How to transfer video from camera to computer

[t33kyboy]

I have a Canon ZR45 and it uses those small DVC tapes.

I recorded some good stuff at SCP this sunday and wondering.... how do i transfer it to my computer?

[brianlojeck]

The quickest way is to find a decently high-end photography shop. Most of them contract to video production companies and can transfer it to CD.

You could just find a video production company as well, but they may be harder to find.

Slower, less expensive over time way is to purchase a video capture card, install it, hook up the video feed from your camera, and record the camera's input via the card's software.

I don't have a lot of experience with these cards, but ATI's All-In-Wonder series of video cards seems to have a good fanbase for this kind of thing.

[Hasty8]

Go woth the second choice. Unless they are burning to a DVD it's gonna take a bunch of cd's to hold any length of movie.

You may want to consider getting a MiniDV camera and a video capture card with the 1394 connectors on it. (Sony calls it iLink and Apple calls it Firewire).

I have used this extensivelly over the past several years both at work and at home with fantastic results. If you use a Mac get Final Cut Pro or Adobe Priemier if you use a PC to make your own home moveis with transitions, slides and wipes. You can strip audio and put in your fav music or boost the audio. Go crazy with it.

Then get a DVD burner and burn those home movies to DVD and send them out to friends and family.

[t33kyboy]

thanks alot.

i knew that the card would work, but always wanted to aviod that route because of cost (yeah im poor) guess theres no other choice.

[gibby]

I actually bought a video capture card that works pretty decent for only $30. It's a PCI card that's seperate from the video card so there's no need to buy the ATI All in Wonder Pro. It accepts coaxial, s video, RCA Video, and 1/8 stereo phono jacks for sound.

Check out your local computer show if you have any...pretty affordable if you just want to mess around with making your own video clips or even burn to DVD.

Good luck!

[digitard]

I have to agree. I do filming of local events, tourneys, and stuff like that and create DVD's with it.

We use MiniDV, or the likes, pretty much only and then use the Firewire connection to transfer directly from DV to my PC (as a HUGE .avi file). Then I just chop it up to what I want using various editing programs and re-render it to MPEG2 (dvd) and then build the DVD menu after the video is finished.

Its pretty easy. Only downfalls are:

1) AVI files in uncompressed format are HUGE. 1hr = roughly 13gigs.
2) Its real time recording. 30mins of video = 30mins it sits recording

I dont recommend bringing it to a shop to transfer cause honestly you can buy a WinTV card for much cheaper and it will have RCA inputs for audio and video. You can get em online for 70 bucks or less. AGAIN its real time, but its cheaper.

As for how to copy it and edit. I agree with the top. FCPro is the only way to go with Mac's, and Premiere is amazing with PC's. I suggest also, for expense reasons, look into VEGAS VIDEO for the PC. Its made by the same people who made SOUND FORGE, and its pretty easy to use, and you can get some really good results from it. Its a drag/drop/manipulate that way type interface, and its really easy to use. Yes its not going to look as pro as you can with premiere (ie digieffects) but it does its job.

Another good idea... if you can... look into some local film production groups. In a lot of cases you can volunteer there, basically you're an intern, and learn all types of stuff. If you're really luck you'll learn AVID. AVID is the ULTIMATE video creation. RETURN OF THE KING and the LOTR movies were all edited using AVID. The software alone is 4,000 bucks for the "medium" stuff, and you're looking at 30,000 bucks for a full AVID setup (custom pc, gear, software package, etc). Learn AVID over time and you can get a job with a production company easy.

Okay... I'm rambling.

Dave

[Hasty8]

thanks alot.

i knew that the card would work, but always wanted to aviod that route because of cost (yeah im poor) guess theres no other choice.

If cost is an issue then there are definate options, some as low as 30 bucks like said earlier.

