Tips for the Digital Camcorder Shopper
As with many expensive electronic devices, some digital camcorders come with a baffling array of features. We assembled a list of tips to help you choose your new business tool/toy:
- Get a Grip: When you shop for a camcorder, make sure you slip your hand into its strap, tighten it up, and "wear" it. You'll be surprised at the differences between them--you'll balk at some and bond with others. You'll usually know within a few minutes whether a cam works for you.
- It's in the Card: If you want to take still images, make sure the camcorder accepts a memory card. With budget camcorders, watch out for still-shot claims: A few models save "still shots" to tape only. It's a poor solution--all you get is a several-second clip of the same low-res video frame.
- A Cam With a View: Pay special attention to the viewfinder. A good viewfinder can help you extend your battery life, because it draws less power than the larger LCD screen. Is the viewfinder image crisp? Is it in color instead of black and white? If it is in black and white, is the image at least in high resolution? Does the viewfinder tilt up for more viewing flexibility? The better the viewfinder, the more you'll use it instead of the power-hungry LCD screen.
- Sound Advice: Professional videographers know that audio is 50 percent of a video production. So check to see if your potential purchase comes with an external microphone jack. Oddly, many camcorders--even a few pricier ones--don't offer this. No internal microphone can measure up to even a halfway decent shotgun or lavalier mike. Some of the vendors (such as Canon and Panasonic) offer external microphones as extra-cost accessories that are far superior to the built-in ones.
- Remote Possibilities: Don't sell short the humble remote control. Even when you're standing at the camera, it's often easier to use the remote to surf menus and operate controls than it is to use the cam's onboard buttons and dials. And it's especially useful for low-light shoots, when even the slightest movement of the camera can cause the video to blur. All of the camcorders we reviewed come with wireless remotes similar to the ones you use with your TV. However, the Panasonic PV-DV953 goes one step further by using a wired remote that includes a microphone--useful if you want to add narration to your videotape.
- From Tape to DVD: Do you have tapes you want to copy to DVD, but don't want to shell out extra money for a converter? Then make sure your digital camcorder has an analog-to-digital pass-through function. Such cams can simultaneously take the analog video from your VCR or old analog camcorder, digitize it, and send it to your PC through the FireWire port. With the appropriate software (such as Ulead's DVD Movie Factory 2), you can then write this video out to DVD. See our article "Put It On DVD" for more details.
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