Videocameras and Mini-VideoCameras: 720 v 1080

What's the real diff. I want to take good vacation footage, but kind of want to know if I use one of those handheld camcorders (I'm looking at the new Kodak 1080 sports cam) if it will be acceptable for playback on a television screen?

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-PlaySpo...5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1269459393&sr=8-5

Should I shoot at 1080 or 720?

 

You wont get very good picture quality if you play it on a big TV with one of those little cameras.

 

Point and shoot with 1080p. SONY DSC-TX7

[video=youtube;6jmzj32l59w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jmzj32l59w&feature=channel[/video]

 

Yeah, but on a 40" HDTV, it will look like shit?

 

I'm thinking that...but we'll see what happens. might do a test with it.....i kind of want to do some travel vids with those small ones that I can watch at home.

I have access to a larger camera (Canon HF20) at work that is portable I could possibly borrow....but then I have to take all the accessories with me.

 

you do understand most HDTVs are 1080i, right? So yes, if you get a 720 camera and watch it on a 1080 it will look bade! But it should look alright if it's 1080i on 1080i.

 

I don't get the whole 1080 thing to be honest.

So I should just shoot everythign in 1080? Whenever I export on imovie it does it in 720 even if I'm using a 1080 camcorder and they say there is "neglibile loss".

 

... do you know what HD means? High Definition. The 360, 480, 720, 1080 is referring to the pixels per inch ratio. To answer your question more specifically, it would be stupid for you to buy a camera that shoots in 1080i and then save everything in 720. You are by definition wasting your money. If you want to get the best quality, then you need to save it in 1080i.

 

I bet it would look great. Go try it out at bestbuy or something..it's 1080i btw, not 1080p.

 

ok. So if I shoot something in 1080i and then save it and export it in 1080i, it would look decent on an HDTV? Even if its one of those little small deallies like I mentioned?

I mean will there be a HUGE tradeoff between that and a $500 camcorder?

 

I'm thinking the main thing would be the graininess in lower light situations with the nicer camcorders versus the point and shoot types?

 

I just played this 720p video on my 720p tv. Took it with my Nikon D5000. Looked perfect on my 42inch Samsung.

[video=youtube;wyoQ3AJGBQc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyoQ3AJGBQc[/video]

 

Yeah, those SLRs are actually really good. I see a lot of people using the Canon 5D to make pretty professional quality shorts and web-video.

 

clearly you haven't been around a 1080i in a while

 

My kids have this little camcorder and the picture is great on a computer, but not good when played on our 52'' LCD TV.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insigni...56&st=ShootShareCamcorders_20100110&cp=1&lp=2

 

I personally am a stingy bastard about buying stuff, but i'm a single guy. I don't have a need to start recording my children's memories or anything like that. If it's going to get used a lot and safe, and you can afford it, why not spring for the best on the big ticket items? Just be frugal on the little shit.

 

WTf is that supposed to mean?

 

that says it's 720p; which would explain why it didn't look good on your 52", i'm guessing that's 1080i.

 

you were saying it looks perfect on your 720, and i was being a condescending asshole.

 

yeah...