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There's a commercial on television these days in which a guy videotapes his wedding, copies it to DVD, and mails the disc to his parents. Perhaps as a sign of the times, mom and dad aren't surprised to get an optical disc filled with digital video from their son. They're surprised that the guy got married.

The Case for Digital

That's because making your own video is a lot easier than it used to be. Producing video from your camcorder used to mean using a VCR or a second camera to copy your best scenes to another tape, then to yet another tape to get your film into the right sequence. Not only was it hard work, but every copy of a copy degraded the video resolution. In the end, it would look only a bit better than a quick-mart security tape.

Compare that to how video is done today: You can transfer your video to the PC without losing a pixel of resolution. You can cut and paste your video clips as easily as moving cells in a spreadsheet by using video editing software such as MGI VideoWave 4.

Then you can add titles and transitions with the click of a mouse. When you're done, pump the finished product out to CD, DVD, videotape, or the Web. But to make all that work, your old Hi-8 or VHS camcorder won't cut it. You need a digital video camcorder.

Under the Hood

Like the old camcorder in your hall closet, digital camcorders use a light-sensitive chip called a CCD to measure the light in a scene. But instead of recording analog information as changes in voltage, digital camcorders store the data digitally, similar to how computers write files on a floppy disk. A decent digital camcorder will cost anywhere from $900 to $2000.

Typically, the more pixels on the CCD, the better the final video will be. Most cameras feature CCDs with about 680,000 pixels, though some cameras use fewer. Consumer camcorders tend to rely on a single CCD, with color filters that sample the scene three times: once each for the red, green, and blue components of the video. Better video cameras make no such compromise. High-end camcorders tend to use three independent CCDs for the best possible image quality.

To transfer the data to a PC, digital video cameras rely on an IEEE 1394 cable (commonly called FireWire but also referred to as i.Link). No matter the name, it's a standard way to move video data to your computer. Some PCs and many Macs come with FireWire ports; if your system doesn't, you can get an expansion card for under $100. For more on setting up your PC to edit video, see "Upgrade Guide: Edit Digital Video on Your PC."

Competing Standards

While the most common digital camcorders use the DV format, Sony sells a line of Digital-8 camcorders as well. What's the difference? Not a lot. DV camcorders--actually, they're really mini-DV, because the tape is smaller than DV systems used by professionals--generate video that's 720 by 480 pixels per frame, closely matching the maximum resolution of most televisions. That means you can create video that's very close to broadcast quality.

Sony's Digital-8 standard is essentially the same, though a Digital-8 camcorder can also play older 8mm and Hi-8 tapes. If you have a large library of 8mm videotapes, Digital-8 might be a good investment. Otherwise, I suggest choosing whichever camcorder has the features you like, since DV and Digital-8 are so similar.

Other Key Concerns

As with any camera, optics are king. No matter how many gee-whiz electronic features a camcorder has, it's the lens that makes or breaks your video quality. Some Sony camcorders feature Carl Zeiss lenses, for instance, recognized as just about the best optics you can buy.

Remember that not all features with the word "digital" in them are good. Digital image stabilization, for instance, is a process that reduces jitter when you hand-hold the camera. Unfortunately, this feature can reduce the resolution of video and even give movies an artificial look that's readily distinguishable from film. For the highest image quality, look for camcorders with optical image stabilization instead.

Some cameras have an infrared emitter that lets you take movies in total darkness. The monochrome, greenish video looks like it was taken through night vision goggles, which, in essence, it was. Alternately, you might want a camera with an integrated video light. If you want to convert old analog video to digital, also consider a camera with analog video inputs; not all camcorders have this handy feature.

If you're just getting started and you're on a budget, you might want to consider the $900 Panasonic PV-DV401. It's available for about $600 from online retailers.

For more on buying a digital video camcorder, and reviews of the latest products, read our roundup.