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Today's multimedia world, together with its shrinking budgets, has placed a new demand on many still photographers: Shoot video too. Of course many studio-oriented photographers have already crossed over, shooting TV commercials, music videos, and the like. Photojournalists are now following suit, not just shooting raw documentary "footage" but also producing their own short films to complement their still work. Art-minded photographers often enrich their imagery with video too. Luckily, there is an array of new products available to shoot, edit, and view your own pro-quality video.
Video Product of the Year: Apple TV media receiver
Having taken a big bite out of the music industry with its iTunes online music store, Apple quickly moved into the entertainment world with the release of its Apple TV. This elegant media receiver's first version let users transfer movies and TV shows rented or purchased from the iTunes store from a Mac or PC to a high-definition TV, over a wired or wireless home network. Version 2.0 of Apple TV's firmware (a free download for previous purchasers) boldly unleashes that same box from your computer: Now all you have to do is turn on your TV to directly access iTunes' music, movie, and TV offerings, which include 720p-resolution high-def flicks with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround-sound. Videos can also be streamed directly from YouTube, letting you view the latest "viral" clips in the comfort of your living room.
The new Apple TV still streams video, music, and photos from any computer on your home network, storing them on its 160 GB hard drive. And when hooked up to an HDTV via an HDMI or component-video connection, it will scale home movies and digital pix to 720p or 1080i high-def resolution. The receiver automatically seeks out pictures located in a networked Mac's iPhoto library, as well as images stored in a PC's My Pictures folder (JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG formats are all supported). Photographers can also access shots from online Flickr or .Mac accounts by typing in an account name using the receiver's remote control and onscreen keyboard. What goes into Apple TV also easily comes out: Movies, TV, music, or podcasts that you download can travel the other way on a network by syncing them up with your computer's iTunes library. From there, they can be uploaded to an iPod or iPhone for outings into the iWorld. About $330 (160GB) or $230 (40GB).
Other Top Video Products:
Canon XH A1 HDV camcorder
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Compact and light yet packed with advanced features, this high-definition camcorder straddles the professional and high-end consumer markets. Its pro credentials include three 16:9 CCDs that capture red, green, and blue information separately, for more faithful color, recording in 1080-line resolution on standard miniDV tape. In addition to its eye-level electronic viewfinder it has a swing-out, 2.8-inch, wide-screen LCD display, and both can be used at the same time so your director (or anyone else) can look on while you're shooting. The XH A1's 20X image-stabilized zoom can be focused manually, and its power-zooming speed can be adjusted to your preference. Its range is comparable in 35mm terms to 32.5-650mm, though the optional 0.75X wide converter starts it out at close to a very wide 24mm. You can even shoot stills, in video color space if you like, at resolutions up to 1920x1080 pixels, saving them to an onboard SD memory card. But the new model's best feature may just be its price, a deal for such a maxed-out high-def camcorder. About $3,300.
Sony Handycam HDR-CX7 camcorder
Shooting high-definition video doesn't have to mean lugging around bulky camcorders. This lightweight Sony fits snugly into one hand and can be stowed in a jacket pocket. It uses AVCHD compression to record a full hour of 1080-line video, in highest-quality mode, saving it to an 8GB Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo -- no tape transport or hard-disk drive to weigh you down. Along with high definition, the new camcorder's CMOS image sensor captures 6.1-megapixel stills, with both photo and video capture benefitting from built-in optical image stabilization. As with other Sony Handycam models, external control buttons are kept to a minimum, with most functions controlled on the 2.7-inch LCD touch screen. Rounding out the HDR-CX7's features are HDMI output and a 10X Zeiss optical zoom. About $1,100.
Stewart Filmscreen StudioTek 130 G3 projection screen
When you're using a digital projector to blow up video or stills to a really big size, the resulting image quality depends on the quality of your screen. This screen enjoys a reference-quality reputation, ideal for low ambient light environments. The StudioTek 130 G3 delivers a 30-percent brighter picture than a standard matte-white screen surface, and its material has been reformulated for use with new high-res video front projectors. Available in sizes up to 40x90 feet, the screen can be paired with a fixed or retractable ceiling mount, as well as variable masking systems for display in different aspect ratios.
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