Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 - Feedback for HD Video

[guitard]

If your converting AVCHD to AVI than you would want to use HD which is huge like 300gb perhour and that wont play smooth either.Im guessing your converting your MTS to standard def AVi and if thats the case theres no benefit to recording in HD in the first place.Yould be much better to convert to  M2t also known as  HDV.

When I record in HD and then convert to SD for DVD authoring, the SD video looks much better than if I had recorded in native SD.  I base this on the appearance of videos that I've shot in the same venue in both HD and SD format and comparing the DVDs authored using that footage.

So I record everything in HD these days, even though I am not yet authoring blu-ray disks.  I do it for the aforementioned reason, and also so that my archive copy is in HD and I'll be able to author an HD version once I start authoring in blu-ray.

[beatkilla]

Going from HD to SD is tricky because you have to change the field order which if not handled properly results in tearing or combing on fast movement. HD is upper field first and SD is lower field first(although some  JVC cams make upper field first SD files and so do some standalone dvd recorders).To change field orders is done by either blending fields together resulting in a blurry result or interpolate fields which har very mixed results or to deinterlace and throw away a field which has choppy movement. Thats why i prefer to shoot in hd and only deliver in hd.That being said i have shot sporting events in hd and had to deliver sd dvds thats where the field order part is crucial for fast movement such as kickboxing.

[swordfish]

If your converting AVCHD to AVI than you would want to use HD which is huge like 300gb perhour and that wont play smooth either.Im guessing your converting your MTS to standard def AVi and if thats the case theres no benefit to recording in HD in the first place.Yould be much better to convert to  M2t also known as  HDV.

I compress using H.264 at 3000 kbps and keep source resolution 720p.

Guess it depends on what you plan on doing with the videos. Mine are mostly just for uploading to youtube and for the times I want to watch them on the big screen TV I can handle the compressed quality.

Heads up from my side---since I am not a PC Guru I couldn't handle  H.264...to many switches and not enough knowlodge ....in the end I used Nero 8 to convert to mpg and Nero 8 to burn a DVD without chapters...not what I wanted...but a start..thinking about buying Vegas 9 or Magix 16...----any sugesstions...for a reasonable priced software...easy to handle..otherwise I have to take some evening classes to keep up with the hobby....

Thanks for the help

[Ziggz]

Check out the Vegas comparison chart:
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro/compare

I got the Movie Studio Platinum 9, and the major downfall is that you can't control the mpeg2 bitrate settings. It does it at the highest setting though, but if your footage is over an hour it needs to go on a dual layer disc (or be split into 2 DVD5 discs). The other problem is you can't import an ac3 audio track, but I don't think that can be done on the more expensive versions either? So you end up re-encoding your cam audio - and the ac3 bitrate is also locked at 192k.
That said, I got the hang of it reasonably quickly.

[beatkilla]

Just to let some people know who are starting to get interested in video editing.You can buy BUFFALO external bluray burner from  BHphotovideo for about $300 and you also get as a bonus cyberlink bluray disc suite which includes power director,power producer,power to go,instant burn!power dvd,etc.You can edit dv,avchd,you can capture dv,hdv,avchd. you can author bluray discs.it has a stabilizer. I have this drive and it is top quality and with the included suite you really cant go wrong.   

[indiie]

If your converting AVCHD to AVI than you would want to use HD which is huge like 300gb perhour and that wont play smooth either.Im guessing your converting your MTS to standard def AVi and if thats the case theres no benefit to recording in HD in the first place.Yould be much better to convert to  M2t also known as  HDV.

I compress using H.264 at 3000 kbps and keep source resolution 720p.

Guess it depends on what you plan on doing with the videos. Mine are mostly just for uploading to youtube and for the times I want to watch them on the big screen TV I can handle the compressed quality.

