Lens size:
The larger the lens on a DV camcorder, the more light it lets in, providing better color information to the CCDs and resulting in better performance in low light. This especially helps when choosing a camera with only 1 CCD.

CCD Chip: Having passed through the lens, light then hits the charge coupled device (CCD), which is at the heart of the camera and responsible for translating the light into electronic signals.

Often referred to as the image chip, the CCD is made up of thousands of little cells or pixels. These are arranged in a grid and each pixel produces its own electrical signal when touched by light. Generally speaking, the larger the chip, the more pixels and so the better quality the image. However, recent developments have seen the 1/3 inch and 1/4 inch CCDs which continue to offer impressive levels of detail on smaller chips.

CCD size: As a general rule, the more pixels the camcorder CCD (the chip that captures the video) has, the better the image quality of the resulting video will be. 

3 CCD vs. 1 CCD

Charged-coupled devices (CCDs) are chips in a DV camcorder used to capture images from the lens. One-CCD camcorders capture images by interpreting RGB colors with one chip. Three-CCD cameras capture image data by assigning one color to each chip, resulting in more accurate color information. Over 90% of the consumer-level DV cameras are of the 1CCD variety. In general they are less expensive than 3CCD DV cams. Panasonic offers several 3CCD camcorder models under $1,000.

Resolution:  
The difference with digital is in the megapixel, up to 500-line resolution which is presented via a CCD (charge-coupled device) imaging screen. The CCD is measured in pixels. And the more pixels, the better. Digital camcorders offer 680,000 pixels to a megapixel (one million pixels) for amazingly sharp, crisp digital video. With digital, making copies from one camcorder to another is easy and there's virtually no loss in quality.

Basically, the higher the resolution, the sharper the picture. Resolution ranges from 250 lines for standard VHS quality to over 500 lines for digital quality.

Format:  
There are many camcorder formats: MiniDV, Hi8mm, Digital8, Mini-DVD, VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C. Many camcorders use the MiniDV videotape format. A Digital8 camcorder records digital video onto Hi-8mm videotapes and can also play back analog videotapes recorded on Hi-8 camcorders. Many digital camcorders can record from a composite or S-Video source, as well, so you can transfer video from an older analog camcorder onto digital tape.

When camcorders were introduced, they all used VHS tapes, but now there are smaller formats. VHS-C camcorders use a normal VHS tape in a smaller cassette. You can easily play back VHS-C on a home VCR using a VHS-C-to-VHS adaptor included with most VHS-C models. Simply place your VHS-C tape in the adaptor and slide it into your VCR just like a standard tape.

Because 8mm tape is smaller than VHS tape, 8mm camcorders are more compact than VHS camcorders. You cannot play back 8mm tape in a normal VCR but you can play it back on your TV by hooking up your camcorder to the TV.

• MiniDV is the most common digital format, smaller than a Digital8 camcorder, and the tape is very compact (about 1/12th of the size of the VHS tape). Its recording capability is two hours at 500 lines of resolution.
  
• Digital8 format is a good choice if you want to upgrade to digital from an 8mm or a Hi8 camcorder. Features are pretty close to a MiniDV camcorder, with one key advantage: Digital8 can play back your old 8mm and Hi8 videos.
  
• Mini-DVD is a 8cm optical disc which will play on many DVD Video players. Random access to scenes and no rewind or tape to jam are just a few of the benefits of disc.
  
  See more on Camcorder Formats

Media:  
Digital camcorders still use videotape (most use a format called MiniDV), but some can also store video on memory cards, while others use DVD disc.

Camcorders that store video exclusively on memory cards are now available. Panasonic launched the SV-AV10, which can record up to 30 minutes of video to a Secure Digital memory card. However, this camera records video at a much lower resolution than a MiniDV camcorder does and highly compresses it, so memory cards won't start supplanting videotapes as the most convenient way to record video anytime soon. Most MiniDV tapes hold 60 minutes, extended to 90 minutes with LP recording speed.

