camcorders [digital]

On of the more emerging technologies today that is appearing in the hands of more than a few amatuer filmmakers is digital camcorders. A great tool for staff, they can be used for video newsletters, campus skits, recruitment videos, basically the works.

One of the questions I get when it comes to this is, "How do I get started?" The answer is, get a digital camorder. I also recommend a Mac, but that is on another page. Wading through the world of digital camorder specs, retail salesmen who don't really know what they are talking about, it can be hard to distinguish between what you need, what the cameras has, and what is just fluff. Here are a few things to consider.

• Optical Zoom
  There are two kinds of zoom that you will see when you look at camcorder specifications: optical zoom and digital zoom. You will see something like 20x/400x. The first [and usually lower] number is the important one, the optical zoom.
  Optical zoom is the cameras physical zoom. When you press the zoom button, the lenses actually move to refocus, giving you a perfectly clear picture. When the optical zoom is at its maximum, the digital zoom kicks in, and the cameras "interprets" what the picture should look like. Not usually a good way to go. When I am making videos I always stay within or turn off the digital zoom on my camera to preserve picture quality.
• Inputs
  You need to consider what you are using this camera for, and thus what kinds of inputs you need. If you are making a skit or a recruitment video, you will most likely want an external microphone, since the mic on the camcorder pretty much stinks [at least usually]. So you need to make sure the camcorder you purchase has a mic-in port. Every digital camcorder will have a Firewire [IEEE 1394 or iLink] port on it. Here is a list of ports you may want to consider looking for and their function:
  • Mic input
    For connecting an external microphone.
  • LANC input
    For connecting a remote control on a tripod handle to your camera.
  • Audio/Video input
    This is for connecting to a DVD or VCR or other source, to import your old videotapes and other items into a digital format. Very useful for rebuilding/restoring old home movies.
  • Headphone output
    This will allow you to monitor how the sound is on your camera as you are recording without interference.
• Features
  If you are going to be editing digital video on a computer, then typically you don't need a lot of the "special effects" that a camcorder has to offer, since they can all be done post-taping. On the other hand, if you are not going to a computer, but rather straight to a DVD burner, you may want to consider choosing a camera with the features you want, such as Fade In|Fade Out.

No matter what you choose, you are going to have fun with it, I guarantee it. I typically reocmmend Sony and Canon digital camcorders. If you have any questions about your purchase, please send me an email.

you get what you pay for

In the world of audio/video, you most often get what you pay for. When it comes to choosing external mic, you can spend $25 all the way up to $2000. You need to decide what you need, and what you are willing to spend for it. Make sure you leave room in your digital camcorder budget for these extra things that you may need.

get better prices online

A good strategy to buying a digital camera is to research it at your local store, where you can put your hands on it and explore it close-up, and then to order it online. Typically, I save at least $100 on each camera compared to its retail price. A great search engine to find prices for whatever tech gagdet you are looking to purchase is PriceGrabber.