What is the difference between a Digital Still Camera and a Digital Video Camera?

What is the difference between a Digital Still Camera and a Digital Video Camera?

Now I know everyone will say something like one uses mini-DV and one uses SD or compact flash cards but that really isn’t an important difference. What I want to know is what is the difference in functionality that makes the Digital Video camera better suited for taking movies and the digital still camera better suited for Photos. I know that Digital movie cameras usually use a 1/3 “ sensor or smaller and digital still cameras are usually in the 1/1.8" to 1/2.5" range. What prevents the Digital Video cameras from using a 1/1.8” sensor? If the Canon S80 with its 1/1.8" sensor can take 320x240 60 FPS progressive video why can’t a video camera use a bigger sensor to take 720x480 30 FPS interlaced video? What is stopping digital still cameras from taking over the Digital Video market? I noticed that a lot of video camera manufactures are producing fewer video cameras and a whole lot more digital still cameras that also do very nice progressive video.

I think it's more to marketing strategy.. keeping consumer to buy both for those 2 quite similar function. If 1 equipment can do all, there will be no longer digital still and digital video and the manufacturer doesn't want that, YET.

I believe there are Digital Video Cameras that use bigger sensor, which is usually meant for professional Video Camera or Broadcast Quality Video Camera.. not in a handycam/home/personal video camera type.

From the specification, usually regular or medium quality video camera, uses less than 1MP video size which is why, they keep using small sensors. For example, Sony's MiniDV Handycam DCR-HC42 if I'm not mistaken, it has 1MP sensor with 1/5.5" sensor for digital still photo. While the video size is only 690KB, and it already creates a high quality digital video.

Slowly but surely, I believe these 2 things are gonna be one in the future. For example, Sony's high end consumer handycam, can do video and 3MP still photo with flash.

Well, maybe it's not answering your question, but just my opinion )

mpgxsvcd said:

What is the difference between a Digital Still Camera and a Digital
Video Camera?

Now I know everyone will say something like one uses mini-DV and
one uses SD or compact flash cards but that really isn’t an
important difference. What I want to know is what is the difference
in functionality that makes the Digital Video camera better suited
for taking movies and the digital still camera better suited for
Photos. I know that Digital movie cameras usually use a 1/3 “
sensor or smaller and digital still cameras are usually in the
1/1.8" to 1/2.5" range. What prevents the Digital Video cameras
from using a 1/1.8” sensor? If the Canon S80 with its 1/1.8" sensor
can take 320x240 60 FPS progressive video why can’t a video camera
use a bigger sensor to take 720x480 30 FPS interlaced video? What
is stopping digital still cameras from taking over the Digital
Video market? I noticed that a lot of video camera manufactures are
producing fewer video cameras and a whole lot more digital still
cameras that also do very nice progressive video.

Click to expand...

--
Denny - A70
http://majestixblue.fotopic.net/

I didn't understand your question at first - I was thinking duh, one's a camera for taking pictures and the other is for video. But I get what you're asking now... (I think) You mean just in terms of taking video only.

No idea, but it's a good question and I'd also like to know!

mpgxsvcd said:

What is the difference between a Digital Still Camera and a Digital
Video Camera?

Now I know everyone will say something like one uses mini-DV and
one uses SD or compact flash cards but that really isn’t an
important difference. What I want to know is what is the difference
in functionality that makes the Digital Video camera better suited
for taking movies and the digital still camera better suited for
Photos.

Click to expand...

Video cameras use specifications to comply with standard-definition TV standards. These standards go way beyond the image area part of the digital signal, and include elements that are used for TV transmission and professional editing equipment, for example embedded SMPTE time code and choices of high-quality stereo audio. There are TV standards of required black level and maximum white level. The DV standard is 720X480, 30 fps interlaced video. DV video is a type of codec that outputs a constant bitstream of 25 Mbps, varying the compression on the fly to maintain that standard data rate. Pro-level DV cams have the output fixed at 50Mbps. I have no idea if the digicam videos conform to any of these standards. I doubt it, since I've never seen any video specifications for digicams other than pixel resolution and fps rate. Most advertise using AVI or Quicktime codecs, haven't seen any using DV codecs. Serious videographers might want to be able to shoot more than 8 minutes of video at a time, too. Can you imagine a wedding videographer stopping to swap SD cards every 8 minutes or so during a ceremony?

Like DSLR's vs viewfinder models, each is aimed at a different market and level of professionalism desired. For the hobbyist who wants some typical hobby videos and doesn't care too much about the audio, the digicams with 640X480 30fps are extremely cool.

I find myself using my DV camera less and less since my digicam supplies something so close to "true video". And I'm as fussy about video quality as we all are about our still photos.

John LCI wrote:
cool.

John LCI said:

I find myself using my DV camera less and less since my digicam
supplies something so close to "true video". And I'm as fussy
about video quality as we all are about our still photos.

Click to expand...

Ya I got your point about that.. want more videos and want more pictures at the same time )

--
Denny - A70
http://majestixblue.fotopic.net/

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. Is there a need to buy a camcorder if the digital camera can take long videos? Currently looking at purchasing a 4k video recording camera or video camera.

myst-vearn said:

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. Is there a need to buy a camcorder if the digital camera can take long videos? Currently looking at purchasing a 4k video recording camera or video camera.

Click to expand...

Wow, this really was an old thread. I can’t believe you found it.

My opinion is that there is no need for the traditional “Camcorder” style video device anymore. Your iPhone or a decent digital camera is a much better device for recording video than a camcorder really is.

Your best off investing in a phone with a good camera and higher quality video. You always have your phone with you and it is easier to upload video from your phone than a camera.

mpgxsvcd said:

myst-vearn said:

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. Is there a need to buy a camcorder if the digital camera can take long videos? Currently looking at purchasing a 4k video recording camera or video camera.

Click to expand...

Wow, this really was an old thread. I can’t believe you found it.

My opinion is that there is no need for the traditional “Camcorder” style video device anymore. Your iPhone or a decent digital camera is a much better device for recording video than a camcorder really is.

Your best off investing in a phone with a good camera and higher quality video. You always have your phone with you and it is easier to upload video from your phone than a camera.

Click to expand...

Back almost 11 years ago the answer was: DUH! One takes moving pictures. The other still photographs.

But these days?....They are almost one and the same.

mpgxsvcd said:

--
E-M5 MK II, GH4, GH3, Astro-Modified E-PM2, and Full Spectrum GF1 Sample movies
http://www.youtube.com/user/mpgxsvcd#play/uploads
Olympus E-M5 MK II Walk-through video

GH3 Tips and Tricks

GH2 Setup Walk through

http://vimeo.com/user442745
GH3, GH2, GF1 Pictures
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/4222674355/albums

Click to expand...

I agree one and the same...

.....these days you can take a 4K video and grab a still photo out of the sequence....is this the way photography is going to get the exact still you want?

Thanks all for the reply. So video cameras are redundant objects?