1080i |
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HDTV 1920x1080 resolution interlaced scan signal. HDTV television programs are usually 720p or 1080i.
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16:9 aspect ratio |
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Width to height ratio for widescreen video and television screens.
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24p |
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High-definition progressive scan format that matches film's 24 frames per second frame rate.
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480p |
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Near high-definition progressive scan 852x480 resolution signal used by progressive-scan DVD players and Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV).
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720i |
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HDTV 1280x720 resolution interlaced scan signal.
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720p |
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HDTV 1280x720 resolution progressive scan signal with 60 frames per second. HDTV television programs are usually 720p or 1080i.
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8 mm |
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Tape format with 270 resolution and 120 minutes of recording time at standard speed. You can only play back video by connecting the camcorder to a TV or VCR.
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Accessory shoe |
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Slot on a camcorder that accepts an accessory such as a power supply or light.
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Aliasing |
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Jagged lines in a pixilated image.
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Analog |
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Signal that fluctuates exactly like that of its original source. It can also represent a device with proportional input and output.
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Analog input |
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A camcorder's ability to accept audio and video from an analog source such as a VCR.
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Anti-aliasing |
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Feature that helps prevent aliasing in digital images.
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Aperture |
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Adjustable opening in a lens that allows light to pass through onto a pickup device. Also called an iris.
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Aspect ratio |
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Width to height ratio of a display.
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Auto exposure |
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Feature that allows a user to adjust aperture, shutter speed, and depth of field using pre-set modes.
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Auto-focus |
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Feature that focuses a camera's lens on what it perceives to be the central object in a scene.
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Auto-iris |
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Camcorder feature that automatically adjusts aperture.
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AV-in |
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Audio/video in: Ability to accept and record analog source material from another device.
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AV-out |
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Audio/video out: Ability to output an analog signal to another device.
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Backlight |
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Bright light behind a subject. It often creates a silhouette effect.
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Backlight compensation |
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Increase in gain or aperture to brighten a backlit subject and reveal more detail.
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Barrel distortion |
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Curved vertical distortion that creates a barrel shape. It occurs when using a wide-angle lens.
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Betacam |
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1/2-inch videotape format with 300 lines of horizontal resolution. It stores luminance information on one track and chrominance information on another.
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Betacam SP |
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1/2-inch videotape format that stores luminance information on one track and chrominance information on another. It has 340 lines of horizontal resolution.
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Betacam SX |
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Digital version of Betacam SP. It is compatible with Betacam SP tapes.
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Bluetooth |
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Short-distance wireless networking that works up to 30 feet. The technology is available in certain desktops, laptops, cell phones, PDAs, and camcorders.
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Brightness |
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Indication of how light or dark an image appears on a screen.
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Carl Zeiss |
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High-quality camera lens named after optician Carl Zeiss.
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Cassette |
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Data storage media that contains two reels and a strip of magnetic tape that moves between them to record and play back audio and video.
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CCD |
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Charge coupled device: Electronic memory that records shades of light to capture images, including video. An analog-to-digital converter translates the light information into pixels, with more pixels offering higher resolution. Listed actual pixel count is more than the effective pixel count.
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CD |
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Compact Disc: Polycarbonate and metal storage media. The term is also used to describe a read-only CD that contains music or video. Only some DVD players can play back video CDs (VCDs).
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Chip |
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Nickname for a CCD.
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Chrominance |
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Color aspects of a picture.
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Color temperature |
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Relative redness or blueness of a light source measured in degrees Kelvin.
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Contrast |
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Difference between black and light in a picture.
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Control L |
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Jack found on some Digital8 and Mini DV camcorders that allows two-way communication between the camcorder and a remote. Also called LANC.
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Date/time stamp |
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Feature that allows you to record the date and time on the corner of a recording.
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Depth of field |
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Distance in front of and behind a subject.
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Diffusion filter |
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Lens filter that disperses light. Lighting appears softer, images seem smoother, and the resulting scene may look a little out of focus.
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Digital |
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Information represented by a non-linear series of zeroes and ones. The non-linear nature of digital video allows a user to choose an exact point in a DVD movie, for example, instead of forwarding or rewinding through an analog VHS tape.
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Digital Betacam |
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Digital videotape format used for standard-definition digital video. Abbreviated Digibeta or d-beta.
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Digital lens |
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Lens that can store and reproduce focal and zoom positions with help from a chip.
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Digital zoom |
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Zoom effect achieved by enlarging pixels. As the amount of digital zoom on an image increases, quality decreases.
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Digital8 |
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DV compression format that can record to standard Hi8 and 8mm tapes. Although most Digital8 camcorders can play back analog Hi8 and 8mm tapes, they cannot record analog signals.
