Technology improvements in CCD
and CMOS image sensors as well as the introduction of new high definition
display and recording
formats have resulted in the introduction of lots of different digital
camcorder models.  Because
of the wide variation in features and price points, it’s more
difficult than ever to select the optimal digital camcorder. Certainly,
some models will be better than others in consideration
of the specific application for which the camcorder is intended and
the features that are required. Because there are so many factors involved
in making a selection and since new models are frequently introduced,
it’s best to provide guidelines useful when evaluating models
intended for a specific application. Then, as new models become available,
they can be compared to existing models based on the same guidelines.
The goal of this paper is to provide guidelines that should
be considered when evaluating camcorders for use in surveillance applications.
These applications are those that would be used by military, law enforcement
and special investigative personnel for gathering evidence or performing
electronic news gathering and usually include viewing at a distance.
While these are useful guidelines for understanding important camcorder
specs, prior to making your own camcorder purchase decision, we suggest
that you perform your own research of available models and, based on
these guidelines, select those models that are expected to deliver the
best performance and perform your own tests under real-life situations.
You may learn that other factors may be important to your specific application
and that your final decision is a compromise of those other factors.
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It's
difficult to compare minimum illumination specs with camcorder models
from different manufacturers.
Using these specifications is very often
unsatisfying. |
For
surveillance, optical image quality is of highest importance. Camcorder
resolution and sensitivity are the primary factors to consider, with
a variety of related factors such as image and pixel fields-of-view,
the pixel size, as well as the frame rate, image stabilization, alternative
lens options and lens interchangeability, integration mode, digital
zoom and display resolution, user interface, video formats, recording
media,
manual gain, infrared mode, video compression, external audio inputs,
viewfinder, robustness, and video compression.
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Intensify
Your Camcorder |
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Transform
your Digital Camcorder and capture high resolution images at night
and in low-light situations otherwise too dark for standard digital
video. With AstroScope, the light amplification is equivalent to
the improvement of 8-10 F-stops so that moonlit or starlit scenes
are transformed into bright, high resolution images that are easily
video recorded.
WITHOUT
AstroScope
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WITH
AstroScope
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| Both shots were taken using the same camera settings: Shutter
Speed: 1/40; No Flash; Lens Aperture: F/5; Focal Length: 52 mm;
ISO: 800; Exposure Comp: 0
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Click
here to learn more! |
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Here's How It Works
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AstroScope transforms dark scenes
into bright, high resolution images that can be easily photographed
without
the need for additional lighting or longer exposure times. The objective
lens focuses the minute amounts of available light onto the faceplate
of its internal central intensification unit that converts the photons
to electrons. The internal electron flux is then amplified and the
electrons are accelerated so that when they impinge on the output
phosphor, a bright green image is created. The image is then focused
onto the internal detector of the digital SLR camera.
Click
here to learn more about How Night Vision Works!
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