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help with the definition of Full HD

C

chameleon81

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 16, 2006
434
0
Hi,

What does FULL HD mean?

I checked Wikipedia and it says 1920*1080 will be full HD. Is it the fact?

In this case how would you classify a camera with 1440*1080

Thank you
 
LethalWolfe said:
'Full HD' is a marketing buzz word. 1280x720 and 1920x1080 are both HD, period. If you are talking about a format that uses 1280x720 or 1920x1080 square pixels to make up the image, as opposed to unsquare/rectangular pixels, the proper term to use is 'full raster.'

Just a pet peeve...



Lethal
Click to expand...


1440x1080 is the resolution HDV uses to record its footage.
 
if someone advertise a camera like this "JVC EVERIO GZ-HD3 FULL HD 1080 60GB CAMCORDER"

What should I be thinking in terms of resolution?

1280x720 or1920x1080 or 1440 x1080?

Or does it make a difference at all? I think it does since I really didn't like quality of videos of my new camera. My Sony DSC-h10 can record better movies :(
 
I'll attempt to clear this up: "Full HD", though marketing speak, is supposed to mean the full 1920 x 1080 square pixels as HDTV is defined as being.

HDV cameras record to 1440 x 1080 because they use non-square pixels, just as DV does. However, the pixel aspect ratio on a DV camera is 0.9, whereas it is more extreme on an HDV camera. Visually, it would essentially equate to Full HD (as far as most viewers are concerned) because the pixels are rectangular enough to fill the space.

On to your more important question: pixels and resolution is only one way of determining image quality, often the least important. How compressed the footage is and the optical quality of the lens, the size of the sensor all impact image quality. It is easily possible for an older DV camera to shoot better footage than a new consumer HD camera; that's why a Canon GL2 still costs more than any JVC Everio "Full HD" camera marketed to consumers. That's why your older Sony shoots better.

When it comes to video cameras, bigger tends to be better. You pay for quality, and pixels are only a part of it. There are so many different factors that it would take a while to describe them all here. I suggest you start reading up on Wikipedia pages and online tutorials.
 
chameleon81 said:
if someone advertise a camera like this "JVC EVERIO GZ-HD3 FULL HD 1080 60GB CAMCORDER"
.
.
.
Or does it make a difference at all? I think it does since I really didn't like quality of videos of my new camera. My Sony DSC-h10 can record better movies :(
Click to expand...
The marketing speak means the recorded codec is full raster at 1920x1080. What does that tell you about the image quality? Absolutely nothing. There is a difference between the resolution a camera records at and the resolution the camera can actually 'see.' How much the camera can actually see is typically referred to as how much resolution the camera can resolve.

For example, a Panasonic HVX200 shooting in 720p mode (which means the native codec is is 960x780) will produce a better quality image than the a 'full HD' consumer camera because it has things like better imagers/sensors, better glass and better in-camera processing, and a better codec.


Lethal
 
chameleon81 said:
Or does it make a difference at all? I think it does since I really didn't like quality of videos of my new camera. My Sony DSC-h10 can record better movies :(
Click to expand...

When you market a video camera to someone who knows nothing about video they have to only use terms the buyer understands. So they talk only about "resolution" and how small the camera is.

But what really matters is
1) The lens. The quality of the optics really matters a lot. That's to bad because quality optics is expensive and the price is not going down. If the lens is not good nothing else matters. It thelens that makes the image, everything after that simply records that image.

2) the phyical size of the CCD sensor. Bigger is better. Bigger means lower noise, better low light abilty and more "film-like" depth of field.

3) The number of CCD sensors. Three is better then one.

4) How the video data is stored. This is a big deal. Compression kills quality and the more of it you do the worse the quality.

The problem is the items 1 -> 4 are all expensive and most people want cheap.
 
Thank you guys. You gave me quick lesson about how to select the camera .

I'll play with the camera little bit.
 
Ok I played which the camera. Really big disappointment :( i think isight is better than this :)


Will it be appropriate to advertise a camera with 1440x1080 as FULL HD. I'm planning to sell it on eBay.
 
