Before You Buy A Camcorder
By Greg Scoblete, About.com Guide to Camcorders
Before you buy a camcorder it's important to have a good understanding of digital video, how it works, and what camcorder options are available for you.
Camcorder Basics
Before you start looking at individual camcorder models, its important to get a good basic understanding of camcorders and camcorder terminology.
- What Makes Camcorders Expensive
- Optical vs. Digital Zoom
- What's a CCD? How CCDs Affect Camcorder Video Quality
Camcorder Formats
The first basic thing you need to understand about camcorders is the different formats available. There are several different analog and digital camcorders on the market. What format is right for you depends on what you what to do with your camcorder.
Camcorder Features
Once you've determined what format camcorder you want to buy then it's time to take a look at the specs of the camcorders you're interested in. Here are some important things to take a look at.