Our earlier articles have looked at the importance of identifying professional producer skills and also developing good marketing and communications content, but even if they are appropriate for your needs, a corporate video can still be an embarrassing failure if the camera equipment isn't up to requirements. Later, we'll be looking at sound and lighting equipment. At approximately 6/8 times the price of a good quality photographer's DSLR, professional video producers still prefer 3CCD video cameras as these offer many significant benefits over alternatives. Consumer video camcorders and DSLR's are okay for documenting family memories, however, they are not suited for professional video productions. Let's first identify two key factors, what they are and then how they perform. What is a CCD? Almost all video cameras on the market use CCD's. These are electronic chips that convert the light entering the lens into electrical signals. These chips are essential for all digital cameras to function correctly. A 3CCD video camera has three separate CCD sensors. Each of these will collect either Red, Blue or Green light separately. What is High Definition? HD is the number of pixels in each frame. Typically 1080 and 720 represents the true vertical count. HD is always wide screen so using a 16:9 aspect ratio will determine the value in horizontal equivalent. Therefore if pixels were square, which in camera recording they're not, it would be the equivalent to 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720. The main purpose of HD is to enable viewers to watch higher quality images when seen on larger screens, than they would otherwise watch in Standard Definition (SD). Superior quality A DSLR has only one CCD. This single CCD will capture "all" of the colours of light together when entering the lens. Even cameras with 1920 x 1080 pixels will normally produce poorer quality images than a 3CCD video camera. This is because they need to use interpolation algorithms, which reduces the resolution of the image. The result being less clarity and therefore less detail and also making them appear comparatively "flat". The quality of videos made with 3CCD video cameras is superior to those made with consumer level camcorders and DSLR's. Because different colours are collected on separate sensors, they can then be recombined to produce a very high quality and high resolution image. When shot in 1080 HD these images retain their high quality.

Many 3CCD video cameras also have interchangeable lenses. This is very different to a consumer level camcorder, which has a single fixed lens that cannot be removed. The ability to change lenses aids shooting in a variety of different conditions. They can also shoot in 1080i, which is broadcast quality offering a wider platform for delivery, whereas 1080p and 720p is not. Adaptable to conditions Consumer level video cameras and DSLR's have limited functionality so cannot shoot good quality video in all situations. Most 3CCD cameras will come with a vast array of manual control options to shoot in a much wider range of different conditions such as avoiding the influence of bright or dark backgrounds, poor or changing light conditions. The three separate CCD's in the camera will also ensure that the images are clearer with more detail, richer and truer colours. Reliability Whilst 3CCD cameras are more complicated and require more skill to use, they are much more reliable. They are built to higher specifications, which will ensure that the production crew can get on with its job. These cameras can cope with far higher usage, being used every day. Conclusion If you want the quality of your video to look good, the best place to start is to engage a professional Video Production Company. A professional Video Production Company will have invested in an extensive range of high specification equipment to make your video look and sound good. ----------o0o---------- If you would like help creating a company video, using professional quality equipment that delivers added technical polish, why not give CorpFilms [UK] a call? "It's what we're known for. It's what we do well"

CorpFilms [UK] specialises in 'high-end' corporate film production. * Company Promotions * Web and Point of Sale adverts * Training, Employee Inductions and e-Learning * Product 'How to' User Guides & Demonstrations * Live Events and Award Ceremonies * Interactive Interviews
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