How To Buy Video Camera

Video Cameras are now available with many brands of all sizes, features and colors. Hence, you may find it confusing trying to choose the perfect one for you. Your choice will, however, depend on the features that you want and how much you are willing to spend.

Before you buy a video camera, you need to ask yourself certain questions. Will you use it in low light conditions? Do you care about audio? Does it need to be compact and portable? Will you need to carry it a distance? Will you be able to react to impromptu situations? Does it have a million accessories and how much do they cost? How long does the battery last? Is it complicated to download the contents? How much data can be held on the storage device? Will you need a tripod?

Let us quickly look at some of the very important things

Format
The most important thing to consider is the format in which your videos will be stored, as the video format determines the video quality. Digital 8 otherwise called D8, Mini-DV, DVD and HDD are the main types of video format that digital cameras offer. Both D8 and Mini-DV are tape-based formats, with the Mini-DV currently offering the highest quality video format to consumers. The DVD format allows direct video recording onto a digital disk, while the HDD type uses internal hard drives where the video is recorded. As the tape format is slowly being phased out by major manufacturers, it is a good idea to invest in disk or hard drive based digital video cameras.

Charged Coupled Device
Digital video cameras also come with charged coupled device or CCD imaging sensor. Digital video cameras come with 1-CCD or 3-CCD features. Cameras with 1-CCD suffer from poor video quality, whereas 3-CCD cameras produce much better quality videos. Most professional camcorders use the 3-CCD technology, thus making them more expensive than the other models.

Zoom
The optical zoom feature of the camcorder lens generally ranges from 10X to 20X. The choice of zoom depends on how close you want to get to the action. Some digital video cameras also allow still photography at various resolutions, and some camcorders offer both video and still photography features. Some digital video camcorders have in-built flash for low-light photography, while some video cameras come with a 'Night Shot' feature. Other popular options include external flashlights, external microphones and external storage devices that can be attached onto the camcorder.

Battery Life
Camcorders with longer battery strength is also recommended. Digital video cameras have battery life ranging from 4 to 8 hours of continuous shooting. However, using the zoom or any external devices reduce the battery strength.

Software
All cameras nowadays come bundled with a digital video editing software. But if you are not satisfied with the one provided, you can always buy a better and more expensive editing software from Adobe or any other reputable brand.

Reviews of Previous Buyers
There's one more step to be taken. You need to read the comments and the shared thoughts of other people who made purchases of the camera in the past. User expectation is a big factor in a consumer's experience. For instance, one person may make a negative comment about a feature. However, that feature is irrelevant to your need for that product. Read the good comments and the bad, go through the details for what really matters to you.

Once you have purchased your digital camera, take time to practice and play with the various settings. These gadgets are like computer peripherals than cameras. Hence, keep in mind that there may be a learning curve. Once you have mastered it, you will be amazed at the enjoyment you will get from your new purchase.