel resolution. Whatsmore, it sends power, video and camera management over a single network cable making it ideal as a cost-effective solution that can integrate seamlessly with all leading network video recording systems and video analytics systems. Read More

Canon's new VIXIA camcorders record at AVCHD's maximum 24Mbps

By Tim Hanlon

20:08 August 7, 2008 PDT

August 8, 2008 Canon today introduced three new camcorders in their VIXIA range, each capable of recording Full HD (1920 x 1080) to internal storage or an SDHC card at 24Mbps - the highest possible quality that the AVCHD format allows. The VIXIA HF11 features an internal 32GB flash drive, while the HG20 and HG21 pack 60GB and 120GB hard drives respectively - at the cost of a larger frame. Read More

Hitachi's DZ-BD10H Blu-ray camcorder packs 30GB hard drive, records to SDHC card

By Tim Hanlon

23:51 July 24, 2008 PDT

July 25, 2008 Hitachi today announced the release of the DZ-BD10H Blu-ray camcorder, capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) onto its 30GB hard disk, an SDHC card or a recordable Blu-ray disc. Read More

Seagull-cam military/spy camera technology

By Loz Blain

01:33 July 7, 2008 PDT

Video capture and transmission technology has become so compact, reliable and cheap that remote-controlled spy-cams are making their way into general military use in a variety of creative packages. That seagull bobbing quietly up and down on the water, for example, could be one of Macroswiss's electrically-propelled remote control surveillance cameras. The company also manufactures small gun-mounted targeting cameras that allow operatives to point their firearms around corners and shoot whatever's on their wrist-mounted screen like it's a video game. And then there's the short-range throwing camera, which can be lobbed grenade-style into a dangerous or hostile area. It automatically rights itself and transmits a remotely-controlled rotating view back to an assault team so there's no surprises when they enter the area. Read More

Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac

By Noel McKeegan

22:45 June 24, 2008 PDT

June 25, 2008 Logitech's latest webcam offering is its first Mac-compatible model to feature autofocus technology and Carl Zeiss optics. Read More

HD video cam with 120GB drive records 50 hours

By Mike Hanlon

21:12 June 19, 2008 PDT

June 20, 2008 It’s only a moment ago that a 120GB hard drive in a laptop signified a state-of-the-art machine. Now JVC Victor in Japan is planning to release a new Everio GZ-HD40video camera with a 120GB hard drive early next month for around JPY150,000 (USD$1400). With a 120GB of storage, the GZ-HD40 can hold 50 hours of full high-definition AVCHD (1920x1080i) video, the longest HD recording time of any camera available , remarkably all packed into a tiny 455g body. Read More

2GB Flip Video Mino - smaller than a cellphone

By Loz Blain

23:47 June 17, 2008 PDT

June 18, 2008 In May last year we praised Pure Digital's Flip Video camera for its simplicity, ease of use and instant YouTube upload facility. Now, the Flip has been upgraded - and downsized - with the release of the Flip Video Mino, a 2GB flash video camera that's smaller than the average cell phone, with a 1.5 inch LCD screen and flip-out USB connector for immediate uploading. Read More

JVC announces three new Everio camcorders

By Tim Hanlon

08:22 June 16, 2008 PDT

JVC has announced three new models for their Everio range of HD camcorders - the entry-level GZ-HD10, the GZ-HD30 and the GZ-HD40. All three models feature a newly-developed CMOS sensor, JVC's first departure from the CCD array. Read More

Straight from Q's laboratory - the Snakehead aerial camera

By Kyle Sherer

19:26 May 18, 2008 PDT

SpaceCam Systems' "Snakehead" is a plane-mounted, gyroscopically stabilized, fully-articulated high-resolution movie camera that allows pilots to fly as aggressively while preserving a stable shot. Read More

New low cost HD camcorder from DXG USA

By Darren Quick

17:54 April 29, 2008 PDT

April 29, 2008 Joining DXG USA’s previously reviewed DXG-566V low cost HD camcorder is the new, almost equally low priced DXG-569V HD. Like its stable mate the DXG-569V HD sports a 5 Megapixel CMOS sensor with still images interpolated up to 8 Megapixel resolution, records HD video up to 1280 x 720 in H.264, MOV file format at 30fps but changes the form factor to an slim, vertical design. In addition, the DXG-569V HD also features a digital voice recorder and it can also can be used as a mass storage device by connecting it to a PC via USB2.0 to copy and back-up files from the computer to the camcorder’s SD Card. Read More

World’s smallest hi-def camera head from Toshiba

By Emily Clark

23:33 April 6, 2008 PDT

Toshiba Imaging has launched the world’s smallest HD camera head, measuring just 1.6 inches and weighing only 2.3 oz. It is envisaged that the mini IK-HD1 will be used for scientific imaging and diagnostics, specialty broadcasting, homeland security, and industrial video and inspection applications. Read More

Mtron develops a 128Gb-1.8 Inch High Capacity SSD

By Darren Quick

16:12 February 24, 2008 PST

February 25, 2008 South Korean Solid State Drive (SSD) products manufacturer Mtronstorage Technology has completed the development of a new 1.8 Inch ZIF-type SSD for laptop PCs. Mtron’s new SSD with Single Level Cell (SLC) Flash memory supports PATA (ZIF-type) interface and has a maximum reading speed of 120MB/s and writing speed of 100MB/s - more than 6 times faster than the current 1.8 inch HDD. Therefore when it’s used in laptop PC and UMPC, Mtron claims it delivers much faster performance than desktop PCs. Mtron has also released a 1.8 inch SSD with Multi Level Cell (MLC) Flash memory, which provides maximum memory capacity of up to 128 GB along with a maximum reading speed of 110 MB/s and writing speed of 40MB/s. Read More