Some Sony MiniDV cassettes (DVM60EXML) have a tiny, built-in memory chip that can record information. Media cost is not excessive for any format. $3 to $9 is the average cost per tape or disc. Sony 8mm tape is still very much available and so is VHS-C tape. MiniDV tape and the mini-DVD discs are also available.

See more on Media

All camcorders come with an auto focus system that focuses on the most obvious part of the image, but as anyone that has used a camera or shot footage with a camcorder will tell you, you don't always want to focus on this part of the image. Also in complex shooting conditions, such as low light or when there is very little contrast in the image you are shooting, the auto focus tends to struggle to find something to focus on and it is this 'hunting' that often causes the cam to focus on completely the wrong thing. For this reason, more and more camcorders now come equipped with manual focus systems so that the user can decide just what exactly the cam is focusing on. Just how much you use this feature will depend on how serious a videographer you are and how complicated you want to make your shots. Creative techniques such as pulling or throwing focus from one subject to another is practically impossible without a manual focus control. On most camcorders the control comes in the form of a rather fiddly dial located somewhere in the region of the lens. More high end camcorders tend to have a focus ring around the lens, much like a SLR camera.

• AUTOFOCUS- as the name suggests, the camcorder takes care of the focusing for you. It can sometimes be a little slow, but it generally does a pretty good job and most (if not all) autofocus settings can be overridden so you can take care of the job yourself if you feel so inclined. Autofocus is usually just fine for home movies.
• AUTO EXPOSURE - This is the easiest way to ensure you get the proper lighting on your shots, and it usually works well. Sometimes, however, like in "backlit" (where the light source is behind your subject) or low light situations, you'll want to override it. Most camcorders give you a couple of varieties on the automatic setting, and some even let you handle the exposure manually. Remember, too, that camcorders today have very "low light level" capabilities, which means they'll perform in almost less light than your eyes can handle. Beware this, though, or your footage will look dark and grainy, regardless of what the light rating says. Still, a reasonably lit room will give you good results; you should have an auxiliary light available for emergencies.

All camcorders come equipped with a selection of Program AE modes. These are variations on the cam's auto exposure mode. Each one is designed to deal with a specific type of shooting scenario to bridge the gap between auto and manual exposure. Common Program AE modes include Portrait, Sports (for fast moving subjects), Sand and Snow, Twilight (for low-lighting shooting), Spotlight (for when the subject has a bright direct light on them) and Landscape.

When you select a Program AE mode, the cam adjusts the iris which controls the amount of light that is let into the lens, and so, the exposure. 

Another common mode is Backlight Compensation (BLC) which allows more light into the iris to compensate for a subject which is too dark to expose naturally. Increasingly more camcorders include a manual exposure or manual iris control so that you can have complete control over the amount of light entering the lens and conversely, the exposure setting. Exposure controls include Gain and Shutter Speed. The Gain mode is more often used in low light conditions. It electronically boosts the signal being received by the CCD chip, but in doing so also increases the amount of grain (or noise) in the signal, leading to a loss of picture quality. Shutter Speed can be increased or decreased in order to control the amount of light coming into the cam. In bright conditions, increase the shutter speed so that the amount of exposure is decreased and conversely decrease the shutter speed in darker conditions so that the exposure is increased. As with all automatic controls, this system is not infallible and a manual option is always far superior.

WHITE BALANCE: 
Time was when you had to point your camera at a white card to set it up for shooting. A lot of professional equipment still makes you do this, but virtually all camcorders take care of this automatically. Some let you do the balancing act (which ensures that white objects look white regardless of the lighting conditions) manually as well. 

The human eye has no trouble seeing a white piece of paper as white, whatever the lighting, but camcorders aren't so clever. With room lighting the paper could appear various shades of orange or even blue. While all camcorders have a facility to compensate automatically, a manual option is useful, particularly in situations where there are two different lighting sources. 