Heads up from my side---since I am not a PC Guru I couldn't handle  H.264...to many switches and not enough knowlodge

What do you mean "too many switches and not enough knowledge" to use H.264?? If you can install Handbrake (as per my link above) then just click on the "Normal" setting, change the format drop down value to "AVI file" and that's it.  I wouldn't consider myself a PC guru either lol!
The default codec used to compress is H.264, but if you want this can be changed on the Video tab along with the avg bitrate (larger number will give you better picture quality but larger file size too).

Then to play back just ensure you have suitable video codecs installed (this will be a requirement regardless of what format you're dealing with). I think I installed K-lite code pack which will allow most popular formats to play. http://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm

[BlackLab]

just wondering what mode people are shooting concert videos in?

Normal, Intelligent Auto etc

[exxile]

just wondering what mode people are shooting concert videos in?

Normal, Intelligent Auto etc

I've always used IA to date, seems to work for me. A gig can be really bright one minute and really dark the next so I just let the cam adjust itself accordingly. I think you can zoom in further on 'Normal' mode? but not really necessary for me.

[guitard]

I read the following in a review at a camera website.  One of the main reasons I bought this camera was because I thought I was going to be getting manual exposure while in movie mode.  But at this website it says you have manual exposure for taking pictures - but not for shooting video.  I haven't received the camera yet though - I'm hoping they got it wrong at this website.

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_TZ10_ZS7/

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10 / ZS7 Movie mode

The Lumix TZ10 / ZS7 inherits the exact same movie modes as its predecessor, which means Panasonic's resisted the temptation to offer 1080p Full HD or manual exposure control on the new model. As such the best quality video remains 720p HD, although like the TZ7 / ZS3, you get the choice of encoding it in AVCHD Lite or Motion JPEG formats, along with a dedicated record button, stereo microphones and the chance to adjust the optical zoom while filming, although you still can't take a photo without stopping the recording. Note to support AVCHD Lite, you'll need to use a memory card rated as Class 4 or quicker, while to support Motion JPEG, you'll need Class 6 or faster.

[beatkilla]

I am debating getting either this model or the Sony dsc hx5v but i am starting to belive that NO point and shoot lets you control exposure during movie mode or focus.If thats the case then i'll have to pass.If someone can check and confirm i've searched high and low on the net and can not confirm.But since the Nikon D90 doesn't have this control in movie mode i am starting to doubt any others do.I hope this is wrong though.

[BlackLab]

you can adjust exposure manually just not while recording

[carbine000]

just wondering what mode people are shooting concert videos in?

Normal, Intelligent Auto etc

I've tried manual and intelligent auto and I, personally, get far superior focus and longterm focus tracking with manual than with intelligent auto. The iAuto just always seems to be trying  to find the right settings and never really gets it right. The manual stays focused for the most part regardless if the show switches from something like darkness/back lit to strobes and lights.

It probably depends on the show you are filming but all the shows I have done so far came out so much better with the manual than the intelligent that I will never shoot in intelligent auto ever.

[aleal5687]

My first outing with my zs3. Shot in "auto"mode. I was running late and I didn't get a chance to get my dpa4061 set up in time so I just went with the r9hr internals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY3thFXG0rw

[carbine000]

I can confirm that you SHOULD NOT change focus modes on the fly without stopping video. I did this at a show and corrupted a gorgeous 15 minute clip that still burns me up to this day. I still have it on my computer in the hopes  that someday I will find a way to salvage it.

[exxile]

I can confirm that you SHOULD NOT change focus modes on the fly without stopping video. I did this at a show and corrupted a gorgeous 15 minute clip that still burns me up to this day. I still have it on my computer in the hopes  that someday I will find a way to salvage it.

I'm pretty sure you can get it back with a data recovery program. When the camera froze on me during filming, the file became corrupted and I couldn't even copy it from the sd card to my hdd because the header was damaged. But I used a recovery program (in this case 'Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery' and it copied & repaired the file no problem. Might be worth a try?