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Digitize |
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Process of converting analog audio and video signals to digital format.
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Dropout |
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Damage to a videotape resulting in a loss of frames. Dropout often appears as a white or colored block.
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DV |
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Digital Video: 1/4-inch digital videotape format. Full-size cassettes hold up to three hours of video. Mini DV cassettes hold up to one hour of video.
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DVCPRO |
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Digital videotape format originally created for use in electronic news gathering.
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DVCPRO HD |
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High-definition digital videotape format offering 720p or 1080i resolution.
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DVD |
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Digital Versatile Disc: Storage media that holds movies and other data. Storage capacity starts at 4.7GB.
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Effective Pixels |
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Pixels on an image sensor (CCD) that output actual image data. Additional pixels are used for image filtering, which is why the total number of pixels in a camera is greater than the number of effective pixels.
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EIS |
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Electronic image stabilization: Camcorder circuitry that alters an image to counter shaking. It can make an image more blurry.
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EVF |
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Electronic Viewfinder: Viewfinder that displays an image that has been recorded, processed, and projected onto a miniature display.
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F-stop |
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Lens calibration measuring an iris opening. Larger numbers equal smaller openings.
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Fade |
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Gradual dimming effect often used to change between scenes.
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Field |
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One of two scanlines in a frame.
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FireWire |
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Apple Computer's name for IEEE 1394.
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Fluid head |
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Tripod mount that facilitates smooth camera movement.
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Flying erase head |
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Feature on Hi8 and 8mm camcorders that removes video noise between sections of recorded video on a tape for almost seamless transitions.
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Focal length |
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Distance from the center of a lens to the surface of a CCD measured in millimeters, centimeters, or inches. Long focal lengths have small-angle views. Short focal lengths have wide-angle views.
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Focus ring |
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Moveable ring around a lens barrel that allows a user to manually adjust focus.
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Foot-candle |
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Measurement of light falling on an object. Abbreviated fc.
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Frame |
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One still image in a moving picture. In video it is two fields of interlaced video. In film it is a single piece of celluloid.
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Gain |
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Amplification of a video signal. It often increases luminance.
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HDTV |
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High Definition Television: Highest-resolution digital television programs, usually 720p or 1080i.
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Hi8 |
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Analog camcorder format that can record to Hi8 or 8mm tape. It records at 400 lines of resolution for Hi8 and 240 lines of resolution for 8mm.
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Hue |
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Description of a unique color. For example, yellow, green, blue, and red.
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i.LINK |
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Sony's name for IEEE 1394.
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IEEE 1394 |
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High-speed standard for transferring data from one device to another with speeds up to 400Mbps.
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Image stabilization |
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Feature that compensates for shaky movement in a video.
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Infrared |
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Feature that can sense or beam infrared light to illuminate low-light scenes.
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Interlaced |
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Process of creating a television picture by sequentially drawing odd and even lines on a screen. The process is used by NTSC and several digital television signals.
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Iris |
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Adjustable opening in a lens that allows light to pass through onto a pickup device. Also called aperture.
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Jog dial |
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Small rotating dial that allows a user to scroll through menus.
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JPEG |
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Standard for compressing image data developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group.
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LANC |
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Local Application Control Bus System: Jack found on some Digital8 and Mini DV camcorders that allows two-way communication between the camcorder and a remote. Also called Control L.
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LCD |
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Liquid Crystal Display: Display technology that works by shining light through pixel cells to produce an image.
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Lens |
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A piece or pieces of glass that concentrates and directs light to a CCD or film to create an image.
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Lithium-ion battery |
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Rechargeable battery that fully charges over a period of four hours, typically at 4.2 volts. Users do not need to fully discharge the battery before recharging.
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Luminance |
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Image brightness.
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Lux |
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Lumens per square meter: Measurement of low-light sensitivity indicating how much light a camcorder needs to record a usable image. Camcorders with a lower lux rating offer better performance in low-light situations. The ability to shoot at 0 Lux is often called nightshot, night vision, or a similar name.
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Manual focus |
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User-selected focus settings. Some camcorders provide pre-sets and others use a focus ring similar to those found on still cameras.
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Maximum CCD resolution |
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Total number of pixels in a sensor.
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Megapixel |
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Measurement of digital photo image quality equaling one million pixels.
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Memory card |
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Removable storage media used in some digital cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, digital video cameras, cell phones, and photo printers. Cards are available in a range of storage capacities and formats including CompactFlash, Memory Stick, SecureDigital, SmartMedia, and xD Picture Cards.
