Technical Knowledge

Hello all,
Just joined the forum and was wondering if anyone could recommend a book that has a good discussion of the technical aspects of mini DV. I am experienced in film making, but am just getting into the digital medium. I’m searching to buy a higher end camera, but need a book to help me to understand some of the technical capabilities of each camera. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Harris Arnoff

[Jason Wood]

You could pick up a copy of "The Filmmakers Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age."

It's available at Barnes & Noble.

[Ken Tanaka]

Off-hand I don't know of a book that discusses the differences between specific cameras. It's such a dynamic subject that it would surely be obsolete before it hit the shelves.

Many books discuss the DV format but few present current, specific information about camera models. Scott Billups' book "Digital Moviemaking" has become a cult primer for aspiring digital movie-makers. (His site is at www.pixelmonger.com.)

Some other good primers are "The Digital Filmaking Handbook" by Ben Long and Sonja Schenk and "The Computer Videomaker Handbook" which is a collection of articles from Computer Videomaker Magazine. These and other such general tomes discuss digital video technology but also cover other aspects of pre-production, production and post-production.

Your best bet for current information specifically on cameras will probably be the Web. This site (and the main dvinfo.com site) is a great place to start. Additionally, you'll want to visit:

www.dv.com : DV Magazine's site
www.videography.com: Videography Magazine's site (geared mainly toward the professional)
www.videomaker.com: Computer Videomaker Magazine's site (aimed at the hobbyist)
www.adamwilt.com/DV.html : Adam Wilt is a video technician and popular rag writer. If you can endure his occasionally supercilious, self-important style he has some valuable pearls of knowledge on his site and in his articles.
www.videouniversity.com: Offers general subject primers, mainly geared toward hobbyists.

And many others.

Please take time to browse and use the other forums here to get answers to specific questions. You might be interested to know that you're in good company around here. We have MANY folks who either have film backgrounds or who curently shoot film professionally. There are no "dumb" questions here at DVInfo, nor are there any questions that are too old to answer!

I hope this is helpful, Harris. Once again, welcome!