It is absolutely necessary to arm your self with a few good tips before going out to buy a digital camcorder otherwise you might wind up with some thing completely different from what you want. The few guidelines below will help you make the right choice.

Look at The LCD Screen in Day Light if you can

Certain screens will fade out in bright sunlight, and you need to ensure your ability to easily see what you’re recording under any circumstances. If you’re unable to view the images on the screen in bright daylight, resort to using the viewfinder. Not only will using the view finder get the job done but it will do so without using up a lot of your battery power.

The lens’s optical zoom ration is more important than digital zoom ration

Optical zoom actually delivers a closer view of the image as opposed to digital zoom which merely makes the image larger through the view finder. It’s important to ensure that the camcorder has a minimum of 10X optical zoom.

For Longer recording times buy an additional high capacity battery

The normal battery that comes with majority of camcorders usually only last an hour or so. For $50 to $100, you can purchase a longer-lasting battery, so consider that into your cost if you think you’ll need it. There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of power in the middle of recording an important event!

Better audio results can be achieved with front mounted microphones

For the best audio it is better to buy a front mounted camcorder. The microphone has the tendency to capture the voice of the person using the camcorder rather than the event being recorded when the microphone is mounted on the top of the camcorder.

Buy an external microphone for the best sound

If the camcorder you’re interested in buying has the ability to connect an external microphone, then factor in an extra $50 to $100 for an external microphone as this will give you the best sound possible .

Play and familiarize your self with the camcorder’s controls and features before you purchase

If you have large hands it will be better to buy a bigger camcorder if it’s more comfortable to handle because the smallest camcorders can ocassionally be difficult to use.

Examine exposure controls and Low-light options

Even though all digital camcorders come with a fully automatic modes certain models are equipped with manual and semi-manual exposure modes which allow you to record at slower shutter speeds, allow you to adjust the apperture settings to permit more light to enter as well as a low-light option to be able to shoot in the dark using infrared light or long shutter mode.

Look for wide-screen shooting and know your format

Recording with a wide screen model will allow you to view your recording without the black bars at the top and buttom if you have a high definition TV. You also need to know the format the camcorder records in. Mini-DVD disc or MiniDV tapes are the most common formats with majority of digital camcorders. Mini-DVD discs are often more difficult to come by than MiniDV as MiniDV is the most widely available format.

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