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Movie mode
Many digital cameras record movies. The quality ranges from mediocre to outstanding. Digital cameras such as the Canon S series are capable of recording video that approaches the quality of a dedicated camcorder.
In the past, digital cameras only recorded short videos of 15 - 30 seconds, some without sound. That has changed since many users now expect their digital cameras to have video capability.
If you plan to shoot a lot of video with a digital camera, check before buying if it has a limited recording time. There are cameras that have no limit at all and record until the memory card is full.
A high speed memory card may be required to obtain the best performance when shooting at the highest video resolution and fastest frame rate. Video files are huge so if you plan to do a lot of recording buy one or more large capacity memory cards.
Video output mode setting
Make sure your camera is set to the record video output to the standard for your country. If you live in the U.S.A., Canada or Japan, set your video to NTSC. Select PAL if you live in a European country or in China.
Video files often have a THM file associated with them.
Related reading:
Video recording tips | Digital camera or dedicated videocam?