How To Tell What File Type Different Cameras Will Give You

[JohnnyGalaga]

Is there a way to know whether a given camera model will give those video files that end in .mts or .m2ts (or any of the other gobs of different file extensions there seem to be for videos)?

Which one is the best? I guess I just don't understand all the different video formats and which ones are the best and what cameras give you what files types.

[edDV]

Is there a way to know whether a given camera model will give those video files that end in .mts or .m2ts (or any of the other gobs of different file extensions there seem to be for videos)?

Which one is the best? I guess I just don't understand all the different video formats and which ones are the best and what cameras give you what files types.

If you go to Best Buy*, you will mostly see AVCHD or AVCHD Lite. Soon you will see AVCHD Version 2.

Digital cameras and DSLRs play fast and loose with video standards.

AVCHD = h.264/AC3 1440x1080 60i or 1920x1080 60i with variations.

AVCHD Lite = 1280x720 30p (29.97 actually) with frame repeat to 60p.

AVCHD Version 2 adds a detail spec for AVCHD Lite and adds 1920x1080 60p (actually 59.94p).

I don't know what is going on in Europe for 25p/50p (my frequent flyer bank is thin).


* They don't carry semipro or pro standards.

[JohnnyGalaga]

This is exactly the problem. The cameras only tell you stuff like "AVCHD" or "h.264" whatever that means. But it doesn't tell you if you're getting a .wmp file or an .avi file or what out of the camera. When you hook up the camera to your computer's USB and save the video files onto your hard drive, how can we tell what file types the camera is going to give us?

It seems like the only way to know is buy the camcorder and try it and find out.

[edDV]

This is exactly the problem. The cameras only tell you stuff like "AVCHD" or "h.264" whatever that means. But it doesn't tell you if you're getting a .wmp file or an .avi file or what out of the camera. When you hook up the camera to your computer's USB and save the video files onto your hard drive, how can we tell what file types the camera is going to give us?

It seems like the only way to know is buy the camcorder and try it and find out.

This why you avoid "Digital Cameras" or "DSLRs" unless you know what you are doing.

[budwzr]

It doesn't matter what the extension is. What matters is the framerates, bitrates, and resolutions.

[Cornucopia]

Here's what you do:

Make a short list of the cameras you're interested in and either post that list here to get some responses, or go to the manufacturers' websites and DL the manuals (if they've got 'em). The filetype is usually listed in the spec info near the end.

It does matter sometimes, but with info from this site you can pretty much convert anything to any other thing...

You've got to pin some things down first...

Are you looking for a consumer camera? or pro-sumer? or Pro?
Are you looking for a tape-based camera? or DVD-based? or Hard-drive-based? or Smart-card-based?
Are you looking for a Still camera (with video features)? or Video camera (with still features)? or Both separately?

Many consumers get their purchases backwards compared to the pros. First decide what features you want/need in a camera. Get the camera. Then read up on what software works best with that camera. Get that software (and OS and hardware that supports it).

It's like deciding what things you want to be able to do, and then finding what tools achieve that end, versus getting some tools and then guessing what things you might be able to do with those tools.

Scott