compressing DiMAGE Z1 QuickTime movies for the web

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I've Googled already, but probably with the wrong search
terms, and was hoping anybody here would know how to solve
this problem:
I have a Minolta DiMAGE dig. photocamera, which also shoots
a bit of video. But I just filmed 29 seconds, which resulted
in an 8MB file. How do I compress that so it can be streamed
for the web?
Googling for a solution, I find a lot of Apple programs, but
I don't have a Mac, just WinXP.

--
Els
http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

 

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Els typed:

> I've Googled already, but probably with the wrong search
> terms, and was hoping anybody here would know how to solve
> this problem:
> I have a Minolta DiMAGE dig. photocamera, which also shoots
> a bit of video. But I just filmed 29 seconds, which resulted
> in an 8MB file. How do I compress that so it can be streamed
> for the web?
> Googling for a solution, I find a lot of Apple programs, but
> I don't have a Mac, just WinXP.

You call 8M for 29 secs "BIG"...How about Canon S1 IS, who has 62M for 29
secs...now THAT's a big file...but then again, resolution is 640x480 @30
fps...
Did you check out QuickTime ? I bet that registered version does have this
option.

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.dcameras (More info?)

SleeperMan wrote:
> Els typed:
>
>>I've Googled already, but probably with the wrong search
>>terms, and was hoping anybody here would know how to solve
>>this problem:
>>I have a Minolta DiMAGE dig. photocamera, which also shoots
>>a bit of video. But I just filmed 29 seconds, which resulted
>>in an 8MB file. How do I compress that so it can be streamed
>>for the web?
>>Googling for a solution, I find a lot of Apple programs, but
>>I don't have a Mac, just WinXP.
>
> You call 8M for 29 secs "BIG"...How about Canon S1 IS, who has 62M for 29
> secs...now THAT's a big file...but then again, resolution is 640x480 @30
> fps...

Mine is 320x240 and 15fps, so yeah, it's not as big as 62MB.

> Did you check out QuickTime ? I bet that registered version does have this
> option.

I was more hoping for a freeware or shareware program. I'm
not planning on streaming a lot of stuff, just one little bit.

--
Els
http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.dcameras (More info?)

Els typed:

> SleeperMan wrote:
>> Els typed:
>>
>>> I've Googled already, but probably with the wrong search
>>> terms, and was hoping anybody here would know how to solve
>>> this problem:
>>> I have a Minolta DiMAGE dig. photocamera, which also shoots
>>> a bit of video. But I just filmed 29 seconds, which resulted
>>> in an 8MB file. How do I compress that so it can be streamed
>>> for the web?
>>> Googling for a solution, I find a lot of Apple programs, but
>>> I don't have a Mac, just WinXP.
>>
>> You call 8M for 29 secs "BIG"...How about Canon S1 IS, who has 62M
>> for 29 secs...now THAT's a big file...but then again, resolution is
>> 640x480 @30 fps...
>
> Mine is 320x240 and 15fps, so yeah, it's not as big as 62MB.

Well, i can shoot in above res, too. But, you know what happens, if you have
better available...all of the sudden, lower is just not good enough...
BTW...how's night shot mode with your camera? Before buyiny mine Canon, i
checked out some reviews and i've got very bad info on night shots with
Minolta Z1...and supposely it has very quick auto focus...although i did
hear something about problems here, too, So, i wonder, if any of that is
true?

>
>> Did you check out QuickTime ? I bet that registered version does
>> have this option.
>
> I was more hoping for a freeware or shareware program. I'm
> not planning on streaming a lot of stuff, just one little bit.

aha...sorry, don't know about freeware...i tried to squeeze a bit my big
movies, too, but i gave up, since output quality was too degraded. I tried
DivX, XVid and MPEG, all same bad luck.

 

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SleeperMan wrote:

> Els typed:
>
>>SleeperMan wrote:
>>
>>>You call 8M for 29 secs "BIG"...How about Canon S1 IS, who has 62M
>>>for 29 secs...now THAT's a big file...but then again, resolution is
>>>640x480 @30 fps...
>>
>>Mine is 320x240 and 15fps, so yeah, it's not as big as 62MB.
>
> Well, i can shoot in above res, too. But, you know what happens, if you have
> better available...all of the sudden, lower is just not good enough...
> BTW...how's night shot mode with your camera? Before buyiny mine Canon, i
> checked out some reviews and i've got very bad info on night shots with
> Minolta Z1...and supposely it has very quick auto focus...although i did
> hear something about problems here, too, So, i wonder, if any of that is
> true?

