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Digital Camcorder Buying Tips

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.

Take a Look at the LCD screen in daylight, if at all possible

Certain screens will fade out in bright sunlight, and you need to ensure your ability to easily see what you’re recording under any circumstances. If you’re unable to view the images on the screen in bright daylight, resort to using the viewfinder. Not only will using the view finder get the job done but it will do so without using up a lot of your battery power.

Lay emphasis on the lns’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

Majority of camcorders come with a battery that only lasts an hour or so. However, you can purchase a longer lasting battery for about $50 to $100 so remember to include that in the budget. Running out of power in the middle recording an important event could be very frustrating!

Microphones that are mounted in the front get 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

If the camcorder you’re interested in buying has the ability to connect an external microphone, then factor in an extra $50 to $100 for 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

If you have large hands it will be better to buy a bigger camcorder if it’s more comfortable to handle because the smallest camcorders can ocassionally be difficult to use.

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.

Wide-screen shooting capability and your format

Recording with a wide screen model will allow you to view your recording without the black bars at the top and buttom if you have a high definition TV. You also need to know the format the camcorder records in. Mini-DVD disc or MiniDV tapes are the most common formats with majority of digital camcorders. Mini-DVD discs are often more difficult to come by than MiniDV as MiniDV is the most widely available format.

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