Tips before buying a digital camcorder

Tips before buying a digital camcorder

Unless you have an unlimited budget, buying a digital video camera involves a series of tradeoffs to get the best possible features you can afford. By planning ahead before you make your purchase, you can better anticipate where your camera will get used and extend its functional life in the process. The most important thing you can do before making a decision is to sit down and make a list of the 10 most likely scenarios your new camera will be used for. Depending on where you are in life, you might cross over into multiple categories and the reasons for buying a camera will exhibit some similarities. After you look at when and why you might want to record events, take a look at my list of 10 things to watch for when buying a digital camera.

· Ignore Digital Zoom: Digital zoom is the measure of a cameras ability to magnify pixels in an image. You don't get a close up shot with digital zoom, you get an enlarged version of the best optical zoom your camera supports, which ultimately results in grainy looking video.

· Megapixels Don't Matter All the marketing materials related to camcorders boast a number of megapixels in the camcorder. This number is only meaningful in relation to still images taken with the camcorder. If you're really concerned with the quality of your video image, look at how many chips are in the camcorder and how big the chips are In general

· Wide Angle Shooting: One often overlooked feature of digital video cameras is the native ability of a camera to shoot wide angle shots. This determines how far away from your subject you need to be in order to capture a clear image. It also determines how well you can shoot great video in close quarters.

· Low Light Performance Matters How well your digital video camera performs in low light is as much about how well it shoots video in your house with normal interior lighting as it is about how well it shoots in the late evening hours or in a dimly lit basement.

· Make Sure the Camera Fits Getting the right features in a camera is important. It's also vital to make sure the camera you are buying fits you. Can you hold the camera steady while shooting video? Is the video camera comfortable in your hand? Are the buttons placed in a way that makes them easy to press without jostling the camera during recording? Is the camera a size you're comfortable taking it with you, or is it too big so you'll never use it? Will the camcorder fit in your purse or do you need a separate bag? All these are questions that help determine whether a digital video camera is a good fit for your needs.

· Avoid Hybrid Cameras: The current range of digital video cameras with digital still camera functionality is inferior to almost all digital still cameras. The idea of a combined camera is better in concept than it is in practice.

· Buy a Tripod If you buy a digital video camera, you need a tripod to go with it. There's no other accessory, outside of a longer life battery, that will improve your video recording experience

Choose a good brand. There are Sony camcorders, Panasonic camcorders, sharp camcorders, Samsung camcorders. These days there are hard drive camcorders also available.