Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: geoffr70 on 22 January 2011, 18:29:19

Title: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: geoffr70 on 22 January 2011, 18:29:19

Hello, I 'm considering buying this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SAMSUNG-SMX-K40SP-XEU-CAMCORDER-NEW-DEAL_W0QQitemZ350432670192QQcategoryZ11724QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp5197.m621QQ_trkparmsZclkid%3D6552615935629340913

as it's cheap and I need a camera. I prefer still cameras, but as it's such a good price and has got a whopping 52x optical zoom I want it. But I need to know if it takes stills? It doesn't say so. Thanks

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: tunnie on 22 January 2011, 18:34:09

if it does they will be crap!

Pictures will be 480 x 576 at best, in the spec of that camera it says

'Upscales to 1080p high definition recording'

So if its upscaling the video, the stills will be rubbish

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: tunnie on 22 January 2011, 18:34:56

should add depends on camera, HD ones will take better stills, but they are still basically freezing a frame of video.

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: Chris_H on 22 January 2011, 18:39:57

Apparently it can do 1600x1200 stills which is UXGA.  The sensor is 0.8 MegaPixel.
Samsung website spec (http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/camera-camcorder/camcorders/standard-definition/SMX-K40SP/XEU/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=specification)

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: geoffr70 on 22 January 2011, 19:06:38

Oh no so if it's only 0.8 megapixel the stills will be rubbish!

I think I'll give it a miss, thanks Tunnie and Chris!

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: tunnie on 22 January 2011, 19:26:56

Quote

Oh no so if it's only 0.8 megapixel the stills will be rubbish!

I think I'll give it a miss, thanks Tunnie and Chris!

Don't get too hung up Megapixels, a camera that boasts "14 Million Pixels" vs one that says 10 Million, does not mean its better! Its all about the lens and the CCD

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: sport on 22 January 2011, 20:23:46

I bought a Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG20 Camcorder compact takes good photos

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: Plomien on 22 January 2011, 20:40:45

My wifes digital camera takes good photos and good quality video recording. maybe look at it that way. although a cam corder will give better video results :y

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: Martin_1962 on 22 January 2011, 22:23:39

My video camera does quite decent 3MP pictures.

10 x optical zoom. lots of pixels 1440x1080i recording

Even my old video camera managed 1MP pictures.

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 January 2011, 22:30:06

If you want a still camera predominantly, get a still camera. Many will have a passable go at video as well. It doesn't work the other way round, IMHO.

Kevin

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: PhilRich on 22 January 2011, 22:45:34

Not entirely to the point but... We bought our Granddaughter a Vtech Kiddizoom for Christmas, down from £50 to £35. Now this little beauty is only 2MP but takes fabulous pictures & does great quality video with sound etc etc. Hers is a fetching Pink Geoff, but it also comes in a Manly Blue colour too & probably a bit cheaper still now too?  ;D ;)

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: Martin_1962 on 23 January 2011, 10:41:53

Quote

If you want a still camera predominantly, get a still camera. Many will have a passable go at video as well. It doesn't work the other way round, IMHO.

Kevin

This is from the old video camera not bad I think, the new one is a lot better as it is a HD one.

(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k286/martinimber/car/DSC03051s.jpg)

This is scaled down by 50%

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: geoffr70 on 24 January 2011, 12:28:52

Ok thanks everyone for your help, I thihk I'll leave it.
I don't want to have to faff on lifting stills from video, i think I'll just get a still camera. Thanks

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: Chris_H on 24 January 2011, 12:46:11

Quote

Ok thanks everyone for your help, I thihk I'll leave it.
I don't want to have to faff on lifting stills from video, i think I'll just get a still camera. Thanks

A wise move.

If you took the time to multiply 1600 by 1200 you would have found it was 1.9 megapixels so they must be quoting an up-converted stills resolution as well as feigning HD playback! >:(

Title: Re: Can camcorders take stills?
Post by: Martin_1962 on 24 January 2011, 14:37:27

Mine do stills on memory cards and video on tapes not lifting a still frame