All camcorders have an automatic white balance control which ensures that the cam is capable of capturing natural looking colors under a wide variety of different lighting conditions. The color of light is not all it seems to the naked eye. Daylight, for example, is bluish when compared to artificial light which has a yellow tinge. Because the camcorder is not able to separate these differences like our brain can, it has to compensate by adjusting the white balance level. Increasingly, more and more cams now have manual white balance controls, because there are always going to be complicated shooting scenarios where the automatic option will not respond correctly or in the way you require.

Electronic image stabilization:

It produces almost jitter-free images ? an important feature with smaller camcorders because they're harder to hold steady. Without a tripod, you can expect camera shake. The recorded image is shakiest when the camcorder zooms in on the subject. The less movement on the videotape, the more enjoyable it is to watch.

Perhaps the biggest problem with today's increasingly small cams is that they are notoriously difficult to keep steady, something the average audience does not appreciate when viewing your footage. With this problem in mind manufacturers have developed an image stabilizing system to compensate for the inevitable shake. The two most common image stabilization systems are digital and optical and, as always the optical option is the more preferable of the two. The digital stabilizer compares the live image with one that was taken immediately before (this is stored in the digital memory), the camcorder then works out if the picture has moved and compensates accordingly. It does this by using the sections of the image that match most closely the previous one and enlarging them to fill out the entire frame. The downside of this is that the enlarging of the image means a loss of picture quality, something that is still preferable to a shaky image. The optical solution is controlled by a pair of lens elements in the zoom mechanism that constantly adjust to the camcorder's movement to keep the image steady. There is no adjustment to the image itself and so no loss of quality. Obviously, this system is more expensive and adds to the overall weight of the camcorder.

Image stabilization (or sometimes called picture stabilization) makes memories viewable without annoying camera shakes. This feature is a must for zoom shots for easy-to-view close-ups. Stabilization tip: Use a tripod wherever possible for ultimate stability.

Sony refers to this feature as Steady-shot. EIS keeps the picture from jumping around when recording with the camcorder in your hand. When you tripod mount the camera, or when you are recording television screens or PC monitors, make sure this feature is turned off. It's very useful for keeping the picture steady when using an unsteady base, but can make the picture look worse in some settings too.

Viewfinder and LCD screen:
Many camcorders come with 2 viewing systems: a traditional tilt-up viewfinder on the top and a bigger flip-open color viewscreen on the side. These little color TV screens fold out from the camcorder body, making it easier to record while moving around. You'll get a clear view without looking through the viewfinder and you can play back the recording on the spot. 

LCD:
A built-in LCD screen allows you to instantly play back and see what you have just recorded, and share it with others. If the screen can tilt and rotate, you can also use the LCD as a viewfinder for shooting overhead. More expensive models have bigger LCD screens for increased clarity and may even have the latest in touch-sensitive technology.

Since Sharp launched the first Viewcam  back in 1992, LCD (or Liquid Crystal Display) screens have become increasingly popular on camcorders and in many cases are used more than the viewfinder. The advantages of the screen are that it is possible to take action without having to hold the camcorder up to your eye, allowing for a more relaxed 'shooting from the hip' method. The disadvantage is that using the LCD screen as a viewfinder you will use up your battery as much as twice as quickly. 

The rough quality of the screen is decided by the number of pixels the screen has and, like the CCD, the more pixels, the better the image. Most LCD screens also have built-in speakers next to them so that it is possible to view (and hear) what you have shot without having to connect to a TV set - ideal for location work. 

Most digital camcorders have both the traditional tilt-up viewfinder on top and a bigger flip-open color LCD screen on the side.

The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor can be used as a viewfinder or a playback screen. It comes in a range of sizes, and is often put on a swivel, so that it can be turned around for different viewing angles. Having a large LCD screen on a camcorder lets you more easily see what you're recording and facilitates playback previews. When shopping, try the screen in daylight if possible; some wash out in bright sunlight, one environment in which you'll often be using the camcorder. A viewfinder, meanwhile, is easier to see in daylight and uses less power, extending the camcorder's battery life.