[thecavemankevin]

it also depends on your type of computer, i just went through this and my PC came with micro soft's basic video software (which is good enough for me). I just recorded the video and my camera has a video out connection of firewire and pic out connection of USB1. You can get USB1 to USB 2 cables, however i did not have a firewire connection on my PC. I went to best buy and bought a firewire card for like $25 and installed it in minutes.

after that you just connect camera to computer by way of a fire wire cable, i think they are like 30 at most stores (i got mine for 1.50 from a friend when they worked at best buy :)).

after that you go into your software and hit record and it should automatically make your camera play. But like digi said, it records in real time so 20 minutes of video will take 20 minutes to record.

[t33kyboy]

I always thought those cards was to record the TV, and when i went to frys i saw kits that transfered film from the camera to the computer for $100-300. I never knew it was that cheap, i'll go back some day and try to find the one you guys are talking about.

[digitard]

TV/Capture cards have normal RCA style inputs. So if you're camera has one of those "tv out" style cables with it so you can plug it into the RED/WHITE/YELLOW jacks on your TV you can use software and a TV card to get it.

BUT... If youre camera has the ability to transfer to a PC via USB/FIREWIRE I suggest going that route, cause it will be much easier.

[brianlojeck]

These days there are cards to move a video signal in just about any direction. You can watch or record TV on your computer, you can put your computer video signal on your tv. You can even build a TIVO knock-off with computer parts, including a freeware download of the local cable schedule in your area.

With the right equipment you can scan film, video, or DVD's. It's all a matter of buying the right parts and learning how to use them...

[t33kyboy]

I looked in my manual, it says nothing about those cables and transfering video... only pictures. Guess my camerea doesnt support it :cry:

[Bluestrike_2]

Do not be so negative.

I assume you use this camera:
http://www.canondv.com/zr45mc/

So, an analog video to will work. USB 2.0 or Firewire. TDK, Avid, etc. all sell their own versions. Go have a look at:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=315555&is=REG

^^ An example of one.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/315555.jpg

You can use S-Video/Composite and RCA jacks to output from any analog device (VCR, Video Camera, etc) to your computer. From there open in your favorite video editing softwar and your set!! Can transfer VHS tapes, too. There are many versions of this type of thing available, so look around. May I suggest Google and bhphotovideo.com Good luck!

========================
On another note:

LOTR was composited in Shake3.5 and edited in Final Cut Pro(I forget where I heard this, will look for the article [in regards to FCP]), along with a multitude of other programs used to complement it. For instance, Maya.

http://www.apple.com/shake/stories/lotr/ [four pages]
http://www.apple.com/shake/stories/lotr2/ [three pages]

http://www.apple.com/shake/stories/
http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/stories/

Macs......

FCP HD is used more commonly than, say, AVID. Although AVID is no piece of junk. Both programs are at the top of the heap. The best. The cream of the crop. I just think that FCP HD has an advantage due to it's MAC OSX platform. Apple builds the machines. They build the OS. They built the software(FCP HD, DVD SP, Shake, Logic....). A little off topic :D

[digitard]

Actually... LOTR was done in AVID.

http://www.avid.com/profiles/040414_rotk_composer.asp?featureID=758&marketID=

Info from the actual editors. I would guess that they used AVID for most of the actual editing process, and sequencing. Probably used Shake to composite the effects between the CG and live action. Regardless... great job.

Although, to support FCPro... they did edit most of PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL in Final Cut Pro.

The honest truth is... for "the best" quality you cant just use AVID, and you cant just use FCP. Each has its downfalls, and each has its points where it excels above others. Most major studios are going to use multiple programs and editing systems to each cover a specific aspect of a movie.

In home movies, or low budget, you can usually get away with using PREMIERE/AFTER EFFECTS since you can get enough filters to emulate just about anything you need. Plus its cheaper... a G5 system alone will set ya back 3.5k for a decent setup. If you ever have the money though, and you're serious about editing, then you will need to use both platforms, because there are specific programs which will excell on each in their respective spots. I have only begun to learn about editing in all retrospect. If I had the money for a G5, or even a G4 Powerbook I'd be in heaven with having the ability to cross platform edit. But alas... I'm a poor fool who will have to stick with his PC for now. But luckily there's so much available for the PC I can do just about everything I need using a few core programs and some plugins.

Dave