Compact zoom camera that shoots .mp4 or a universal movie file format for DVD ?
 

I know I started a similar thread in another forum, but I got no replies, so I thought the premium members might get a response.

I was discussing the difficulty of getting or finding a DVD player that would playback the raw original .mov movie files that were in a QuickTime container from my Panasonic digicam, burned to a blank DVD in a set top DVD player.

I want to be able to burn raw unedited movie files from my digicam that will playback on a set top DVD player, as this will save me lots of editing & conversion time.

It was mentioned that .mp4 or h.246? are more universally supported, by DVD & blue ray players. Which movie file format is the most supported nowadays? so I can look for it in digicam specs.

so are there any good compact digicam models with a good long range zoom, decent photo quality (I know they will not compare to a DSLR, but I need something compact) with a more universally supported movie file format. I don't want to have to carry around a digicam & separate camcorder, too much bulk in my purse.

I believe this was answered in one of your other posts. If not, reply again, and we'll give you the answers you need. Thanks.

To briefly recap...

There really isn't any "universal format" for video. You have to build a workflow around a specific set of guidelines that includes the distribution format. If you want to make shooting easier, and skip editing/encoding/etc, then you may need to dump the DVD player in favor of a less-stringent player. That would include a WDTV or a Samsung Blu-ray player, both of which are capable of playing many video formats directly to a TV.

WDTV: http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?_en...ch-alias%3Daps
Samsung Blu-ray player: http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?_en...ch-alias%3Daps

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OK, so it looks like I need a blue ray player, can anybody recommend a not too expensive Samsung model?

And do they play .mov QuickTime movie files?

Since Quicktime is a largely uncooperative proprietary container (and codec/format), you don't really find players that can play said files. These days, Quicktime is largely relegated to Mac-centric edit-ready (intermediary) type files. Mass produced consumer products tend to focus on playability of the the popular distribution formats and containers -- none of which are Quicktime.

You couldn't pick a more nuisance format than Quicktime. That's the reason it hasn't been used as the dominant web format video in many years now. Even Microsoft WMV was displaced. Web-based video is pretty much all H.264 now, in FLV or MKV containers. The next generation could be anything from an Ogg variant to H.265. Quicktime is done and dead as a distribution format.

And therein lies your problem -- you're trying to use an edit-ready format as a distribution format. It's just not going to happen.

You'll have to either:
(A) Find another camera that shoots watch-ready formats, or
(B) Convert the videos away from Quicktime.

After some looking around, I bought this one in silver; http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/DMC-ZS15K

I did a comparison of models, & found this; http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon-Co...Panasonic-ZS15

I also looked up the Panasonic dmc zs20 on dpreview, & interestingly, they recommended the dmc zs15, even though it did not have some of the features of the dmc zs20, the dmc zs15 had better image quality, so I went with the lumix dmc zs15. This was from a photographic website, that I have been linked to here, & they seem to know what they are talking about, they had sample images of jpgs at 100% from the lumix dmc zs20 & the lumix dmc zs15, & I could see the difference myself.

The one I got had mono sound for the video & did not have a touchscreen nor GPS, but I have never really needed these features. I also read that the 2 stereo holes on the tops of some of these digicams are so close together that it did not make a huge difference. This is a camera, & my focus is on it's original purpose of taking good photos, but it also shoots in mp4, & seems to have a good video mode, so I do have a dual purpose gadget. I do not need a very fancy video mode, just one that is compatible, & watch ready, to save me carrying around 2 different devices in my purse, a camcorder & camera.

I hate having to lug around more in my purse than I need, it weighs me down.

did I make a good pick? it seems alot of compact digicams are fairly good now, & I know none of them will be as good as a DSLR, but a DSLR is way too big to carry around in my purse.

Snapsort is mostly just a spec-comparison affiliate site. It lacks in-depth qualitative reviews. I'd choose dpreview.com over that one. At least dpreview does detailed reviews on many models, not just side-by-side (and worthless) spec sheet comparisons. Keep that in mind for future reference. In reference to dpreview.com, I would generally agree with this, too: "they seem to know what they are talking about" (though it's not always true all of the time).

Stereo sound from a single location is effectively mono into both mics anyway. So "stereo" is a sucker's gimmick in that situation.

The video and photo specs of that camera look to be acceptable. Better than my P&S, in fact.

I think you made a good pick, yes. :thumb:

Post some samples sometime. Both video and still photos.