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Which Camera is Best for You? by Stefan

What camera should I use?

Many, if not all, aspiring Brickfilmers are faced with this question. Some very early, some after their first few films. This document tries to give these people some ideas to base their choice on. Basically there are three different camera types that can be used for stopmotion animation. I'll shed some light on the advantages they have, and the differences between the various brands and types. I will focus on webcams because these are used most often, and not as expensive as the other types.

Webcams
Webcams are the cheapest option available, and by far not the worst: some of the best brickfilms around here have been created with ordinary webcams. They work well with the software that's available, and their small size makes it possible to put them in the middle of the action. The disadvantage is that they are very light, and the cable is not too long and flexible, which can make it easy to move it while filming, This limitation can be overcome with a little ingenuity however.

The main difference between webcams is the light-sensitive chip found inside. Most webcams, and all the cheap ones, have a what is called a CMOS chip. This one is not as sensitive as the higher quality CCD chip found in the more expensive ones (PHILIPS ToUcam Pro, Kodak DVC325 and Logitech Quickcam Pro 3000 (and 4000), and the Intel CS330 are some examples). The result of this:

• cheap, CMOS based webcams are more grainy
There are several ways to work around this. The most obvious one is better lighting. Daylight usually works best, but tends to change too quickly for your film. Two 60 Watt light bulbs are a bare minimum when filming indoors, usually a halogen lamp gives much better results. Frame averaging is also a possibility, but there's not much software around to do this
• they can not be adjusted as well
• the most clearly seen difference - they have difficulties with live motion (they adopt to changes in light intensity much slower). Those who own a webcam: open the preview window, and set the frame rate to the maximum value. Then wave your hand frantically in front of it. If it becomes a blur before it starts hurting, you have a CMOS chip inside it. Otherwise it's CCD.
CCD cameras can exhibit this blur effect on fast moving objects too, but they are less susceptible to it
For more reading on this, visit http://www.howstuffworks.com/ .

Digital photo cameras
Digital (photo)cameras also usually have CCDs, but they are much more expensive because:-

• they are self-operational and portable
• they have better lenses (glass and aspherical instead of the cheap plastic used in most webcams. Also adjusting the focus is not the same as unscrewing the lens from the camera as is the case with webcams.
• Many models support optical ("real", leans based, not digitally interpolated) zoom.
• They have higher resolutions.
• They have lots of internal software.
This last point is exactly what makes them less useful for Brickfilming: the software is not very exact, so focus and even lighting may change considerably from frame to frame. With the exception of some very expensive models, where all can be set manually, they are not too useful.

A final reason that makes them less useful, is that there is no camera I know of that can store the pictures taken directly on the computer. It will always store them on an internal memory, and when connected to the computer it will appear as a disk drive. So instead of storing your frames on your hard drive as your film, you must periodically, and repeatedly stop animating, connect the cameras to the computer, transfer your stills, empty your cameras memory, and begin shooting again.

(Digital) video cameras
Digital video cameras are probably the best you can get: they can be connected to the computer to store the images directly, and have all the advantages like high-quality lenses, manual focus, zoom and - not unimportant - a standard socket for a tripod (though some webcams also have this). Also they can be used for other (vacation) purposes. Unfortunately they are terribly expensive, and you will usually need a capture card, firewire or in some cases USB2, for your computer before you can use it for stopmotion. For analogue videocameras you must have a Video card that has Video input on it . The main difference between analogue and digital videocameras is the way they store film on tape. The digital cameras have much higher quality there. You won't notice this difference, however, if you capture directly into a computer.

Conclusion
So, to conclude, if you want to limit the amount of money you spend on equipment, go for webcam. Keep in mind the following points, that determine its quality:

• chip (CMOS/CCD, CCD being the superior by far.)
• Maximum resolution (640x480 is usually very satisfactory for online distribution)
• tripod socket/stability (an unstable, or wobbly base will lead to much frustration while stopmotion animating, though there are ways around this, see "Making a LEGO compatible base for your Webcam" in tech guides from the main resource page)
• manual focus (essential for a sharp picture. This is not always mentioned on the box, so look for a ring around the lens that can be turned.)
Also ask in the shop if you can try it out and return it when you are not satisfied. In the Netherlands this is usually no problem if you repack it neatly, and return it within 2 weeks. Also ask for the amount of guarantee, and how this is settled in your shop.

For your reference, the table below lists many of the cameras that have been / are in use by your fellow Brickfilmers.
Information listed includes a link to the manufacturers website where possible, the specifications of resolution, the type of image sensor chip, any extra features, and a link to a brickfilm made with the camera.
While the Video (live) framerate has been listed, it is not really relevant to an animator when using the camera to record Stopmotion, I have included the information nonetheless, as live action does have a place in Brickfilming,for example, filming a train traveling along a track in real time instead of the time consuming task of filming it in stopmotion.