The Viewfinder

LCD screens are usually color and are best for reviewing what you have just shot. Many camcorders incorporate both kinds of viewfinder, but remember, LCD screens are almost impossible to use outdoors in bright daylight and eat up battery life. Back in the old days viewfinders were invariably black and white, although it is increasingly the case now that they are full color. Unlike traditional still cameras, a camcorder's viewfinder does not provide a direct view of what the lens is seeing. Instead the signal from the CCD chip is transferred to the viewfinder electronically.

All viewfinders have a small magnifying lens that can be easily altered according to the individual's eyesight for a clear focused image. 

Color Viewfinder

This is a great feature, especially for those who don't have an LCD monitor. A color viewfinder allows you to check the balance of colors, and see whether the settings need any adjustment. In most cases you can play your recording back through the viewfinder.

More and more modern camcorders are equipped with color viewfinders. However, some folks prefer a black and white viewfinder as it is easier to get a more accurate indication of contrast levels. Shooting via the viewfinder, rather than LCD screen, is recommended to preserve battery life. The viewfinder on a camcorder lets you review the recording because it is actually a little TV that displays the image. Viewfinders can be  black and white or color.

Microphones: Camcorders with microphones mounted in the front tend to produce better sound than those with microphones mounted on the top. Many of the more-expensive camcorders offer zoom microphones that can emphasize the subject's voice and minimize other sounds, and some also come with a socket to plug in an external microphone. Either type of microphone can be very useful when you're recording presentations or speeches and want to record the speaker but not the audience.

The camcorder microphone records audio in 1 of 3 different formats depending on the model: mono, hi-fi mono or hi-fi stereo. The audio quality of recordings depends largely on the format being utilized and the way that the soundtracks are recorded, but generally the mic is the cheapest element of the camcorder and so, built-in mics are not without their problems. The very fact that the microphone is a built-in component of the camcorder means that there is a very good chance that you will pick up handling noise or, worse still, that the camcorder's mechanism noise will be captured.

The best way to avoid this is to use a separate mic that you plug into the camcorder's mic input (if you have one). Obviously, the stereo recordings that higher band camcorders offer is far superior to mono recordings, although you will need a stereo TV or VCR to make use of this feature. DV camcorders offer 12 and 16-bit PCM stereo sound and it is worth noting that if you wish to do audio dubbing (inserting a new batch of audio over a previously recorded section without affecting the image), you will need to shoot your footage using 12-bit PCM stereo sound. More recently, the likes of Sharp and Panasonic have offered zoom microphones that are able to adjust their angle of sensitivity in accordance with the lens' zoom setting so that the sound of a faraway image appears to get clearer as the camcorder zooms in on it.
Been to the beach? Playback the waves crashing in stereo. Some of the older models may only have mono sound quality. 

Zoom

A camcorder's ability to magnify images is known as zoom. Camcorders have 2 kinds of zooms: optical and digital. Optical zoom creates a magnifying glass by increasing the focal length of the lens. 

Many camcorders also have digital zoom, which electronically enlarges the pixels. At excessive digital magnification, pictures can lose clarity and become grainy. A digital zoom will typically multiply the optical zoom by a factor of 2x-3x. For example, with a 22x optical zoom, using a 2x digital zoom will result in a 44x magnification. The zoom lens allows the user to close in or move away from an object without them having to move themselves. The lens does this by utilizing the variable focal length with a wide view at one extreme and a telephoto at the other.

The lens provides the other possible focal lengths in-between, giving you complete control over the image's contents. The power of a zoom lens is denoted by the zoom ratio: a comparison between the widest and the most telephoto setting of the lens. To put it into more simplified terms, a camcorder offering 10x zoom has a focal length at the telephoto end 10x more than the wide end, while the wide end is 10x wider then the telephoto end. It is currently the trend in the camcorder market to offer as big a zoom ratio on a camcorder as possible, even though this most certainly does not guarantee a better image. The more powerful a zoom ratio is, the harder it is to hold the camera steady enough to get a stable picture (as any little movement is magnified).

