“Success does not float down from heaven. It cannot be purchased nor manufactured. It is a reward reserved for those who labor with diligence.” - Bill Hybels
So, you’ve pondered, contemplated, meditated, and mulled it over in your head and have finally decided to make the leap and buy a new camcorder! Well, first off, congratulations on your decision. It’s a big one, we understand, and to aid in your shopping, the MindBites team has compiled a list of 7 tips we think you should consider before making that big purchase. Here’s what to look for when buying a camcorder:
Well, the fact that you’re reading this article proves you’re serious about this decision. Likewise, this is a good place to start. If this is going to be your first camcorder, you should treat this purchase as your introduction to the new and exciting world of digital technology. There are an infinite array of places to get good information for your consideration, below are just a few that we happen to like:
We have wonderful information in our Cameras Forum, posted by individuals unaffiliated with any particular company, that detail multiple camcorders, their functions, and recommendations for novices and experts alike. Additionally, you can check out the production information of videos you’ve seen and enjoyed to see what equipment the author used during shooting.
One site we highly recommend is www.videomaker.com.
Others include: www.bhphotovideo.com, www.camcorderinfo.com, www.dv.com, and www.2-pop.com (for the more advanced shooter).
Nothing is better than talking to a real live human being who’s in the know about such matters. Seek out these vendors at your local stores, but don’t stop with just one, get several opinions from different locations. You can find friendly and knowledgeable salespeople at Bigbox retailers as well as your local camera and video store. Another option is contacting some of the massive, multi-national mail order operations; B&H Photo and Video is a store we highly recommend.
If you want our honest opinion: Mini-DV, no question. There are multiple formats out there, all cheap and all touting themselves as the next best thing. Mini-DV has been around for some time now and has proven itself as the most reliable and efficient of the formats. It exists as a tape stock, but records a digital signal to a magnetic strip. It archives well, is easy to record over with lossless resolution, and looks really good to boot. All MindBites produced videos are shot on Mini-DV.
There are other formats that perform fairly well and have their own unique advantages. Cameras that record directly to DVD are currently fashionable and boast the benefit of being able to record video and pop it directly into a player without an intermediary. However, you lose the advantage of recording over old video and there are still some editing programs that don’t support the format. Recently, a slew of new straight-to-hard-drive cameras have been released. The advantage of these is that you don’t have to capture footage to your computer, something that becomes quite cumbersome and time consuming with Mini-DV. Still, with hard-drive cameras, you don’t have a tangible back-up in case the electronics malfunction and suddenly you’re left with an empty void where your precious video once was.
While we’re really excited about the digital future, we still prefer Mini-DV tape—right now this option offers the most flexibility and compatibility of all the formats. And the cameras are fairly inexpensive as well. All around, a good buy.
Canon, Sony, and Panasonic are currently the three most popular manufacturers, and arguably the best of the best. While there are many other good brands available out there, the advantage of sticking with one of the big boys is that information, accessories, as well as service and support are generally more readily accessible than with the lesser-known brands.
While that multi-thousand dollar High-Def Super HandyCam might be tempting and is, understandably, desirable, you really don’t need all the additional hubabaloo for MindBite purposes. The reality is that for MindBites style web videos, most consumer-grade cameras will work just fine. So that means the $200 machine you found at Wal-mart might be perfectly suitable for the level of production you’re interested in. So whether you decide on a low, medium, or high end camera will rest purely on deciding which features you want included (i.e. manual operations, adjustable white balancing, image stabilization, etc.).
Camcorders come in so many different styles; it’s often hard to find your way through the dizzying maze of LCD screens, CCD chips, and Macro-Zoom capabilities. Just keep in mind, all that really matters is the basics:
While you may not readily use these functions, it’s always a good idea to have a camera you can manipulate manually in case circumstances warrant such a necessity. Functions you should be able to control include: focusing, aperture settings (brightness/darkness of the image), white balance adjustment, and audio levels.
On-camera microphones are getting better every day, but situations will arise when you may want a more sensitive mic or one that can be separated from the camera. Because of this, it is a good idea to purchase a camera with external microphone inputs. For truly pristine sound, you’ll want to get a camera with XLR inputs. This is a connection used in all professional audio equipment and denotes, simply, that the audio signal is perfectly balanced. However, for MindBites purposes, any external microphone input will do.
Almost any camcorder will come equipped with a tripod-mounting bracket, but it’s up to you to make sure it does. Mounting your camcorder on a tripod is one of the big secrets of easy, high-quality video production. It stabilizes the image and provides for “cleaner” shooting. Some camcorders that utilize a docking base for many of their operations (charging, transferring data, etc.) won’t work while mounted on a tripod. That’s a mistake even we made!
Aside from the above, other features are superfluous. Still, be careful. Sometimes when the manufacturers try to pack in too many features they start to inhibit the basics. Keep it simple and easy, and you’ll hit nothing but smooth sailing.
The best advice we can give you is to get up off the couch, head to your nearest retailer, and get your hands on as many camcorders as you can manage. Commandeer them in the store, adjust the settings, film anything and everything around you, and bang them up a little. This is a huge purchase; make sure you are buying the best model for your price range. Also check out your retailer’s return policy and use it to full advantage if the camcorder doesn’t meet all of your expectations.
Once you’ve set your heart and soul on the perfect model for you, take time to shop around for both price and service. You’ll be amazed by how these vary from store to store. Remember that price isn’t everything. Take into account the vendor’s offered services and assistance once the transaction is complete. These are complicated machines; you’ll want a friendly face and helpful technician in the event that something goes wrong.
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