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.
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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" |
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