There are two types of zoom - optical and digital. The important one, as demonstrated by its popularity with professional and semi-professional videographers, is optical. Optical mechanisms use two moving lenses to enlarge images. With the digital option, the image is blown up electronically, which causes problems, because no matter how it tries, the camcorder cannot add information that isn't there. Once again, one of the side effects of a digital zoom is handling shake being increased and pixelation.

Most modern camcorders have at least a 10X optical zoom, which should be adequate for general purposes. Vendors typically advertise the maximum digital zoom, but to achieve that length of zoom the camcorder enlarges part of the image to fill the screen, leading to grainy, pixelated, and generally unpleasant-looking images. At higher digital zoom settings, the quality is so poor you can't see the image. Fortunately, most camcorders allow you to turn the digital zoom off or restrict how far it can zoom in. The spec for maximum optical zoom is the more interesting figure: It denotes the maximum zoom that the lens itself can achieve without enhancement.

Even though the digital zoom claims of 300x and up sound enticing, this feature lends too much magnification and images are blurred. The optical zoom is what you'll want to use, so get a camcorder with a long optical zoom range (i.e., 16x and higher). Beware of cameras that boast bigger zooms of up to 700x, as this effect is achieved electronically resulting in very pixelated image. Remember that the longer the zoom, the harder it is to keep the image steady.

This allows the viewer to focus in on far away objects with the touch of a button. An optical zoom rated at 16X means that the camcorder can magnify the image up to 16 times larger than normal. An optical zoom uses the actual lens to magnify the image, whereas a digital zoom uses computer imaging to magnify the image. Although, digital zooms can go much farther than optical, they do sacrifice quality at any setting above 50X.


Special effects. The special effects of a digital camcorder seem endless.

Digital Effects

These allow even the humblest of videographers to give their videos a slightly more interesting feel to their work. Effects are included on almost all camcorders now and include Sepia, Black and White, Strobe, Twilight, Mosaic, Mirror, Widescreen and Tracer. Although they tend to be fun to use, they very rarely have any practical use and are more often than not added by more serious users at the edit stage as opposed to when shooting.

Here are explanations of some of the most popular:

• Fade-ins/fade-outs ? Fade in and out of any scene for a cinematic effect
• Wipes ? Wipes scene to one side
• Mosaic ? Breaks the scene into little squares, like a mosaic piece of art
• Sepia mode ? Removes the color from the scene and adds a brown, antique-like tint
• Titler ? Adds titles like "Happy Birthday" or lets you program your own
• Time/date stamp ? Places time and date onto a scene
• Night shot ? Lets you record in the dark. 
• Still photo mode ? Most digital camcorders have the added bonus of still photo capability. Snap a photo at the same time you record.  If you're interested in taking serious still photos with true photo quality and high resolution, invest in a digital camera. Many digital camcorders can act as digital cameras, saving still images to a memory card. Some can save images at the same resolution as a 2-megapixel camera. However, most camcorders do not work as well as dedicated still cameras do; they don't provide the same level of control or the same image quality. However, the quality is good enough for use on Web pages, emails and for printing at very small sizes.  Many vendors offer similar models with and without this feature; if you aren't likely to use it, you can save $100 or more by choosing the model that lacks it.

Even with higher resolution options, many of the still camera options integrated into DV cameras are second rate at best. If you want great looking digital still shots, use a digital still camera. A newer class of devices has emerged, which builds both a DV camera lens and a still camera lens on the front the DV cam housing. These are slightly more expensive than standard camcorders.

