If you’re looking for a new digital camcorder, then you need to know what kinds of features to look for. It’s easy to get confused and hard to understand all the specifications. Looking for the right features is the key to finding the best camcorder for your needs. As you compare digital camcorder reviews and ratings, there are a few things to consider.
You should have a general idea of what you need the mini dv camcorder for. Do you need a video camera for home movies? Or are you looking for a professional camcorder for your next feature film? Think about what you’re looking for so your camcorder comparison doesn’t take so long.
Zoom
All digital camcorders have a zoom function. Older analog camcorders only had optical zoom, but newer digital video cameras have both optical and digital zoom. There is a difference between these two types of zoom. Optical zoom physically lengthens the lens and will still give your videos high image quality. However, digital zoom basically magnifies the scene in a digital format. The problem with digital zoom is that when you zoom in on a subject, the video becomes pixelated and blocked with little squares that give the video a blurry and distorted look.
If you are wondering which zoom is better and more important, the optical zoom. The farther you can zoom optically, the more flexibility you’ll have when focusing on a subject. I suggest a minimum of 10x optical zoom for most consumers.
CCD Sensors and Resolution
The video quality on a dv camcorder depends on the CCD, which is an abbreviation for charge coupled device. The CCD is an image sensor that converts light into pixels to produce images; your digital camera works the same way. You can find camcorders with one CCD or three CCDs. Single CCD camcorders are less expensive, however, it will compromise the color quality of the video. 3 CCD camcorders, on the other hand, provide the best color quality. The reason is that there are 3 CCDs. Digital camcorder models with three CCDs (one for red, green, and blue) give your video the most vivid colors possible, but the price is more than a CCD camcorder.
Viewfinders and LCD screens
Finding the best possible viewfinder is important when comparing camcorders. The viewfinder is the heart of the camcorder, without it you can’t see what you’re shooting. Black and white viewfinders camera, if you buy a cheap camcorder you will be left with a black and white screen. I personally like my color screen, you can see the exact color and quality of the video as it will appear on the video. LCD screen sizes range from 2 to 4 inches wide.
Digital video and still image editing
Almost all newer digital camcorders have FireWire (IEEE 1394). This feature allows you to transfer digital video footage from your camcorder to your computer system as quickly as possible. Newer models even have the ability to take digital still images and video and transfer them to your computer for emailing to friends and family.
