Capture and convert video from digital camera Kodak V530

[ktnwin]

I just bought a digital camera Kodak (Easyshare) V530. Besides taking still picture (5Megapixel), it can also shoot video at 640x480 resolution. The manual says it's in MPEG-4 format (I am not so sure). Of course, this camera has USB2 interface.
If any of you have a similar camera (Vxxx serie), please help to answers my questions below:
1) is the video clip really in MPEG-4 format ?
2) after transferring the video clip to computer, can you convert it to make DVD ?
My guess is I will be able to do the above two, but I like confirmation from someone who has done it.

[redwudz]

Probably MP4. You can drop it into the latest version of GSpot to see what it really is. The framerate may be lower than the NTSC standard of 29fps. And unless you have a really large memory card, they usually don't store that long of a video.

For simple conversion, you could try SUPER. It's freeware. Once you get it encoded to DVD compliant video, you can author it as a DVD and burn it. Another program to try is ConvertXToDVD or the freeware version, DivxToDVD.

[ktnwin]

I just tried to take some photos and a few video clips with this V530 camera. The photos of course look very good at 5Megapixel. The video also look very decent (640x480 resolution, 30 frames per second). I can capture about 58 minutes of video with my 2GB SD card. At 320x240 (near VCD resolution), I think I can get nearly 4 hours !!!
I will transfer the photos and video clips to my PC today and see how this goes.

[ktnwin]

I upload my photos and video clips. GSpot does not recognize the video format.
I used DivxToDVD and it quickly convert one of the video clip to DVD folders (VIDEO_TS).
I use software to play this DVD folder and it plays fine.
DivxToDVD also says this video clip is 640x480, average bit rate is 8300kbits/sec (which is high quality DVD bit rate). On my PC (2.8GHz, P4), the conversion rate is 0.33X, so it would take 3 hours to convert one hour of video. That's not bad. But the trial version put a watermark in the output video.
I have used NeoDVD before and it may support this format, will give a try. If it does, the conversion time should be 2X.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[ktnwin]

I downloaded the free version of DivxToDVD, and try to convert the same clips above to DVD on a different P4, 2.8GHz, this time the conversion time is 1.33X (4 times faster then my other PC). I don't know if this has to do with the free version or the trial version.
At least the good news is I can use the free version, there is no watermarks in the final DVD, and it seems to be much faster. It may not have all the fancy features but it works.

[SingSing]

How is the quality of the video indoor as well as outdoor, after conversion ?

[ktnwin]

Here is the results as my eyes see them:

1) play original clip using the camera, connected to 65" HDTV TV. picture quality look good but motion is a bit flaky sometimes
2) play the video clip (uploaded to PC) using QuickTime, result is the same as above
3) play the converted video (DVD) files using CinePlayer software (similar to PowerDVD), video look great and smooth, I am quite surprised at this quality.

My guess is: the original video clip (MOV files) look great but the camera is not powerful enough to play it smoothly. QuickTime (on the 2.8GHz PC) has trouble to play at 30 frames/second at 640x480 resolution. CinePlayer is well optimized so it plays so smoothly. I also tried to play the .MOV files on a 1.6GHz P4, and QuickTime just cannot keep up, after a few seconds, it decides to play the video part alone, while audio become silent.

Compared with video taken with a digital camcorder (if rated at 10/10), then this camera produces video with only 7/10. The MPEG-4 compression of the camera does not do a very good job, but at 200$ what else do I expect. This camera just give me a view of the action with good quality, it's not for making excellent quality DVDs. I am not thrilled about its quality but not disappointed either.

[spr3dave]

I just recently bought a kodak v550 and it shoots mpeg4 but it is apple quicktime format.

[ktnwin]

spr3dave,
It's the same format as with my V530 then. DivxToDVD says it's QuickTime-MPEG4.
How do you like your camera so far ?

I also tried to run the free version of DivxToDVD on my home PC (also a 2.8GHz, P4) and the conversion time is now 1.2X, instead of 0.33X as with the trial version.

The free version is very straightforward, one title per video clip, no menu, automatic chapter every XX mins (default is 5, you can change it) for any clip that is longer than XX mins. That's really all I need for these simple video clips.

[spr3dave]

I traded in my old dinasaur digital camera for a smaller one that I could carry around in my pocket and after reading several reviews between 3 cameras I had picked out the v550 caught my eye. The only really bad thing the reviews had said about it was that you can hear the motor if you zoom in and out while video. Found it on sale for $280.00 at Office Depot so I bought it. Only drawback was the Quicktime mp4 format for I am not a fan of Apple Quick time.OH and I love the on-camera cropping!!
So a real good program that I have used is MPEG4 direct maker. Try it out I will believe you would like it it is very versitile.