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MicroMV |
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Digital videotape format that uses MPEG-2 compression.
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Microphone |
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Device that converts sound waves into electrical energy.
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Mini DV |
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1/4-inch digital tape format.
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Mosaic |
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Effect that breaks an image into small squares.
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Motion sensor |
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Feature that tells a camcorder to start recording when it detects movement.
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MPEG |
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Moving Picture Experts Group: Organization that develops video and audio encoding standards.
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MPEG-1 |
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Video CD format that includes the MP3 audio compression format.
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MPEG-2 |
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Video and audio standards for digital broadcast-quality television.
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MPEG-4 |
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Alternative to MPEG-2 that expands MPEG-1 to support Digital Rights Management and 3D content.
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ND filter |
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Neutral density filter: Lens filter that helps prevent overexposure. Prosumer camcorders have built-in ND filters.
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NiCad |
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Nickle-Cadmium: Type of rechargeable battery used for many portable electronics. They are about the same size as alkaline batteries.
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Optical zoom |
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Zoom achieved by moving elements in a lens. There is no loss in quality.
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Pixel |
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Picture Element: A single point in an image. You see a complete image when multiple pixels are put together.
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Progressive scan |
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Process of creating a 720p or 480p image on a HDTV monitor by displaying horizontal and vertical picture information on a screen simultaneously.
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Prosumer |
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Equipment with higher quality and cost than consumer-level equipment and lower cost and quality than professional-level equipment.
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RC time code |
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Re-writable consumer time code: Feature on digital camcorders that creates reference points on a tape in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
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Resolution |
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Screen image quality and clarity measured in pixels. Higher resolution offers a clearer picture.
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RGB |
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Red Green Blue: Colors captured by CCD sensors. The color of each pixel is a variation of red, green, or blue.
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S-VHS |
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Super-VHS: 1/2-inch videotape format with 400 lines of resolution.
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S-video |
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Four-pin connector that transmits the luminance and chrominance portions of a video signal separately. Many camcorders use an S-video cable to output information to a television.
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Saturation |
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Intensity of a hue.
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Sepia |
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Special effect that removes color from a picture and adds a brown tint to give an image an antique look.
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Signal-to-noise ratio |
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Ratio of a desirable video signal to the amount of unwanted noise mixed in with it.
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Spot focus |
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Ability to select and adjust a specific area of a frame.
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Spot metering |
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Feature allowing a user to select a spot on a LCD and adjust exposure.
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Telephoto lens |
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Lens with a narrow field of view and long focal length that makes distant objects appear larger.
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Time base correction |
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Electronic correction of abnormal time code to stabilize images on a videotape during playback.
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Time code |
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Numbers embedded onto videotape and digital recordings that indicate hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. Time code is used as a reference tool for video logs and editing in and out points.
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Titling |
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Feature that allows a user to create on-screen titles, captions, or comments.
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Tripod |
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Stand with three legs used to stabilize a camcorder.
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Variable-speed zoom |
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Ability to adjust zoom speed as a lens moves from wide-angle to telephoto.
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VHS |
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Video Home System: 1/2-inch videotape format offering 240 lines of resolution.
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VHS-C |
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Video Home System - Compact: 1/2-inch videotape format with 240 lines of resolution that comes in a smaller cassette casing than standard VHS. A VHS player can play back a VHS-C tape with the help of an adapter.
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Viewfinder |
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Built-in camcorder monitor that allows a users to watch a scene. Viewfinder images are small compared to viewscreen images, but do not look washed out in direct sunlight.
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Viewscreen |
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Small LCD screen (two inches or larger) that flips out of a camcorder, serving the same function as a viewfinder while providing a larger image.
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Webcam |
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Camera that can be attached to a computer and, with the help of software, send images over the Internet.
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White balance |
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Function that neutralizes color to prevent video or still images from taking on an unnatural hue.
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Wide-angle |
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A lens' maximum focal length. Wide-angle lenses have a short focal angle, allowing a 70-degree or wider view.
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Windscreen |
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Cover that fits over a microphone, allowing speech while blocking unwanted noise from wind.
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Wipe |
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Effect that pushes a scene to one side.
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XLR connector |
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High-quality, balanced audio connector that has three prongs. It is used to connect microphones to camcorders and connect other high-end recording equipment.
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Zebra stripes |
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Feature available in some camcorders that highlights overexposed areas of an image with a striped pattern.
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Zoom |
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Shift in lens focal length used to change the apparent distance between an object and photographer, videographer, or filmmaker.
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Zoom lens |
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Lens that has variable focal lengths.
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Zoom range |
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Ratio of how much the focal length of a lens can adjust from telephoto to wide angle.
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