![]() ![]() Lots of technospeak, I know, but it all translates into lots of flexibility to deliver eye-popping widescreen pictures.Įven if you don't pop for one of these uber-expensive pro-level camcorders, you should still expect pro-level performance and features when you spend more than $600 or so on a camcorder. Plus, picture quality is second to none, especially under difficult lighting conditions. More important, they come with a bevy of automatic recording modes and manual adjustments that let you custom-tailor your movies to a variety of shooting styles and situations. ![]() ![]() They're big and bulky, often let you use interchangeable lenses, and shoot in the 16:9 widescreen format. These pro-level camcorders look, feel, and perform just like the type of camcorder you see TV news crews or independent filmmakers lugging around. And when I say pro-level performance, I mean pro-level performance the very best consumer camcorders deliver digital pictures good enough for television or film use. In particular, a bigger budget buys you one or more of the following three things: smallness (thanks to the compact MicroMV cassette format), ease of use (thanks to direct-to-DVD recording), or pro-level performance. The more money you spend on a camcorder, the more bells and whistles you get. But higher-priced models are available, and worthy of your consideration especially if you're a high-tech gadget hound, like me. Sorting Through the FeaturesĮven the lowest-priced MiniDV recorders will take surprisingly good pictures most of the picture quality is in the format itself, rather than in additional features, which means many people can get by with a simple $500 camcorder, no problem. Look for a model that feels good in your hand, offers a wide zoom range, and delivers a good picture under all lighting conditions.īy the way, if you want to do some online research on camcorders, check out (It's a great place for news, information, and reviews about all the latest camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are also the most affordable models to operate a 60-minute MiniDV tape costs $5 or less. Most camcorders today are in the MiniDV format, although some low-priced Digital8 models are still floating around. Digital8 camcorders tend to be a bit larger in size and weight than MiniDV models. For compatibility with older analog recorders, Digital8 camcorders can view 8mm or Hi-8 tapes. You can get up to 120 minutes on a blank DVD.ĭigital8 This is an older, and generally lower-priced, digital format. HDV uses standard MiniDV cassettes but produces either 720p or 1080i resolution, along with Dolby Digital surround sound.ĭVD DVD camcorders don't use tape at all they record directly to recordable (R) or rewritable (RW) DVDs. HDV This is a high-definition version of the MiniDV format, found on only a few high-priced high definition camcorders. Use MiniDV for optimal compatibility with video editing programs and other equipment. It records broadcast-quality video (500+ lines of resolution) on small, low-priced cassettes, about 1/12 the size of a standard VHS tape. MiniDV This is the most popular and most common digital camcorder format. Here's a short list of the digital camcorder formats you'll find in today's camcorders: ![]() But which format is the right one for you? Now that analog VHS camcorders have been relegated to the garbage bin (or to eBay kind of the same thing), virtually every camcorder sold today records in a digital format. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a digital camcorder. The key to successful digital movie making whether you're making independent films or movies of your kids' birthday parties is to start with a digital camcorder. Choosing the Right Formatĭigital video recording lets you use your PC as a movie editing studio to create sophisticated home movies you can distribute on DVDs. You can add all the glitzy digital special effects you want, but if you shoot in a dark room and can't hold the camera steady, it'll still look like a bad Super 8 film. In other words, all the high-tech gadgets in the world won't make you a better movie maker. The result? A cute little kid mugging about in a dark, shaky, poorly focused little film but now it's all digital! Thanks to today's digital video technology, you can now shoot your movies in high-resolution home video and edit them on your home computer. The movies themselves were about what you would expect cute little Leo mugging about in a dark, shaky, poorly focused little film. When I was a kid, my dad shot home movies using a Super 8 film camera. ![]()
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