All camcorders come with a range of sockets that are vital to getting your footage out of the camcorder and into an edit controller, VCR or PC for editing. All cameras have composite analog outputs (the red, white and yellow connections) and more and more camcorders have S-video connections. DV camcorders also come with a DV output so that you can output your footage to a PC for non linear editing. However, not all DV camcorders have a DV input, this is because it pushes the price of the camcorder up. Without a DV input, it is not possible to get your edited footage back out of your PC and into your camcorder. A range of companies  provide accessories called widgets that will re-enable the DV input so that you can then get your footage back. Other sockets that DV camcorders have that analog models don't, include connections to PC (USB and RS232) for downloading digital still images and MPEGs (compressed videos usually around 15 seconds, that you can email to friends and family) and analog inputs so that you can digitize old analog footage. Further useful sockets include a headphone output, so the user can monitor sound levels while recording, and a microphone input so that you can use a separate mic to avoid picking up handling noise from the camcorder. 

If you are planning on saving edited home video back onto tape, check that your camcorder is equipped with DV in/output. S-Video outputs are for superior quality dubbing or display on more modern TVs.

Microphone input jack

This is essential if you want to use a specialist microphone that is capable of picking up more distant sounds, or if you want to eliminate the noise of your camcorder.

This is imperative if you want to hear the sound that is actually being recorded before it is too late to do anything about it or if you want to listen to your recordings privately without disturbing anyone. The headphone will give you much better sound than any built-in speaker. Camcorder built-in speakers are very small and cannot give you good sound quality.

Edit sockets are highly recommended if you want to use the camcorder with an edit controller for accurately cutting your movie and for arranging the shots in the right order.

Necessary for downloading digital video and sound to a suitably equipped computer or other digital device. Also known as FireWire, this super-fast transfer system is a great way of swapping your recordings between your camcorder and PC.

Necessary for recording a movie from a computer, where it has been edited, back onto the camcorder. This is physically the same socket as the DV-out. However, the DV-in capability is only available on some machines.


Batteries:  

All camcorders use rechargeable batteries that are supplied with the camcorder. There are three main types of battery used. Nickel cadmium, or nicad, is the oldest type. The downside of these is that they have to be completely run down before they can be recharged. Nickel metal hydride batteries are similar in size to the nicad, but they can be topped up. Lithium-ion batteries tend to be smaller and lighter, and can also be topped up when convenient.

Most camcorders won't last more than an hour with the included batteries. So factor in the cost of a higher-capacity battery that can keep the camcorder going, if you think you'll need it. A higher-capacity battery that can double the battery life typically costs $50 to $100.

How long will the battery last?
Today's camcorders use far less power than older models, so even with a standard battery, you get more recording time. Power-consuming features like zoom or LCD viewscreens tend to decrease the life of a battery, but optional super high capacity batteries are available for many models.

Back in the 1980s virtually all camcorders used nickel cadmium (Nicad) battery packs. The advantage of these batteries was that they were relatively light, small, cheap and reasonably powerful, however they did have a short lived performance which tended to deteriorate very quickly when subjected to unnecessary 'top-up' recharging. The cells inside the battery rapidly acquired varying states of charge and the battery as a whole developed a so-called 'memory effect' that prevented it from storing a full charge.

On some models this would mean that recording times dropped by as much as half an hour. The solution was to fully empty the battery of power before recharging. By the early '90s, many camcorders were being supplied with more efficient and almost memory-free nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. These had the advantage of a slightly higher power density (ie they pack more charge into a smaller space) and combined with more efficient electronics and deck mechanisms, were capable of lasting up to 40 and 50 minutes between charges on mid-range cams. Once the first DV cams started to appear on the market by the mid nineties, battery technology had similarly moved on. Now Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery packs have become the norm. They offer even higher power density than NiMH and are capable of running times between 60 and 90 minutes. Charging times are a bit longer and they tend to be more expensive than other batteries to replace (or should you want a spare), however, you get a more sophisticated battery with better power than ever before.

Camcorder Strap:
For added safety, attach the strap firmly to the camcorder and carry it over your shoulder while taking videos.

