| Moving pictures capture an event and tell a story more | | | | stabilization - electronic or optical. Image stabilization is |
| completely and more dramatically than still pictures. | | | | very important for picture quality. The electronic |
| Today's video camcorders and DVD authoring | | | | stabilization method counteracts images that seem to |
| software are so technologically advanced and easy to | | | | float on the CCD by using internal circuitry to interpret |
| use that making interesting and entertaining motion | | | | video after the image has been captured. Professional |
| pictures is within reach of almost everybody. | | | | quality camcorders use a 3CCD configuration for |
| Some digital cameras and camcorders, like the new | | | | image stabilization. The optical method uses features |
| RCA Small Wonder Point and Shoot, are small enough | | | | within the lens itself to compensate for external |
| to stick in a pocket or an evening purse and reliably | | | | movement. |
| produce up to 60 minutes of quality video for TV, | | | | Although it is a digital camera camcorder sound quality |
| DVD, and the internet. Size, then, can safely be your | | | | is also important. Most camcorders have a |
| first consideration in selecting a video camera without | | | | mircrophone attached to the camera body, which is |
| having to give up too much in quality. In the remainder | | | | the most convenient location for self-recorded |
| of this article we will discuss the other major | | | | interviews. Some camcorders have sockets to attach |
| camcorder features to look for in camcorder reviews. | | | | remote microphones and some high end camcorders |
| The size of the display screen or LCD monitor is an | | | | have wireless connections for the ultimate flexibility. |
| important selection factor. You use the display monitor | | | | Stereo sound recording is nice, but an expensive |
| for composing your video and also as a convenient | | | | addition unless you really need it. |
| playback feature. Look for a display monitor of at least | | | | If you plan on doing lots of night shooting look for an |
| 2.5 inches. Most are TFT and display 100% of the | | | | infrared feature or a manual setting for very slow |
| captured image but you want to check anyway. | | | | shutter speeds. Look for a lens with an aperture of f1.4 |
| The camcorder lens is probably the most important | | | | or an even smaller number. Ironically smaller aperture |
| feature of camcorder comparisons. Top brands like | | | | numbers mean bigger lens openings. |
| Sony, Canon, and JVC engineer the finest lenses that | | | | Image storage capacity is a major consideration. The |
| you can buy with confidence. Small aperture numbers | | | | storage champion is the hard disk drive or HDD |
| like 1.4 or 1.8 mean that you can shoot successfully in | | | | camcorder which could allow you to record a two |
| low light. Higher aperture numbers like 4.1 mean better | | | | week vacation without worrying about changing media. |
| quality in sunlight and other brightly lighted conditions. | | | | Other popular media styles are the dvd camcorder |
| Camcorder electronics are sophisticated enough to | | | | and the high definition minidv camcorder. |
| adjust for different lighting conditions by automatically | | | | Camcorder batteries always run down at the most |
| varying the aperture and the shutter speed. 10x optical | | | | critical moment no matter what the brand but from |
| zoom is fairly standard and you will find it sufficient for | | | | time to time certain manufacturers and models have |
| most purposes. If you want to shoot very long shots, | | | | serious battery issues. Read some camcorder |
| faces on the other side of a football field for example, | | | | reviews for the models you shop to see if customers |
| then consider a 20x optical zoom but be sure to add a | | | | are complaining about battery life. Check the dates of |
| tripod to your camcorder accessory bag. | | | | the reviews, however, because manufacturers often |
| All camcorders offer one of two types of image | | | | solve this problem quickly. |