Tips For Buying A Digital Camcorder
If you’re in the market for a digital camcorder, it’s prudent that you arm yourself with a few tips before you buy otherwise you might end up with some thing that does not suit your needs. Below are a few guide lines that will help you along the way.
Take a Look at the LCD screen in daylight, if at all possible
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.
Lay emphasis on the lns’s optical zoom ratio rather than the digital zoom ratio
Ensure a minimum of 10x optical zoom as this is more important than the digital zoom due to the fact that digital zoom merely makes the image larger in the view finder.
For Longer recording times buy an additional high capacity battery
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.
Better audio results can be achieved with front mounted microphones
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
Ocassionally the smallest camcorders can be difficult to use, particularly if you have large hands. A bigger model may work better for you if it is more comfortable to handle.
Examine exposure controls and Low-light options
Quite a few camcorders allow you to control certain functions and modes like adjusting apperture settings to permit more lights to enter, low light options to enable you to shoot in dark environments using infrared light or long shutter mode. These are manual features available on certain digital camcorders even though all camcorders come with fully automatic mode.
Wide-screen shooting capability and your format
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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[...] HDTV Information wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptby George Kissi If you’re in the market for a digital camcorder, it’s prudent that you arm yourself with a few tips before you buy otherwise you might end up with some thing that does not suit your needs. Below are a few guide lines that will help you along the way. Take a Look at the LCD screen in daylight, if at all possible 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 poss [...]