[ktnwin]

spr3dave,
I agreed with you about the convenience of a small camera that can also record video. It's so practical for home use. There is one main drawback compared to a normal digital camcorder:
there is a 2 second pause between clips (each clip is a title on DVD)
This is due to the lack of editing capability on the PC
Unless I found a tool that allows me to join, cut, edit, add transition for .MOV files, I will get stuck with this annoying pause. With DV video, I can edit, add fancy stuff and make a very nice DVD with menu, chapters, etc.. This way, there is absolutely no pause between chapters.

I check MPEG-4 direct maker software and it's intended for:
"Convert your DVD, VCD, MPEG, AVI, WMV, ASF, MOV, QT, MP4, QuickTime, RM, RMVB, RealVideo to divx/wmv/avi/mpg/vcd/dvd/mp4/mov/3gp.By using mpeg4 codec,one CD can hold 360 minute video clip with VHS quality or 108 minutes video clips with DVD quality(800KBPS)".
This is really great for putting a lot of video footage on a CD. At this time, I don't know any DVD player that can play MPEG-4 format.

I look at the spec of the V550, there is no optical zoom. Is this correct ? I can't believe it as it costs a bit more than the V530 (3X optical zoom).

[spr3dave]

I bought my v550 on sale for $289.00 same price that i could have bought the v530. V550 has 3x optical zoom a 2.5" lcd screen AND a viewfinder.
now MPEG4 direct maker can turn your Apple quicktime into dvd format....

[spr3dave]

after you pick the converter then you select the file output format...

[spr3dave]

now lets pick the settings of the dvd file...

[spr3dave]

Now we can pick our destination format setting and where to save it....you can batch encode too. then if you want to you can open you video up in your favorite dvd editing software and add your menus and whatever you want.

[spr3dave]

And finally the many dvd file format profiles....

[ktnwin]

spr3dave,
thanks a bunch for the detailed instructions.
I did try this software out and it's wonderful. It has support so many video formats.
It's surprising that it is NOT listed in the Tools section. I found it by doing a Yahoo search.
How long has you been using your V550 ?
I got it just 10 days ago and used it only for one trip.

[spr3dave]

I have a Kodak DC3400 digital camera 2.0mp in which is big and bulky. But at the time,(4yrs ago) was the best deal for the money. We are planning to go to Arizona in Jully so I started looking at a smaller digital camera. The three I had in mind were a Fuji Fine Pix, Casio And the kodak v530/550. After doing some reserch on the 3 Brands of cameras, The Kodak had the better specs. I was planning on getting a v530 (in my price range)but ran across the v550 on sale. I've had it for a couple months getting used to it but so far I love it. I coach little league baseball, so alot of my free time is taken up right now so I haven't played with it much. But I tell ya...that v610 is a bad ass camera too!!! 10x optical zoom duel lens. Kind of wish it would of came out before I bought the v550....May have saved a little more money and bought it!.
Another video editing program you might look into is VIDEO REDO. Great for getting comercials out of tv programs you record and does not loose any video quality.

[ktnwin]

I had one Hi8 camcorder and one Digital 8 camcorder but both are broken as camcorders (because I felt once on the trip and the second one was somnehow broken by my wife on her trip) , they act as Hi8 VCR now. The Digital 8 is used as a pass thru capture device for me.

I also had a Fuji Finepix 1.3Megapixel, still in good condition and pcitures are great for computer viewing (but not for printing 4x6 photos), that's why I decided to buy tge V330 due to its spec, the greatest one at that low price. I have taken 200+ pictures so far and I am very happy with its quality. For serious video taking, I think I need a real DV camcorder. The V330 is only for short video clips (such as capturing our ballroom dance routines for our review purpose). These video clips appear a little jumpy every 5 or 6 seconds, I don't know why.
It's not interlace issue, seem having to do with frame rate. DVD is 29.97 fps, while the V330 is spec'ed at 30 fps. I don't really know the root cause.

For capturing TV programs and cut out commercial, I have a Pan E85H DVD recorder (with 120GB HDD), and this make this job so easy. I have burned a number of shows on DVD-R (Dance with the Stars, Yankee workshop, etc...).
I can also connect the V330 to this DVD recorder to make DVD but using the computer is much easier for me.
I only hope that my V330 lasts a long time (this is still an unknown !!!).

[redwudz]

If you like MPEG4 direct maker, you can submit it for our 'Tools' listing here:
https://www.videohelp.com/toolsedit.php?newtool=1