Non Profit Needs Video Camera --Capturing Via 1394

My robotics team would like to purchase a camera so we can record our matches. On average, we sit in the middle deck of a stadium and look down to the field. We currently use Sony Digital 8 Camcorders, but have found that when recording via 1394, the quality is simply not good enough--no matter which program we use, the images come out rather grainy--and it's hard to see specific details. The video looks fine on TV, however. Would it be better to upgrade our camera to an HD or 3CCD model (our budget is ~$1000), and is it better to use the camera's built in firewire export, or should we rather output via the A/V or S-Video and use a capture card on our server? Usually we recorded to laptops via Firewire, but this year we'll be using a server with dual processors, 1.5 gb ram, 10k RPM "scuzzie" hard drives, etc.

Any advice on possible suggestions for a camera/technique?

Well the thing is, the field is very brightly lit. They use a full setup of lighting. The issue is that when we transfer the video to the computer and try to look at it, we can seldom see a "Team Number Plate" on the robot or any specifics. I'll post an example when I find one of our videos.

Have you tried to use manual settings for color temperature, try to match the color temp of the lights?
Some of the remote cameras we use have really bad results on "auto" exposure, white balance, color temp, etc. Better results with manual settings, but that requires a bit more effort.

That's not a bad idea. Here's a sample video we've imported using Firewire.

www.raiderrobotix.org/match.wmv

I can see at least two kinds of light; the overhead lights and the natural light coming in the window, which is causing a backlight situation, that usually causes the camera to give you a lower contrast image. Rendering to WMV isn't exactly a quality booster, the footage probably wouldn't look that terribly awful after some basic tweaking, burned on a DVD and viewed on a nice TV.
For better results, you need to get closer and crop out most of the stuff outside the "arena". Your other post got locked, but you should check out those remote cameras. Put one on a tripod or stand behind the arena glass, use your camera as a VCR. Set it up, when the match starts, turn it on and let it run. If you can switch the camera position a few times for variety, get your camcorder and roam around to get some closeups of the robots, get some quick interviews with the operators or drivers, whatever you call them(especially the dudes in the capes), some shots of the crowds to give you more to work with and make your vids a little more interesting.
Considering your situation, the quality wasn't that bad. Just keep in mind one of the most important rules of photography/filmaking; get closer, fill the entire frame with your subject, eliminate the distracting stuff. If your footage is going on the internet, good framing and editing will mean more than raw quality since the footage is going to be compressed and the overall quality won't be super anyway.

Is the idea to have an unmanned camera? That picture isn't bad for standard def. A camcorder like a Sony VX2100 would have sharper optics.

I agree, get closer but not too close. Better to man the camera so the cameraperson can follow the action.

If you need to have a stationary cam from that location, an HDV high def cam would get more detail. A 720p camcorder would be ideal but more expensive.

Anyone have any suggestions for cameras that we can get for under $1000 that will give us optimal image quality. The issue of getting closer is that we need to capture <the entire field at once> and more so we have to be able to run via direct firewire to our server so we can capture video on the fly. The issue is that we need to have video organizable and viewable with a very short turnaround time (usually less than 2-3 hours) and we record matches the whole day (8 to 5).

So I'm thinking a camera with better optics would do better? Is it better to get a 3ccd or an HDV? Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by neilparikh

The video looks fine on TV, however.

What you are seeing is the difference betwen a interlaced TV display and progressive monitor. If for example you silmultaneously recorded to tape and captured to your computer as DV-AVI via firewire, you could export the file from your computer back to another tape and both tapes would look identical if you hooked them up to Two TV's side by side.

BTW...ROFL, that video was quite amusing.

Well now how do I fix this problem? I need to be able to see the videos clearly--!

***EDIT***

So after doing some research, I've found some possible candidates. Can anyone offer insight as to how these might perform at our task--

Sony HDR-UX1
Canon HV10
Sony DCR-VX2100

& any other suggestions?

Originally Posted by neilparikh

Well now how do I fix this problem? I need to be able to see the videos clearly--!

What do you intend to do with the video? If the final destination is for DVD then there's nothing to fix assuming the quality is good enough now when playing on TV. You can expect a authored DVD to look nearly as good as it does playing directly from cam to computer. You can't judge the final quality by previewing it on your monitor.

I suspect you have an entirely different problem....
Are you using Movimaker to capture the video? And are you using the "recommended" settings?
Check this article: http://www.digitalvideoclub.com/tutorials/moviemakermistakes.php

Originally Posted by neilparikh

Well now how do I fix this problem? I need to be able to see the videos clearly--!

***EDIT***

So after doing some research, I've found some possible candidates. Can anyone offer insight as to how these might perform at our task--

Sony HDR-UX1
Canon HV10
Sony DCR-VX2100

& any other suggestions?

Why can't you have somebody operate the camera and keep a tighter zoom on the action. Even sports broadcasters with their $40,000 cameras with $20,000 lens won't get what you want from that distance. HVD consumer cameras may help but you would better go to 720p for computer review which puts you in the $6K-10K range.

Much cheaper to train somebody to operate the camera or use two cameras, one for full shot and another that follows the action. Get a camera position that is high in the bleachers shown on the left.

You can rent these cameras to test your expectations.