I want to use a camcorder to record legal records and then transfer the images to a PC data baseAll the camcoreds that I have looked at only record half a page I need a close up lens that will fit a camcorder

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I need a lens that will take a closeup picture of a legal record that will work on a camcorder. I don,t need a color camera as all pictures will be black and white

-- Edward M. Davis (Edavis41@aol.com), May 30, 2000

Answers

To some extent it depends on exactly what you're trying to do, but I have pretty well solved the problem of capturing usable images of documents using digital cameras. I've shot something like 160,000 frames over the past six months, and I've made almost every mistake there is to make. So I speak with some authority.

To capture an image that can later be read easily by a person takes at least 55 pixels per linear inch. Any of the "1200 x 1600" digital cameras on the market (which really record only 600 x 800 pixels, but that's another story) will do the job. At 73 pixels per linear inch while shooting an 8.5 x 11" original, the type is very easy to read, whether you work from a monitor or actually print it out back at your office.

If you're shooting a small number of images, say under 300 at a given location, that's really all you need to know, since a 64 MB smartmedia or CF card will store about 300 images at full resolution, with high JPEG compression. The results won't be pretty, but they'll be easy to read.

If you need to shoot large volumes - over 300 frames per location, let's say - then you need a camera with good shot-to-shot time and good download support. There's exactly one good choice on the market - the Toshiba PDR-M4, which can be had for around $400. Bring along a laptop with USB (test it all first!) and shoot away. You'll also want to bring a portable copy stand and some lights.

Most cameras - including the Toshiba - have a black-and-white mode, which doesn't really change anything important. I've worked recently with an Olympus C-3030Z, which is a nice camera, but not as easy to work with as the Toshiba.

The Sony PC100 is the closest camcorder to what you need, and I don't think you'll be able to make it work for you. But if you're really hung up on trying it, I'd love to hear a report how it goes.

If you're interested in the PDR-M4 route (the PDR-M5 does a similar job, but at a higher price, and is a better camera for other uses) feel free to contact me, and I'll tell you some pitfalls to avoid. You ought to try to make all NEW errors - not ones that somebody else has beaten you to.

-- Mark Grebner (Mark@Grebner.com), May 31, 2000.


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