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Quite a few members have asked me advice on purchasing a video camera. I have come up with a detailed list of aspects to look for when purchasing one. Please feel free to add to it- this is just a general overview. Also- if any one has any good camera suggestions, please feel free to share. I also have this sheet available as a word doc. If anyone would like it in that format, please e-mail membership@mindtv.org.


Format
High definition or standard definition? You can find many affordable high-definition camcorders now, but prices are still dropping as quality improves. If you want to be on the cutting edge with high-definition, remember that besides an HD camcorder you’ll need HD editing software, an HD-DVD burner, and an HD-DVD player. These costs add up quickly and it is not absolutely necessary to have an HD camcorder, standard definition will do just fine.

3 CCDs
CCDs are the chips inside your camera that translate the real world into a digital image. 3-chip camcorders record higher quality video with better crispness and color saturation, and they are the standard for professional-quality video cameras.

Recording Medium
This refers to how you are recording or storing your video. Most consumer camcorders record either to mini-DV tape, DVD, hard disk or flash memory. Each medium has its advantages and disadvantages.
• MiniDV is the most common format for recording video. Each tape records 60-90 minutes of video depending on the record mode. The tapes are affordable at $4-8 per tape.

• DVD is becoming a common format for recording. Camcorders that record to DVD typically use either standard sized DVD+R or DVD-R disks. Mini DVD camcorders record approximately 20 minutes per DVD. While DVD media is slightly cheaper than MiniDV tape, you can’t re-record on it, so you have to buy more DVDs.

• Hard Drive By recording directly to a hard drive, recorded video is easily transferred to a computer for editing. The big downside is being limited in how much video a hard drive based camera can store. When you run out of space, you need to delete everything on the drive in order to keep recording.

• Flash Memory is becoming more common as a storage format for digital video cameras. Much like digital still cameras, a number of camcorders are using SD cards to store video. The advantage of this type of storage is ease of file transfer. You simply copy the video file to your hard drive in order to edit. The price of large storage cards is still somewhat expensive, especially if you need to keep several cards on hand.


Manual Options
The video camera that you purchase should allow you to manually control settings, this allows you to have more control over the camera and get the results that you desire.

Focus
A camera with manual focus, allows you to choose what to focus on, and ensures that the camcorder's focus stays locked in. Cameras using automatic focus have a tendency to drift in and out of focus, adjusting the focus to different elements of the scene.

Camera Inputs
Make sure the camera you purchase has both a microphone input and a headphone jack- not one or the other!

Microphone input
This is probably the most important feature to have on our camera. Look for a camcorder that offers an input so you can plug in an external microphone. The microphones built in to camcorders are generally low quality, and you'll want to be able to use a separate, external microphone. This will produce much better audio quality.

Headphone Jack
Look for a camcorder that allows you to plug in a pair of headphones. Headphones are essential to ensure that you are recording audio and that it sounds good!

Firewire Port
You only need this feature if you are purchasing a camera that records on MiniDV tapes. FireWire is the industry standard for high-speed data connection for digital video, you will need one to transfer video from you camera to a computer .

Accessories
What comes included with your camcorder, and how much do additional accessories cost? Remember to consider the cost of batteries, microphones, cables, memory cards and editing software when factoring the price of a camcorder. If some or all of these things come included, it increases the value of your purchase.

Buy a Tripod
If you buy a digital video camera, you need a tripod to go with it. There's no other accessory, outside of a longer life battery, that will improve your video recording experience. The key here is to get the right tripod. Look for a fluid-head (a tripod mount that contains lubricating fluid which decreases friction and enables smooth camera movement). Make sure the tripod extends high enough to shoot effectively - 72-inches is a good starting point, because anything less often leaves you shooting the backs of people's heads in a crowded area.

Do Your Research!!!
Once you've narrowed down your camcorder choices, read some reviews to find out more information about the models you're thinking about purchasing. These reviews might point out information you haven't considered, or reinforce your purchase decision.

Must Haves
• Manual Focus
• Firewire - DV In/Out or Hard drive
• Microphone input
• Headphone jack

Does anyone have suggestions on video cameras they own that they would recommend to others? I'd like to develop a list of cameras so I can recommend them to other MiND members. Please post with:

What kind of camera do you have?
What do you like about it?
What are the drawbacks of the camera?

Thanks!

Member Relations

post deleted.

Hello,


Nice informative post regarding buying a video camera....take a look at my list of 5 things to watch for when buying a video camera.

Wide Angle Shooting
Low Light Performance Matters
Make Sure the Camera Fits
Understand Recording Formats
Test LCD Brightness in Sunlight

Thanks for such a informative post.

Regards
Victoria Heden
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