Ciao.
I wanted to know:
1. which are the difference between camcorder and a camera that records videoclips in format mpeg4?
2 Mpeg4 and H264, are the same thing?
Thanks to anyone want to help me.

Ciao.
I wanted to know:
1. which are the difference between camcorder and a camera that records videoclips in format mpeg4?

A camcorder will have a primary focus of capturing video, while a camera that captures video adds that as a “bonus” - and there will be trade offs lower frame rates/smaller size in height and width and other items, though depending on the camera you can get some good “fun” clips.

In general, depending on the camera, video is recorded in the DV or HDV codecs (HDV is a form of MPEG-2, which is what you see on SD DVD you put on your television) MPEG-4 is a different codec which compresses the video in a different way.  Depending on the cameras implementation of the MPEG-4, quality will vary. 

Usually video cameras which record DV/HDV record to tape or disc, while MPEG-4 usually shows up being written to disc or DVD.

Tape was the most stable format, compared to disc (meaning hard drive/flash memory), and disc better that writing to DVD (meaning cameras that record to DVD media directly) but as technology has progressed disc is getting reliable.  Though I still prefer tape, old habits die hard, I would also consider disc based recorders.  Not sure when I can ever trust recording direct to DVD.

Otherwise things will vary from video camera to video camera, lens quality, CCD/CMOS quality etc.

2 Mpeg4 and H264, are the same thing?
Thanks to anyone want to help me.

H.264 is a form of MPEG-4 encoding.  There are different standards and implementations of MPEG-4 The H.264 codec delivers higher quality at smaller sizes compared to some of the other standards of MPEG-4 (i.e., some of the ones that one “earlier” that you have seen in past.) The AVCHD codec that you may have seen in some cameras, such as the new JVC and Sonys, are forms of H.264

Hi,

I completly agree with drew´s explantation to the format.
If you can, stay on tape otherwise you will run into big trouble with your workflows during preprocessing your movies. Some camcorders record an “internal” kind of MPEG-4 format to there medias (DVD/HD) that need some kind of conversion before you can use them in your cutting-software.

One thing to consider: There is not very much cutting-software available yet that can process MPEG-4 because this codec ist a lot more complexer than MPEG2.

Regards
Detlef

Hi Detlef,

can you mention some software that is already able to process MPEG-4 for cutting?

Andi

For the new cameras using AVCHD there is no editor out yet that will edit it natively, though there will be software shortly, Sony, Panasonic etc.

Canopus has released a convertor which allows it to be editied in Edius - the press release is in Japanese

http://www.canopus.co.jp/press/2006/avchd.htm

Babel Fish Translation

In English:
The Canopus corporation, “AVCHD” standard * “Canopus HQ Codec” * converts the image which photographed with the digital video camera of 1, to 2, the tool “Canopus AVCHD converter which” makes light compilation possible from December 22nd, starts the gratuitousness offer with download. * It is standard in order Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. and SONY developed jointly concerning 1 AVCHD, to record the hi-vision signal to memory card /DVD/HDD. MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 system is adopted to image compression, high pressure reduction ratio high picture quality treble quality with merit, Canopus has connected name at approval enterprise. * Canopus developed individually concerning 2 Canopus HQ Codec, the high picture quality image codec. High picture quality above lightening of the data file with high-level compressed technology and the hi-vision deck for business it has been compatible. It is on-board onto the Canopus product of EDIUS series loading. “Canopus AVCHD converter”, the image which is recorded with the up-to-date AVCHD cam coder, the nonlinear video compilation software “EDIUS Pro version 4 which” has the introduction result many in high ended image production market such as broadcasting station and, is core technology of entry model “EDIUS 3 for HDV”, in by the fact that the file it converts “Canopus HQ Codec”, it is the solution which actualizes light compilation on those nonlinear video compilation software. As for the cam coder of AVCHD which recently, increases the speed of spread suddenly, correspondence to soft record media such as SD memory and DVD and hard disk is big merit. But, while data capacity is small, when it handles with video compilation, enormous computing being necessary, light compilation job assumed that you cannot desire. This time announced as for “Canopus AVCHD converter”, to by the fact that it converts “Canopus HQ Codec”, with “EDIUS Pro it is possible high picture quality without impairing the image of AVCHD, to do comfortable image compilation version 4” and “the EDIUS 3 for HDV” top.

http://www.canopus.co.jp/download/drivers/winxp/avchd_converter.exe

And a Plug In is out there for Premiere which seems to work to some degree, though not formally support AVCHD

http://www.canopus.co.jp/catalog/edius_pro/edius_pro4_index.php

Not sure how well either one works though.

Quicktime Pro also allows some editing/transcoding of MPEG-4 format, not sure if it works on AVCHD but I have used it on other forms of MPEG-4, but if I can find a file I can let you know.

There is also other software out there which transcodes from one codec to another “editable” one, but would probably results in some loss of quality (sometimes more theory than actual loss) depending on the original source footage.

Since AVCHD is H.264 based, may be worth trying - http://www.squared5.com, very good application and does a real good job converting items to editable formats and can often retain alot of quality

Hi,

I´m not sure if we now talk about file conversion or MPEG4-ready cutting software?!

Fileconversion can be done wiht a lot of free tools more or less good!

From my point of view: if you have MPEG4 footage than leave it MPEG4 and get a software that can handle the format as it is - otherwise you will loose the extremly good quality of the footage.

Greetings
Detlef

No doubt, best to leave as MPEG-4.  Right now I think all the tools do some sort of conversion to another codec - though not quite sure what the Canopus Plug In does, and whether it is native.

FWIW MPEG Stream Clip does a real good job when conversion is needed to an editable format - will be interesting to see when actual editing software supports the codec natively, hopefully not too long down the road