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General discussion

quarter-sized lens vs dime-size for low light?

Dec 27, 2010 10:25AM PST

I tried seraching for low light and there are 9hundred something threads. All I want to know is if I chose a camcorder with a lens size like a sony webbie mhs-cm1 (about quarter-sized), will it be noticably brighter than if I chose a smaller genre camcorder like the sony webbie MHS-PM1(about dime-sized)?
thanks you

Discussion is locked

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also,
Dec 27, 2010 10:30AM PST

under $100 used and fits in pocket please.

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I want that!
Dec 27, 2010 10:47AM PST

I've subscribed to see if you find this!

(hint: I fear there is no such thing today.)

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still mostly a yes or no question
Dec 27, 2010 11:29AM PST

I added in under $100 used and fits in pocket later 'casue I didn't want recomendations like oh, this $500 dufelbag camcorder has a big lens and 3 image chips. it will be bright.
All I'm asking is if i would be better off sacraficing overall size for a larger lens size to get brighter vid/pic. Quarter VS dime-sized.

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re
Dec 27, 2010 12:51PM PST

they both have a 1X CMOS sensor type,and same size 1/2.5 inch, but the MHS-CM1's lens is like twice the size, so it will make brighter quality? I just want to knwo in general. I'm learing shutter speed and resolution are sometimes reduced to make brighter in low light setting/function, etc.

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What you see then
Dec 27, 2010 11:52PM PST

Is what folk complain about in low light operation. You appear to have other discussions on this and have tried a camera already.

I have yet to see a 3 chip small camera for 100 dollars even used unless it wasn't so small and was broken. Most used gear has something wrong about it. Just look at ebay.
Bob

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re
Dec 28, 2010 7:42AM PST

Once upon a time,
I SAID:"I added in under $100 used and fits in pocket later 'casue I didn't want recomendations like oh, this $500 dufelbag camcorder has a big lens and 3 image chips. it will be bright."

BOB SAID:"I have yet to see a 3 chip small camera for 100 dollars even used unless it wasn't so small and was broken."

what I SAID was ment so that any input wouldn't go past my price range. i.e. a $500 duffel-bag-sized cam with 3 image chips that will be bright. I should have wrote it with quotes indicating the reply from another person like this: I added in under $100 used and fits in pocket later 'casue I didn't want recomendations like "Oh, this $500 dufelbag camcorder has a big lens and 3 image chips. It will be bright."

BOB:"You appear to have other discussions on this and have tried a camera already"
yea i sure do, good thing I made them cause I would never have know that all the tiny dime-sized lenses produce low light quality, I thought it was just the JVC Picsio. I tried searching and there are 9hundred something threads when searching varying combonations of "low light chip lens". i looked through a lot of them and they are not helpful in my case, so I made this thread.

Anyway I'll just assume that lux and image sensor size are the main factors determining brightness. If a cam has a quarter-sized lens and the same lux and CMOS sensor size as a dime-sized lens than the quarter-sized one will just have better zoom.

http://www.camcorders-only.com/ has a lot of useful reviews. VERY extensive comparisons etc if anyone happens to search this thread out in the future and is looking for help.
The end.

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Did you find your camcorder?
Dec 28, 2010 10:54AM PST

I've yet to see such a low light camcorder but I was leaving out something in case your found something I never did. I am involved with CCTV and such gear design. Not wires and cables or systems but the actual cameras. After 2 decades I've yet to see anything that answers your or anyone's quest for this product.

But I left this out because there is always hope that someday that magical device will show up (not yet?)

---> I did not mention the black and white or monochrome cameras because most folk think we can do color without light. Let's let them keep chasing the dream devices.

So there it is. For low light you need to forget color cameras.
Bob

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(NT) thanks
Dec 29, 2010 8:08AM PST
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thanks
Dec 29, 2010 8:12AM PST

can I ask one more question?
If two cameras have the same lux, CMOS and image chip size like 1 2/5" but one has a larger lens, will the larger lensed one take brighter video/pic or it's only advantage is better/optical zoom? I know yous already said larger lens=brighter quality, but want to double check about cams with the same specs besides lens size.

like Sony Webbie MHS-CM1 VS Sony mhs-pm5 for brightness.
thanks have a great day

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oops
Dec 30, 2010 10:08AM PST

stupid human error on my part. I've had my monitor brightness and contrast to all the way down to zero for years-because it's easier on the eyes,kinda saves energy, and that's all one really needs it to be for internet browsing, unless video games and google earth for me but haven't played games in years and just forgot when looking at pictures that were so dark that the monitor was max minimum. Although peolpe are saying the small pocket sized camcorders all give dark quality because the lenses are so small. Just don't want to give the wrong info and discourage anyone from buying a pocket sized cams. Youtube reviews show they aren't all that dark unless it's night time of course.

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oops
Dec 30, 2010 10:12AM PST

stupid human error on my part. I've had my monitor brightness and contrast to all the way down to zero for years-because it's easier on the eyes,kinda saves energy, and that's all one really needs it to be for internet browsing, unless video games and google earth for me but haven't played games in years and just forgot when looking at pictures that were so dark that the monitor was max minimum. Although peolpe are saying the small pocket sized camcorders all give dark quality because the lenses are so small. Just don't want to give the wrong info and discourage anyone from buying a pocket sized cams. Youtube reviews show they aren't all that dark unless it's night time of course.