Knowing what type of camcorder user you're going to be can help you decide what the right camcorder is going to be for your needs. Here are of the main types of camcorder users, and what they should look for in a camcorder purchase.
Casual Camcorder User
You're not looking for the latest and greatest camcorder, or to spend a lot of money, you just want something that's going to be easy to use and you can have on hand to record events IF you want to, which isn't going to be very often.
Best Bet Format: A Mini-DVD camcorder will allow you to immediately watch the videos you record on your DVD player so you don't have to worry about connecting your camcorder to your computer or TV to watch videos.
Official Family Videographer
If someone in the family is there, then you're going to be there too- camcorder in hand. You're looking for the perfect camcorder to capture school plays, soccer games, band concerts, and birthday parties. You should look for a camcorder with a variety of different shooting modes to make sure your video always looks its best.
Best Bet Format: A hard disk camcorder can allow you to record the entire school play, a dance recital, and a birthday party without having to download your video or change a tape.
Technology Addict
You always want to have the latest and greatest gadgets. For you price isn't as big as deal as making sure you have the latest and greatest thing out there.
Best Bet Format: A high-Definition flash drive camcorder can give you amazing video quailty in a sleek, small package.
YouTube Star
You love uploading video to YouTube and want a camcorder that is going to let you get your videos up on YouTube and other video sharing sites with as little hassle as possible.
Best Bet Format: A hard disk camcorder breaks up each recording session into different files making it easy for you find and upload the individual clips you want after a day of shooting.
Avid Traveler
You want to carry your camcorder with you wherever you go. The traveler is looking for a camcorder that is small enough to fit in a purse or pocket and light enough it doesn't weigh you down while you're out on an adventure.
Best Bet Format: A hard disk/flash drive hybrid camcorder will allow you to hold a great deal of video on the hard disk, and then switch out flash disks as they fill during your travels.
Independent Filmmaker
You're looking to use your camcorder to shoot creative projects where you will want to manually adjust things such as your camcorders focus and aperture. You're looking for a camcorder that's going to give you a broadcast quality picture and be compatible with professional video editing programs and equipment.
Best Bet Format: MiniDV is currently the most popular format used for professional camcorders. MiniDV allows you to shoot high quality video and is compatible with all major video editing programs.
