Best movie mode on a digital still camera? Interesting findings... at DVinfo.net

Jonathan Bergstrom · November 15th, 2006, 09:15 PM

I have been hunting down a new still camera, and have been more and more impressed with the movie modes on some of the new cameras out there. In fact, I am ready to give up trying to lug a second video camera around, unless I am shooting more intentional footage (I shoot with an XL2, but it isn't so convenient.) So far, I've found a few that do surprisingly good 640x480, 30fps video. There are even a couple that produce psuedo hi-def video. The problem is that it is really hard to figure out what the quality is like from the specs. So far, I've found the canon's to look the best, especially the S3 IS, and the new G7. The Panasonic LX2 supposedly does 16x9 footage at 848x480 pixels, 30fps. From what I have seen, it really looks like less than that, uprezed to get those numbers. The canon's look very good at 640x480. There is also a new Leica D Lux 3 (almost identical to the panasonic lumix LX2) that gives similar numbers, but I am wondering if perhaps it looks better?

Any thoughts on your digital camera's movie mode? Any thing that I could reasonably edit together in FCP and burn DVD's? Below are some video links:

Canon S3 IS footage:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ca...w/MVI_0093.AVI

Canon G7 footage:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ca...w/MVI_0184.AVI

Panasonic LX2:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/pa...w/P1000071.MOV Check out the stairsteping on the pannisonic. There is no way this is 848x480. It almost looks like the vertical resolution is doubled to get that number. Check out this guys protest to the issue: http://www.calmar.ws/panasonic/index.html I am hoping the Lecia
D-Lux 3 is different. Anyone have this camera?

The reviews on this site are great by the way:
http://www.dcresource.com

Frank Granovski · November 20th, 2006, 04:17 AM

Your link, " http://www.calmar.ws/panasonic/index.html ," would most likely describe the Leica version as well.

Re: http://www.dcresource.com/ - no Leica M8 review? Shame. This camera needs more slamming.

November 15th, 2006, 09:15 PM	#1
Jonathan Bergstrom New Boot Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Seattle, Washington USA Posts: 11	Best movie mode on a digital still camera? Interesting findings... I have been hunting down a new still camera, and have been more and more impressed with the movie modes on some of the new cameras out there. In fact, I am ready to give up trying to lug a second video camera around, unless I am shooting more intentional footage (I shoot with an XL2, but it isn't so convenient.) So far, I've found a few that do surprisingly good 640x480, 30fps video. There are even a couple that produce psuedo hi-def video. The problem is that it is really hard to figure out what the quality is like from the specs. So far, I've found the canon's to look the best, especially the S3 IS, and the new G7. The Panasonic LX2 supposedly does 16x9 footage at 848x480 pixels, 30fps. From what I have seen, it really looks like less than that, uprezed to get those numbers. The canon's look very good at 640x480. There is also a new Leica D Lux 3 (almost identical to the panasonic lumix LX2) that gives similar numbers, but I am wondering if perhaps it looks better? Any thoughts on your digital camera's movie mode? Any thing that I could reasonably edit together in FCP and burn DVD's? Below are some video links: Canon S3 IS footage: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ca...w/MVI_0093.AVI Canon G7 footage: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ca...w/MVI_0184.AVI Panasonic LX2: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/pa...w/P1000071.MOV Check out the stairsteping on the pannisonic. There is no way this is 848x480. It almost looks like the vertical resolution is doubled to get that number. Check out this guys protest to the issue: http://www.calmar.ws/panasonic/index.html I am hoping the Lecia D-Lux 3 is different. Anyone have this camera? The reviews on this site are great by the way: http://www.dcresource.com

November 20th, 2006, 04:17 AM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Your link, " http://www.calmar.ws/panasonic/index.html ," would most likely describe the Leica version as well. Re: http://www.dcresource.com/ - no Leica M8 review? Shame. This camera needs more slamming.