Your reaction does not equate to the quality difference between 1440x1080 and 1920x1080. Something else is wrong with the camcorder or the way it's being operated (that's not a dig at you, BTW). What specifically is appalling you so?
 
chameleon81 said:
Ok I played which the camera. Really big disappointment :( i think isight is better than this :)


Will it be appropriate to advertise a camera with 1440x1080 as FULL HD. I'm planning to sell it on eBay.
Click to expand...

Look at the size of that lens and the size of the 3 CCDs. They are 5mm (1/5") in diameter each.
Professional cameras have 1/3", 1/2" or even 2/3" sized CCDs.

Look here.

http://www.hdcameraguide.com/guide/hi-def_spotlight/sensor-size-makes-the-difference


And haven't you read any reviews yet about that camera?
 
spinnerlys said:
Look at the size of that lens and the size of the 3 CCDs. They are 5mm (1/5") in diameter each.
Professional cameras have 1/3", 1/2" or even 2/3" sized CCDs.

Look here.

http://www.hdcameraguide.com/guide/hi-def_spotlight/sensor-size-makes-the-difference


And haven't you read any reviews yet about that camera?
Click to expand...

I have to admit it was some sort of impulse purchase. I'm not after pro quality but seriously I dont see big difference between the standard video I capture from my sony h10 digital camera ( it is mid range consumer compact camera ) and this HD camcorder.
 
LethalWolfe said:
While three CCDs are better than one CCD the same cannot be said if comparing CCDs to CMOS.



No. 'Full HD' implies a full raster, 1920x1080.


Lethal
Click to expand...

Thanks . This is very important for me. I bought it from eBay and it was advertised as Full HD. I asked for refund if not I'll try to sell the camera but I don't want to give wrong info and make some other person unhappy. ( although there is Full HD label on the camera ! )
 
Quick Question, relating to topic.

I have an HV40 - 1440x1080.

When exporting my movie/footage, I should keep it in that aspect ratio, shouldnt i?

If I export at 1920x1080, the image will be stretched and not true, correct?

So viewing the 1440x1080 on my HD TV, I will have black bars to the side, wont I?
 
electronique said:
Quick Question, relating to topic.

I have an HV40 - 1440x1080.

When exporting my movie/footage, I should keep it in that aspect ratio, shouldnt i?

If I export at 1920x1080, the image will be stretched and not true, correct?

So viewing the 1440x1080 on my HD TV, I will have black bars to the side, wont I?
Click to expand...

HDV, as well as other codecs, use rectangular pixels instead of square pixels so even though the image is recorded 1440x1080 it is designed to be displayed at 1920x1080. If you display it at 1440x1080 the image will be distorted because you are smashing the rectangular pixels into square pixels.


Lethal
 
LethalWolfe said:
HDV, as well as other codecs, use rectangular pixels instead of square pixels so even though the image is recorded 1440x1080 it is designed to be displayed at 1920x1080. If you display it at 1440x1080 the image will be distorted because you are smashing the rectangular pixels into square pixels.


Lethal
Click to expand...

Hmm. I should do some reading.
Ive only just got into video. And only just now started editing. Using a demo of Premiere. I exported at 1440x1080 and the picture did not look distorted.. I tried 1920x1080 and I swear it looked distorted..

Maybe it my whole process. Import/project settings/export??

I got some learning to do.
 
Hiya Electronique

What is the make and model of the camera? the term HD does not really mean much in the way equipment is marketed today.

At the end of the day a good standard def camera with a good quality lens will give better results than many so called HD cameras.

Be interested to hear the make and model and that will probably explain or at least I would be able to give you an idea of the results you should expect.

Camerent
 
Camerent. said:
Hiya Electronique

What is the make and model of the camera? the term HD does not really mean much in the way equipment is marketed today.

At the end of the day a good standard def camera with a good quality lens will give better results than many so called HD cameras.

Be interested to hear the make and model and that will probably explain or at least I would be able to give you an idea of the results you should expect.

Camerent
Click to expand...

Canon HV40
Dont get me mixed up with the OP though..
Im getting great results, but am struggling to get the aspect ratio part right when exporting.
 
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