I haven't done a lot of nightshots, tried once in a dark
place at the zoo, using flash, and that one wasn't exactly
focused. However, another pic, in the same room, was focused
alright. At that time I hadn't found out yet how to set the
camera to 400 ISO, so flash was the only option.

In the mean time I've shot one concert, but that's not the
same as nightshots.

But yes, the autofocus is nice and quick, and unless you're
using the flash, the time between pressing the button and
capturing is hardly noticable. I'll try some nightshots
tonight if you're curious, have first-hand (for me,
second-hand for you ;-) ) experience.
Any particular type of nightshot you're interested in?
There's probably a difference between a picture of a
half-lit tree nearby, or a building a bit more distant, and
between stuff indoors or outdoors.

>>>Did you check out QuickTime ? I bet that registered version does
>>>have this option.
>>
>>I was more hoping for a freeware or shareware program. I'm
>>not planning on streaming a lot of stuff, just one little bit.
>
> aha...sorry, don't know about freeware...i tried to squeeze a bit my big
> movies, too, but i gave up, since output quality was too degraded. I tried
> DivX, XVid and MPEG, all same bad luck.

Quality always seems to get worse when compressing. I just
wish I could use PhotoShop to use 'save for the web' on each
frame of the video. That would get a better result, I'm sure.

--
Els
http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

 

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Els typed:

> SleeperMan wrote:
>
>> Els typed:
>>
>>> SleeperMan wrote:
>>>
>>>> You call 8M for 29 secs "BIG"...How about Canon S1 IS, who has 62M
>>>> for 29 secs...now THAT's a big file...but then again, resolution is
>>>> 640x480 @30 fps...
>>>
>>> Mine is 320x240 and 15fps, so yeah, it's not as big as 62MB.
>>
>> Well, i can shoot in above res, too. But, you know what happens, if
>> you have better available...all of the sudden, lower is just not
>> good enough... BTW...how's night shot mode with your camera? Before
>> buyiny mine Canon, i checked out some reviews and i've got very bad
>> info on night shots with Minolta Z1...and supposely it has very
>> quick auto focus...although i did hear something about problems
>> here, too, So, i wonder, if any of that is true?
>
> I haven't done a lot of nightshots, tried once in a dark
> place at the zoo, using flash, and that one wasn't exactly
> focused. However, another pic, in the same room, was focused
> alright. At that time I hadn't found out yet how to set the
> camera to 400 ISO, so flash was the only option.
>
> In the mean time I've shot one concert, but that's not the
> same as nightshots.
>
> But yes, the autofocus is nice and quick, and unless you're
> using the flash, the time between pressing the button and
> capturing is hardly noticable. I'll try some nightshots
> tonight if you're curious, have first-hand (for me,
> second-hand for you ;-) ) experience.
> Any particular type of nightshot you're interested in?
> There's probably a difference between a picture of a
> half-lit tree nearby, or a building a bit more distant, and
> between stuff indoors or outdoors.
>
Well, i was told once that a man shouldn't rely too much on that web
reviews. I guess some sites just favors one brand and spit to another.
Anyway, one review is at
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z1-review/
I really don't know how they manage to screw up that much...

 

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HEY!!
I saw that even yours Z1 doesn't have AF assist lamp...!
What a shame...it seems that none of big zoom models doesn't have it -
Canon, Olympus, Minolta, none...
How do you focus in low light condition? My Canon has a bit of trouble, so i
must use hand laser pointer sometimes.

 

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SleeperMan wrote:

>>But yes, the autofocus is nice and quick, and unless you're
>>using the flash, the time between pressing the button and
>>capturing is hardly noticable. I'll try some nightshots
>>tonight if you're curious, have first-hand (for me,
>>second-hand for you ;-) ) experience.
>>Any particular type of nightshot you're interested in?
>>There's probably a difference between a picture of a
>>half-lit tree nearby, or a building a bit more distant, and
>>between stuff indoors or outdoors.
>
> Well, i was told once that a man shouldn't rely too much on that web
> reviews. I guess some sites just favors one brand and spit to another.
> Anyway, one review is at
> http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z1-review/
> I really don't know how they manage to screw up that much...

lol, that's the review I mostly based my purchase on.
Comparing that review to these:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z1-review/index.shtml
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/kodak/dx6490-review/index.shtml
together with what Jim Vatunz said about it, made me choose
the Dimage Z1. Still thinking I made the right choice.
No red eyes, no vignetting, yes, a little purple fringing,
but that's not too difficult to avoid, very accurate
colours, I'm happy with it
I was worried about the 'flimsy battery door', but I don't
see it as flimsy at all. It has a lock on it, which I can't
say of a lot of cameras.

