1080/25p Digital Compact Cameras

Hi
Check out the Sony DSC-WX-5 and HX-5 (or HX-7/9/100).

Have had the Sony DSC-HX5 for some time now. If I edit it in with footage from the NX5 there is no aparent difference in quality. The only snag is, if you wish to use it as a second camera, that it will only record 30 minutes before it automatically shuts off needing a second person to re hit the record button!

I think the Sonys are 720p, at least the compacts. Having a think about Panny Lumix 4/3 cameras. Concerned a bit about these being a "system" cams as don't want to find myself buying lenses and accessories, more gear to lug about and get in the way.

The Pannys are Pal and NTSC specced for video, unlike, it appears, the latest Nikon 1080p compacts which are 30fsp only.

Ron

My wife has recently got a Sony DSC-W380, quite nice (and mainly intended for stills) - but does only have a 30fps video mode.

Can I ask why you're specifically asking for 1080p/25?

Reason is that many cameras may have a 1080p RECORDING MODE, but I doubt any compacts (even DSLRs for that matter) will give anything like 1080p resolution. They're effectively putting a pint into a quart pot - then making a lot of the quart pot. Not only compacts for that matter - many sub-£5,000 true video cameras have 1 megapixel chips, so even they can't do anything like full justice to a 1080p recording.

Accept that, and using such a compact camera in 720p mode makes a lot of sense, even if a 1080 mode is available, it means the compression is easier for the same bitrate, for example.

The 25fps matter is a completely different thing........

Go upmarket a bit and I think you'll find such cameras becoming more region specific. http://www.sony.co.uk/product/dsc-h-series/dsc-hx5v#pageType=TechnicalSpecs show 1080i, 1080p and 720p modes all based on 50Hz.

Also bear in mind that such still cameras are likely to use much more video compression than you'd find in a true video camera.

Hi
'Upmarket' was £179 for an HX-5, and £169 for a WX-5 in the January sales - I chose the WX-5 for the f2.4 lens as I will be using it in low light to shoot locked-off WAs whilst I use a Panasonic SD600 for following the action - intercutting both in the edit.

The Sony HX5 UK spec. includes "....AVCHD 1920 x 1080 (50i, Interlace). approx.17Mbps (average bit-rate)....."

edit... sorry...post crossed with Pauls....

I'm very tempted by the HX5. Do you know if there are any example raw MTS files downloadable from anywhere? Or do you have a small clip you could make available erich?

Thanks everyone. I have a Canon XLH1 and a nanoFlash so I can get "full" 1080/25p.
I am looking at something a bit, or rather a lot more portable with the potential of being able to intercut footage with that from the bigger outfit. I thought 1080p more appropriate than 720p.

I appreciate there will be editing issues, the nanoFlash produces Quick Time .mov files directly into FCP while most if not all of these little cams seem to use AVCHD.

I am due a better still camera anyway, but thought, maybe?

Ron

New Panasonic compact with 1920x1080 pixels, 50i (Sensor output is 25p). Probably cost around £235 to start with but likely to come down in price over the next few months. The OIS in 'Active Mode' looks very effective when walking and shooting video.

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/LUMIX+Digital+Cameras/Stylish+Compact/DMC-FX77/Overview/6915971/index.html

Thanks for the news about the new Lumix, as a result I found the "Lumix DMC-TZ20 " which is even better specced.

I think I'll get one though perhaps give it a chance to reduce in price a bit.

I'll be interested to see how these perform off a decent (lightweight) tripod and head.

Ron

The HX5 is a little beauty. The image stabiliser is amazing, the camera works quite well in low light, even though the lens is 3.5 at its widest. I posted this clip early last year. It was straight out of the box http://www.vimeo.com/11091348 just to show the zoom and picture quality. It goes everywhere with me, its so small, it fits in a shirt pocket. I have intercut clips from this little cam with footage from my EX1, they match very nicely.

Paul, what is the battery life like on the WX-5

Hi
I haven't shot video with it in earnest yet, but spec-wise Sony rate battery life as 2/3 that of the HX-5.
Since the batteries are tiny that is probably optimistic.

Thanks Colin. Nice quality!

Hi Colin. I have got one of these coming (Unused unwanted gift on ebay for £125 inc P&P) so will let you know battery life compared with HX5

Paul. thanks for that
Colin. Did you get my PM re meta data ?
John. Good find. Look forward to hearing from you

Yes thanks, Colin - been out most of the day.

Received mine today and can report that battery life is around 3/4 that of HX5. I would say picture/video quality is superior to HX5 (just) and better low light. 3D mode on stills is great but is a bit of a novelty. Downside, its only 5x zoom. as opposed to 10x on hx5, but just walk a bit closer!! Also camera noise on sound is nowhere near so bad as the HX5

So does this mean the camera in movie mode is "interlaced"?
I was hoping to be able to judiciously mix footage from a compact with "25p" footage from my XLH1/nanoflash. If the compact cam footage is interlaced then presumably I'll have a problem.

Ron