Digital Video Camera
In the current world of electronics, either you're an analog device or a digital device. In the past hundred years or so, analog has ruled. With the dawn of the digital age, however, gadgets that use this form of technology are taking over the field of electronics. So why is digital reigning over analog? Is it really a better technology? Are the electronic components really that different? And in the world of video cameras, does digital video mean better quality? To discuss how a digital video camera works, one must talk about the differences between digital and analog. Here are some basics about how the digital video camera works and some answers to the question ... Why digital over analog?
Differences between analog and digital
The first question that must be answered is this: What is the difference between digital technology and analog technology? There are several basic ways these two technologies differ, including how the data is recorded, how it is stored, and quality of sound and images.
How data is recorded
An analog video camera uses film. This film is what captures the light that is then turned into an image. Digital video cameras, however, use microchips to record the same images. The digital technology then turns the image into pixels, which is the smallest element of a picture displayed on a computer. Digital video cameras record information digitally, in binary code form using zeros and ones, whereas analog refers to circuits in which quantities like current vary at a continuous rate. In order to capture the light from an image, a digital camera uses a sensor called a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). These sensors are made out of silicon and are typically no bigger than a fingernail. The data in an analog camera is a series of electrical pulses that are designed to represent the image. They only measure or represent, whereas digital uses precise representations through a process of counting using the binary numeric system. This process of recording or counting, naturally, is more precise because where analog measures, digital counts, and counting is more precise than measuring. For this reason, digital images can be reproduced over and over and never lose quality. Analog reproductions, however, because they are measured rather than counted and, therefore, are less precise, lose quality each time they are reproduced. (Some systems, however, are a combination of binary and analog. These systems require special circuitry to convert analog to digital.)
How data is stored
An analog video recorder also uses the film on which images are captured to store these images. Once it has translated captured images into computer pixels, the digital camera stores those computer pixels on whatever media storage is available, such as USB sticks, flash memory cards, or laptop disk drives. From this inner camera storage these images can then be downloaded to a computer and used in different ways, such as stored, printed, or even sent via internet to friends and family. These images can even be edited. For example, the image size can be cropped or its colors can be changed.
Quality of sound and images
Though debated among audiophiles, the difference between the sound quality of analog and digital is not that great. Digital video cameras offer a little higher quality sound, but a die-hard analog video camera user may stick with analog ... if, that, is sound were the only issue. The biggest difference comes in with the quality of the images captured and especially with the reproduction of those images. Because a digital video camera records images using bytes, which are a precise count, rather than a system of measuring as is used by analog, the capturing of those images has a much higher quality. In addition, as mentioned above, because the images that are captured on digital video cameras uses a counting system rather than analog's measuring system, the reproduction of those images is precise every time. In essence, the thousandth reproduction will be of the same quality as the first. Analog reproductions, however, because the system is not precise, will get worse in quality with each subsequent copy.
Arguably, digital technology is overtaking the field of electronics, and now you know some of the reasons why. Although analog is still around, because the quality of digital video images captured, as well as the quality of all of those subsequent reproductions, is so much greater than the quality of images captured on an analog video camera, digital is likely to continue dominating the field of electronics for years to come.
Differences between analog and digital
The first question that must be answered is this: What is the difference between digital technology and analog technology? There are several basic ways these two technologies differ, including how the data is recorded, how it is stored, and quality of sound and images.
How data is recorded
An analog video camera uses film. This film is what captures the light that is then turned into an image. Digital video cameras, however, use microchips to record the same images. The digital technology then turns the image into pixels, which is the smallest element of a picture displayed on a computer. Digital video cameras record information digitally, in binary code form using zeros and ones, whereas analog refers to circuits in which quantities like current vary at a continuous rate. In order to capture the light from an image, a digital camera uses a sensor called a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). These sensors are made out of silicon and are typically no bigger than a fingernail. The data in an analog camera is a series of electrical pulses that are designed to represent the image. They only measure or represent, whereas digital uses precise representations through a process of counting using the binary numeric system. This process of recording or counting, naturally, is more precise because where analog measures, digital counts, and counting is more precise than measuring. For this reason, digital images can be reproduced over and over and never lose quality. Analog reproductions, however, because they are measured rather than counted and, therefore, are less precise, lose quality each time they are reproduced. (Some systems, however, are a combination of binary and analog. These systems require special circuitry to convert analog to digital.)
How data is stored
An analog video recorder also uses the film on which images are captured to store these images. Once it has translated captured images into computer pixels, the digital camera stores those computer pixels on whatever media storage is available, such as USB sticks, flash memory cards, or laptop disk drives. From this inner camera storage these images can then be downloaded to a computer and used in different ways, such as stored, printed, or even sent via internet to friends and family. These images can even be edited. For example, the image size can be cropped or its colors can be changed.
Quality of sound and images
Though debated among audiophiles, the difference between the sound quality of analog and digital is not that great. Digital video cameras offer a little higher quality sound, but a die-hard analog video camera user may stick with analog ... if, that, is sound were the only issue. The biggest difference comes in with the quality of the images captured and especially with the reproduction of those images. Because a digital video camera records images using bytes, which are a precise count, rather than a system of measuring as is used by analog, the capturing of those images has a much higher quality. In addition, as mentioned above, because the images that are captured on digital video cameras uses a counting system rather than analog's measuring system, the reproduction of those images is precise every time. In essence, the thousandth reproduction will be of the same quality as the first. Analog reproductions, however, because the system is not precise, will get worse in quality with each subsequent copy.
Arguably, digital technology is overtaking the field of electronics, and now you know some of the reasons why. Although analog is still around, because the quality of digital video images captured, as well as the quality of all of those subsequent reproductions, is so much greater than the quality of images captured on an analog video camera, digital is likely to continue dominating the field of electronics for years to come.