--
Els
http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

 

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SleeperMan wrote:

> HEY!!
> I saw that even yours Z1 doesn't have AF assist lamp...!
> What a shame...it seems that none of big zoom models doesn't have it -
> Canon, Olympus, Minolta, none...
> How do you focus in low light condition? My Canon has a bit of trouble, so i
> must use hand laser pointer sometimes.

I don't know how or what, but when I use flash, I suppose
the red eye reduction sort of lights the place, which is
then used to focus. Haven't really tested that, but I do
certainly remember, that I tried to focus in a dark place,
which then was lit (visibly on the lcd-screen), before I
pressed the release button completely.
But indeed, focussing with very low light, is nearly, if not
completely, impossible. I'm not sure though, where the line
between just low light and too low light is.

What's a hand laser pointer?

--
Els
http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

 

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Els typed:

> SleeperMan wrote:
>
>> HEY!!
>> I saw that even yours Z1 doesn't have AF assist lamp...!
>> What a shame...it seems that none of big zoom models doesn't have it
>> - Canon, Olympus, Minolta, none...
>> How do you focus in low light condition? My Canon has a bit of
>> trouble, so i must use hand laser pointer sometimes.
>
> I don't know how or what, but when I use flash, I suppose
> the red eye reduction sort of lights the place, which is
> then used to focus. Haven't really tested that, but I do
> certainly remember, that I tried to focus in a dark place,
> which then was lit (visibly on the lcd-screen), before I
> pressed the release button completely.
> But indeed, focussing with very low light, is nearly, if not
> completely, impossible. I'm not sure though, where the line
> between just low light and too low light is.
>
> What's a hand laser pointer?

Maybe i should write hand-held laser pointer - a small kind of torch, but
with laser diode inside and when you turn it on, it lights straight red
beam. It's used for pointing things at presentations etc. Excellent for AF
assisting in total darkness, too.

 

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Els typed:

> SleeperMan wrote:
>
>>> But yes, the autofocus is nice and quick, and unless you're
>>> using the flash, the time between pressing the button and
>>> capturing is hardly noticable. I'll try some nightshots
>>> tonight if you're curious, have first-hand (for me,
>>> second-hand for you ;-) ) experience.
>>> Any particular type of nightshot you're interested in?
>>> There's probably a difference between a picture of a
>>> half-lit tree nearby, or a building a bit more distant, and
>>> between stuff indoors or outdoors.
>>
>> Well, i was told once that a man shouldn't rely too much on that web
>> reviews. I guess some sites just favors one brand and spit to
>> another. Anyway, one review is at
>> http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z1-review/
>> I really don't know how they manage to screw up that much...
>
> lol, that's the review I mostly based my purchase on.
> Comparing that review to these:
> http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z1-review/index.shtml
> http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/kodak/dx6490-review/index.shtml
> together with what Jim Vatunz said about it, made me choose
> the Dimage Z1. Still thinking I made the right choice.
> No red eyes, no vignetting, yes, a little purple fringing,
> but that's not too difficult to avoid, very accurate
> colours, I'm happy with it
> I was worried about the 'flimsy battery door', but I don't
> see it as flimsy at all. It has a lock on it, which I can't
> say of a lot of cameras.

They often have complaints about "flimsy" doors... They say the same obout
my Canon, and from i see, i should open it with a screwdriver or hammer to
break it. If you aware that it's a sensitive device and handle it carefully,
it's oK.
And, at the end, i never did take a nightshot yet - not with my recent
Canon, not even with my old Olympus, so, i don't really care too much about
it anyway. It was just a thing i remembered about Z1. When i looked for a
right one, i read about Olympus UZ740 and 750, too. And they have much
better night pic than most others - practically no purple fringing. But
still, it's an old camera, ready ot go out of production, and looks
to...ugly...

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.dcameras (More info?)

