How To Buy A Digital Camcorder
George Kissi
To be able to buy the perfect digital camcorder for you, it is important to arm your self with a few good tips before you your purchase. This will ensure that you do not wind up with a digital camcorder that does not meet your needs or expectations. Outlined below in no particular order are a few tips to help you along the way.
Look at The LCD Screen in Day Light if you can
Because certain LCD screens have the tendency to fade out in bright sunlight, you need to ensure that you can use the screen under those conditions. If this is not possible then just use the view finder as this will also prolong your battery life.
Examine the lens's optical zoom ratio rather than the digital zoom ratio
Optical zoom actually delivers a closer view of the image as opposed to digital zoom which merely makes the image larger through the view finder. It's important to ensure that the camcorder has a minimum of 10X optical zoom.
Buying an additional high capacity battery will ensure longer recording times
One of the most frustrating thing is running out of battery power in the middle of recording an important event. As most camcorders come a battery that only last for an hour or so it will be a worthwhile investment to buy an additional longer-lasting battery.
Front mounted microphones deliver better results
Buying a front mounted microphone camcorder is is better than a camcorder with the microphone mounted on top. Rather than the camcorder capturing the event being recorded, the top mounted microphone has the tendency to capture the voice of the person using the camcorder.
Buy an external microphone for the best sound
Factor in an extra $50 to $100 for an external microphone if the camcorder you're interested in buying has the ability to connect an external microphone as this will give you the best sound possible.
Become familiar with the controls and features of the camcorder before you purchase
A bigger camcorder model may work better for you if it's more comfortable to handle, particularly if you have large hands as the smallest camcorders ocassionally can be difficult to use
Be sure to examine exposure controls and low-light options
Even though all digital camcorders come with a fully automatic modes certain models are equipped with manual and semi-manual exposure modes which allow you to record at slower shutter speeds, allow you to adjust the apperture settings to permit more light to enter as well as a low-light option to be able to shoot in the dark using infrared light or long shutter mode.
Know your format and look for wide-screen shooting
If you own a high definition TV, you'll get a full picture with no black bars at the top and bottom if you record with a wide-screen model. Also it is important to know the format the camcorder records in. Majority of camcorders record onto mini-DVD discs or MiniDV tapes. Bear in mind that MiniDV is the most widely available format which is a major boost if you find yourself short on tape while on vacation mainly because Mini-DVD discs are ofttimes difficult to come by.
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