A Guide to Buying a Digital Camcorder

Digital camcorders are great devices to own, especially if you are an avid video shooter. Digital cameras that can record videos are available, but they are still inferior to camcorders when it comes to recording videos. First of all, it is essential to know what a camcorder is. It is basically a device that incorporates both a video camera and video recorder in one unit (hence the name camcorder). Next, you should use the steps below to choose a camcorder:

- Figure out what you want to use the digital camcorder for. Are you planning to use it only during special occasions, or do you want to be able to take it anywhere? Are you going to shoot videos underwater? Do you want to be able to easily upload videos on YouTube? Afterwards, list down the features you would like your camcorder to have.

- Decide if you want a pocket camcorder or a full featured one. Pocket camcorders are portable, smaller, cheaper camcorders which are easy to use and enable you to transfer data to your computer easily. However, the videos will not be as sharp as those produced by full featured camcorders and they usually struggle in settings with less light. Full featured camcorders are more expensive and sometimes larger in size; however they offer better image quality as they have better lenses and usually possess optical zoom which produces clear images even when the video is zoomed. Here it pretty much depends on your budget and your need of extra features for serious video taking. If you are just planning to shoot videos that are to be uploaded or meant for home use, a pocket camcorder should suffice. If you are shooting videos for serious stuff like projects and the like, then a full featured camcorder is a better option.

- Determine the resolution that you want. Digital camcorders come in two resolutions: standard and high definition (HD).If you have a HDTV, then it’s worth getting a high definition camcorder. Otherwise, the extra cash spent would be a waste since you can’t enjoy the crystal clear video when viewed on a non-HDTV. Standard definition is usually the more popular choice because of the price and the fact that you can watch the videos shot with it on any viewing device, like your TV and computer.

- Choose the media format. You can choose a camcorder which either records to hard disk drives, in-built flash memory or flash memory cards. If you need lots of memory space, hard disk drives are for you; otherwise flash memory cards should suffice.

- Think about whether you would want other features like a LCD screen and in-built special effects.

- Always try out a camcorder before you purchase one. Check the LCD screen in the sun to make sure it’s clear during outdoor shooting, check the audio (it is highly recommended to get an external microphone but make sure you have a jack to plug it in) and try the controls to make sure you are comfortable with them. This way you will be sure that the digital camcorder you purchase will be perfect for your needs.

Using the above steps, you will be able to buy the digital camcorder of your dreams. Whether you are an aspiring Steven Spielberg or just a person who wants to keep vivid memories of special times in recorded form, there is a digital camcorder out there for everyone.