Low-light recording: Many camcorders can record in very low light, either with the help of an included infrared light (which you can't see, but the camcorder can) or through a special long shutter mode that makes the most of the existing light; some more expensive models offer both. These can be useful in poorly illuminated settings, such as when you're capturing a camping trip or the creatures entering your yard after nightfall. Low-light footage may be grainy, however, and camcorders that use an infrared light may capture only black-and-white video.

Video Features:
Listed are some features for video flexibility.

1) Nightshot - For videos in total darkness
2) Webcam function - For online interaction
3) Widescreen Mode - Capture in 16:9 format

• DATE/TIME LABELING - Need to  keep a record of when you shot your movie? Just about any camcorder will let you, and some will let you display the information for just a few seconds before it disappears from the screen.
• EDITING - Some camcorders will let you do some reasonably sophisticated editing right in the machine. This still doesn't replace two units and a switcher for sophistication, though. If you're serious about editing, buy the extra equipment.
• FADE OUT - This adds a professional touch to your movie, by fading the picture to black and fading your next shot in from black. It makes scene transitions look a little more 'arty' and can also make editing later easier 'cause there's a distinct break between shots.
• MICROPHONE JACK - This is the plug for the remote mic we mentioned earlier, for people who want to maximize the sound from their subject while minimizing extraneous stuff like wind or the camcorder operator.
• REMOTE CONTROL - Wonderful for playing back your video, or getting into the action yourself. For the latter, mount the camcorder on a tripod, set up the scene through the viewfinder, then run into the action and start recording via the remote.
• SHUTTER SPEED - This is the number of images recorded each second (the number of times the shutter opens and closes each second). It's usually automatic, but many camcorders let you control it manually, too. A faster shutter speed will give you a cleaner slow motion playback, which is nice if you want to study your golf swing, or a hummingbird assaulting your garden. Faster shutter speeds require more light to do them justice.
• TITLE GENERATOR - A (usually) built in "character generator" that lets you put your own credits on your home movie. Some of these can be quite sophisticated, with different fonts, colours, etc. while others just give you basic titles.
• WIDESCREEN - Some camcorders let you "letterbox" your home movies, giving you the same widescreen look you can get with laserdiscs. This is kind of cool, especially if you're going beyond the simple vacation video and attempting something artistic. Widescreen is also nice if you're shooting in spectacular vistas.
• ZOOM RATIO - this indicates how apparently close you can get to your subject. Common ratios are 8:1 or 12:1. Many camcorders also offer a "digitally-enhanced" zoom that gives much higher ratios, but remember that these are electronically "fudged" and may not give the same quality as a real zoom.

Most camcorders are capable of producing an image in pretty dingy situations. Although some are better at this than others, the picture quality does suffer in this mode, resulting in a grainy image with poor color. The solution is a video light. 

These are used for indoor shots after dark to add some artificial light. Some camcorders have lamps built in but video lights of various degrees of brightness and designs are available. These are only useful for lighting objects a few feet away.

Some camcorders have a special mode for shooting in complete darkness. They use a built-in infrared light, which, although invisible to the eye, can be seen by the camcorder. The system is only effective over a few feet and only provides you with black-and-white or green-and-white footage. Some models start recording automatically when movement in front of the camera is detected.


Flash memory  Slot:

The option of digital still images makes some camcorders more versatile and appealing than ever before. Larger capacity memory cards can be purchased as optional extras.

Some camcorders have a built-in edit controller. You mark the scenes that you want to keep and they can then be copied in the order you want to your home VCR. The system uses the camera's remote control handset to send the relevant stop/start commands to the VCR.

Playing videos through the TV:

For the best picture quality, connect the camcorder directly to the TV's composite (RCA type) input, or in the case of a Hi8 or MiniDV camcorder, an S-video input. Hooking up your camcorder will be easier and faster if your TV has A/V inputs on the front panel.

With older style TVs with a single RF input for audio and video, you can easily run your camcorder's signal through your VCR's RCA-type audio/video inputs, which are on most models. If your TV and VCR don't have these inputs, pick up an accessory RF modulator/adapter.

