How to Buy a Camcorder that Meets Your Needs

Much more affordable than they used to be, camcorders are the mainstay of home or small studio movie making.  Like any type of technology, there is a bewildering array of options, language, and features to choose from.  To find a camcorder that is most suited for your purposes, you need to know a little more about them.

The first consideration is the format.  The most popular is the MiniDV, which offers the best combination of price and performance.  It uses a tape to record the action, which is getting a little dated, but nonetheless is still a popular choice.  If your budget can stretch to a hard drive recorder, then I suggest getting on of those.  They are by far the easiest to work with.

It shouldn’t be a problem if buying locally, but if you buy over the internet ensure that the standard is correct for where you will be using the camera.  NTSC for the US and PAL for Europe.  The signal can be converted between the two, but it’s another step in an already long process.

The zoom is the next consideration.  Ignore digital zoom, it means nothing.  The only useful zoon feature on a camcorder is optical zoom.  This is what makes the real difference, and you want at least a 10x to be able to shoot effectively.

Manual controls are a must if you want to shoot professional looking footage.  Automatic functions are okay for home or online movies, but manual adjustment is always best.  Manual focus, iris and white balance are what you’re looking for,

To shoot good video, you need either a viewfinder or LCD screen.  The larger the screen the better as long as it still fits the camera.  Make sure to check it outside, as well as in the store.  Not all LCDs are created equal, and not all of them will work too well in natural light.

Ease of use is also an obvious concern.  While cameras are getting smaller, and more portable, it means the real estate for the controls is getting smaller.  We don’t all have dainty little fingers that can dance over controls like a pianist.  You need to be able to access all of the controls without looking at them, and without pressing anything else by accident.

Connectivity is also a consideration, as a camera is not good if it can’t transfer the film to the editing suite.  Analog outputs are handy, but not essential as they mainly connect to the TV or VCR if you still have one.  Firewire output is the preferred, and faster options, if not then USB2 is acceptable.

Audio is also an important part of a camera.  At the very least it should be able to record audio in stereo.  If you want to make better quality movies, then an external microphone input, or attached to the camera is essential.

Without getting into brands, and particular models, the information above is intended to provide you with an overview of the important aspects of choosing a camera.  Most expensive doesn’t mean best.  Get the camera that feels comfortable, and does everything you need it to do.