SPECIFICATIONS SPECIFICATIONS SPECIFICATIONS!!!
Well, good news is you don't have to worry about the resolution of DVD's, the bad news is it's this way because you aren't shooting with a Panaflex, IMAX or high-end 3CCD Digital Video CamCorder.
My portable Optura 200MC DV Camcorder from Canon clicks in at approximately 1330000 pixels in a 1/4 inch CCD. Maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 of a second and the video recording system uses a 2 rotary head, helical scanning DV system.
If your in North America your using NTSC at 29.97 frames per second. Motion pictures use approx 24 frames/sec. PAL is European at around 25 per second. If you eventually want to play your DVD movies on a TV for yourself and others, you'll be tyring for NTSC 29.97 compatibility and most TV's pale in comparison to Computer monitors, and the color systems are different, so that brilliantly colored movie you shot and edited on your computer washes out in vast areas of the telly when you have your big premiere for friends and family.
You'll need a good editing program like DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut Pro, etc to make the big differences. FCP aides with color correction and checks, etc and you can adjust resolutions well.
The Optura 200MC is Canon's latest release in the Optura MC series (just replaced 100MC) and the next step up involves a 3CCD (charged coupled devide) camera that you can shoot motion pictures on to some degree (don't expect miracles).
So you get movies about 640x480 and stills upto 1280x960.
The 15/sec is shooting to memory card.
Your question is how would it look after getting burned onto a DVD... well, it would look like a movie at a resolution of 640x480. Play a movie at that resolution off a CD or a DVD, and it looks the same. The difference is the DVD stores information in a different density than CD format. You can back up your DVD's to CDs if you want, but it'll take 5 CDs at least for a DVD backup. The Quality is the same though.
If you wanted to you could make 4.7 GigaB of 80X60 resolution movies and it would look ridiculous, or you could even go higher than the DVD quality that plays on Computers nicely, but it would be a waste without a HD screen to play it on.
Don't go less that a DV Camcorder... the Optura 200 MC is a great level of quality and ability. Most importantly, go to Apple's compatibility lists to make sure what ever you choose is approved by Apple as meeting their specifications... I just came from another thread where Specifications are causing hardware problems.
Here's an Optura 200 MC DV Camcorder
and here's what you'll need to hit the DVD movie qualities...
If you want I could give you a couple of clips shot with each type at their max resolution, and one very very brief clip from a 35mm monster that'll take you forever to download. and which you'll never appreciate without at least a HD display.
but once again, make sure the choice you make meets Apple's Specifications, because it's Specifications that matter, and buying a 10,000 dollar camera that barely functions or connects to your Mac (and certainly forget it about PCs), is an oversight of grand proportions.