Camcorder Prices

VHS-C and 8mm formats generally have lower prices than S-VHS, Hi-8 and digital formats. However, as a model becomes older, its price drops. Analog models such as most VHS-C and Sony's 8mm cost a few hundred dollars. You might even be able to find a low-end model for under $200. Digital models such as Sony's Digital8 are around $250-$300. Digital MiniDV models, which are the most abundant, range from about $300 to $700 while the digital Mini-DVD models go for about $600 to $900. Models above $1,000 are usually high-end, feature loaded, brand new technically or professional type camcorders.

Why is digital better for video recording?

Videotape is an analog system in which images and sound are captured and recorded as continuously variable electrical signals. Analog recordings have one major disadvantage; interference and time can hurt the electrical signal recorded on the tape. You may have already noticed the effects if you've played older tapes.

Digital recordings do not have the wide signal variations found in analog recordings and are immune to most of the signal problems associated with analog sources.

Digital Quality

Stronger Source Material: As with any audio or video electronics, the goal is to reproduce the original picture and sound as accurately as possible. Digital recording, by reducing the effects of interference and "noise", delivers pictures and sound that are much closer to the original.

Higher Resolution: Just like DVD, the digital formats are capable of delivering over 500 lines of horizontal resolution. Compare that to the 400 lines available from S-VHS and Hi-8, or the 240 lines from VHS and 8mm — the difference is stunning. (Remember that achieving the highest quality depends on the TV you will be using.)

Color Accuracy: Signal interference in analog systems can cause color to smear or blur. On analog tapes colors may bleed from one area to another, much like coloring outside the lines. The reduction of noise and blur in digital video means color that is far more lifelike.

Audio: With the popularity of CDs, most people are familiar with digital quality sound. Both the MiniDV and Digital8 standards permit two types of audio recording: 

16-bit and 12-bit audio recording. For the highest quality sound and flexibility, make sure the camcorder has the ability to choose between the two. 16-bit recording offers the highest quality recording. It fills the area on the tape devoted to sound with as much data as possible. More data on the tape means better quality playback. 

12-bit recording: This mode records two stereo channels and allows two independent soundtracks to be "overlaid." For instance, you can add background music or narration over the original soundtrack. This mode offers more flexibility, but slightly less dynamic range and sound quality.There are three different levels of sound quality available from camcorders. Non-stereo recording is offered on the most basic models, this may or may not record a wide enough range of frequencies to be classed as 'hi-fi' quality. Stereo soundtracks found on analogue camcorders always offer hi-fi reproductions. Digital camcorders offer digital sound recording, which produces a soundtrack that has almost as much audio detail as a CD.

FireWire / iLINK

FireWire is the standard for transferring video footage from a DV camera to a PC. Depending on the manufacturer, it may also be referred to as iLINK or IEEE 1394. 

Analog Connectors

Most DV cameras provide an analog output connection for displaying movies on a TV screen. Many also provide an analog-in path through the same connection for transferring footage from a VCR or Hi8 camcorder to DV tape or passing it through to a PC. If you don't have any old videos, this isn't a necessary, however, the analog connection on a DV camera is one of the most straight forward ways to transfer VHS tapes to a digital format.

Remote Control

We may have too many remote controls in our lives already, but a remote for your DV cam comes in handy more frequently than you think. Aside from previewing your movies on the TV at home, having a remote for your DV cam is useful for recording shots where you want to include yourself, mounting a camcorder in a fixed location and maintaining the ability to stop and start recording from a distance, or even just scanning the contents of a DV tape without needing to keep your finger pressed on the fast forward button on the camera body.

In addition to the remote control, some camcorders come equipped with a special jack called Control-L or LANC, identified on the camcorder with the letter L. The jack connects to external edit controllers that are used in more advanced editing applications. For simple editing, some models have built-in edit controllers that work with your existing VCR, although they're not as accurate as external controllers.