With your trusted digital video camera, you can record all of life's special moments, like your child's first steps, your birthday or wedding, a family vacation, etc.
With so many brands and models of digital video players on the market, it can be hard to figure out which one is best for you. Your choice will depend on the features you want and how much you are willing to spend.
The format in which your videos will be stored is the most important thing to think about, since the format determines the quality of the video. The main video formats that digital cameras offer are Digital 8, also called D8, Mini-DV, DVD, and HDD. Both D8 and Mini-DV are tape-based formats, but Mini-DV is currently the one that gives consumers the best video quality. The DVD format lets you record video directly onto a digital disc, while the HDD format records video on a hard drive inside the computer. Since major manufacturers are slowly getting rid of the tape format, it's a good idea to buy a digital video camera with a disc or hard drive.
The charged coupled device (CCD) or CCD imaging sensor is also found in digital video cameras. Digital video cameras can have either one or three CCDs. The video quality of 1-CCD cameras isn't very good, but 3-CCD cameras make videos with much better quality. Most professional camcorders are more expensive than other models because they use 3-CCD technology.
Most camcorder lenses have an optical zoom that can go from 10X to 20X. How close you want to get to the action will determine which zoom you choose. Some digital video cameras also let you take still photos at different resolutions, and some camcorders let you do both. Some digital video cameras have a built-in flash for taking pictures in low light, while others have a "Night Shot" feature. Other popular add-ons that can be attached to the camcorder are external flashlights, external microphones, and external storage devices.
Camcorders with batteries that last longer are also a good idea. Digital video cameras can shoot continuously for 4 to 8 hours on a single charge. But using the zoom or any other outside device will drain the battery.
All cameras today come with software for editing digital videos. But if you don't like the one they give you, you can always buy a better, more expensive one from Adobe or another well-known brand.
Prices for video cameras today range from $500 to $4000, and the most popular brands are Sony, JVC, and Canon.