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 10:46:08 +0200, "SleeperMan"
<SleeperMan@too.sleepy> wrote:

>Els typed:
>
>> I've Googled already, but probably with the wrong search
>> terms, and was hoping anybody here would know how to solve
>> this problem:
>> I have a Minolta DiMAGE dig. photocamera, which also shoots
>> a bit of video. But I just filmed 29 seconds, which resulted
>> in an 8MB file. How do I compress that so it can be streamed
>> for the web?
>> Googling for a solution, I find a lot of Apple programs, but
>> I don't have a Mac, just WinXP.
>
>You call 8M for 29 secs "BIG"...How about Canon S1 IS, who has 62M for 29
>secs...now THAT's a big file...but then again, resolution is 640x480 @30
>fps...
>Did you check out QuickTime ? I bet that registered version does have this
>option.
>
the Z1 supports recording in that resolution too.
try http://www.winmpg.com/
the free version will convert up to 5 minutes of video.

I have a webcam in the tropics
http://ii.net/~farmerjim/

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.dcameras (More info?)

Jim Vatunz wrote:

> On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 10:46:08 +0200, "SleeperMan"
> <SleeperMan@too.sleepy> wrote:
>
>>Els typed:
>>
>>>I've Googled already, but probably with the wrong search
>>>terms, and was hoping anybody here would know how to solve
>>>this problem:
>>>I have a Minolta DiMAGE dig. photocamera, which also shoots
>>>a bit of video. But I just filmed 29 seconds, which resulted
>>>in an 8MB file. How do I compress that so it can be streamed
>>>for the web?
>>>Googling for a solution, I find a lot of Apple programs, but
>>>I don't have a Mac, just WinXP.
>>
>>You call 8M for 29 secs "BIG"...How about Canon S1 IS, who has 62M for 29
>>secs...now THAT's a big file...but then again, resolution is 640x480 @30
>>fps...
>>Did you check out QuickTime ? I bet that registered version does have this
>>option.
>
> the Z1 supports recording in that resolution too.

I know ;-)
btw, Jim, still very happy with the Z1. If you like, I put
some pics on my site which I took with it, at the zoo:
http://locusmeus.com/dimage-gallery01.html

> try http://www.winmpg.com/
> the free version will convert up to 5 minutes of video.

Yes, it does. Just downloaded the trial. But it also
displays a logo over the middle of the converted video,
saying "Unregistered WinMPG Video Convert www.winmpg.com" in
red and blue letters :-(

--
Els
http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.dcameras (More info?)

Check out videohelp.com they have a very good list of encoders etc.. under
tools in their menu.
hth,
jim


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On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 17:48:21 +0200, Els <els.aNOSPAM@tiscali.nl>
wrote:

>SleeperMan wrote:
>
>>>But yes, the autofocus is nice and quick, and unless you're
>>>using the flash, the time between pressing the button and
>>>capturing is hardly noticable. I'll try some nightshots
>>>tonight if you're curious, have first-hand (for me,
>>>second-hand for you ;-) ) experience.
>>>Any particular type of nightshot you're interested in?
>>>There's probably a difference between a picture of a
>>>half-lit tree nearby, or a building a bit more distant, and
>>>between stuff indoors or outdoors.
>>
>> Well, i was told once that a man shouldn't rely too much on that web
>> reviews. I guess some sites just favors one brand and spit to another.
>> Anyway, one review is at
>> http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z1-review/
>> I really don't know how they manage to screw up that much...
>
>lol, that's the review I mostly based my purchase on.
>Comparing that review to these:
>http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/minolta/dimage_z1-review/index.shtml
>http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/kodak/dx6490-review/index.shtml
>together with what Jim Vatunz said about it, made me choose
>the Dimage Z1. Still thinking I made the right choice.
>No red eyes, no vignetting, yes, a little purple fringing,
>but that's not too difficult to avoid, very accurate
>colours, I'm happy with it
>I was worried about the 'flimsy battery door', but I don't
>see it as flimsy at all. It has a lock on it, which I can't
>say of a lot of cameras.

Glad you're happy with it.
I still love using mine although i must say it doesn't focus in low
light. no real problem for me as i didn't buy it for that reason
although i did try to get a photo of a lovely green tree frog at the
back of my house a while ago in the evening. alas it was a failure but
much of that could be put down to alcohol dulling my ability to set
the manual focus.
the only red eye i've got from mine was of a baby. i think that may be
hard to avoid due to their nature. i certainly didn't buy the Z1
because of flash performance because most of my shots are outdoor ones
in good Aussie sunshine.

I have a webcam in the tropics
http://ii.net/~farmerjim/