Guide to Camcorder Features

A look at the key features you'll find in a digital camcorder

When shopping for a camcorder, you're confronted with a laundry list of features. Some are relatively straightforward to understand, others not so much. To help you navigate the complexities, here's a guide to the key features available in most digital camcorders with links to dive deeper into a particular topic.

Video Resolution

You can find camcorders that record video in either standard or high-definition resolution. As a general rule, HD camcorders are now the standard, don't buy anything with a lower resolution. 4K or better resolution will be more expensive, but the quality may be worth it. Even if you don't own a 4K television, it's worth considering a higher definition camcorder to "future-proof" your videos when you get around to trading in your current television.

Digital camcorder

 HP

Image Sensor

The image sensor is the device inside your camcorder that transforms the light coming through the lens into a digital signal that your camcorder records. There are two basic types of sensors — CMOS and CCD. When it comes to sensors, larger ones are better.

Zoom Lens

The kind of lens your camcorder has is crucial: long zooms allow you to magnify far-away objects. But not all zooms are created equal. You need to look for your camcorder's "optical" zoom rating, not the digital zoom. The higher the zoom number (as a factor of "x" — as in 10x, 12x, etc.), the better the magnification.

Image Stabilization

If your camcorder has a long zoom lens (and even if it doesn't), it should also offer a form of image stabilization to ensure your videos are steady. Like a zoom lens, the better form of image stabilization is optical, not digital.

Media Format

This refers to the type of media that stores your digital videos. Popular media formats include flash memory (either internal or in a flash memory card) and hard disk drive. The type of media your camcorder records significantly impacts camcorder design and functionality. In general, you want to avoid the older formats that record to tape, CD, or odd-sized memory cards. Stick to SD or micro SD flash memory cards and cameras with a built-in hard drive. The bigger the capacity, the better.

Video Format

A camcorder's video format refers to the kind of digital file your camcorder will create. The type of file format a camcorder uses typically impacts the quality of the video and how easy it is to work with on a computer. Standard video files include MPEG-2, H.264, and AVCHD.

Face Detection

Face detection is the ability to find and focus on faces in front of a camcorder. It's increasingly popular now, and many camcorders have built-in technology to offer even more sophisticated features, such as facial recognition or snapping still photographs whenever a person smiles.

Bit Rates

A bit rate refers to the digital data your camcorder can record at any second. The higher the bit rate, the more data your camcorder captures, translating into higher-quality video.

Frame Rates

Video is a series of still photographs taken one after another, instantaneously. The speed at which a camcorder captures still frames during recording is called the frame rate. Faster frame rates help record sports or recording in slow motion.

Exposure Control

One of the most common features available on a camcorder, exposure control, lets you adjust how light or dark your video appears.

Photo Features

Nearly every camcorder on the market can snap a digital still photograph, but the performance here varies widely. Generally, camcorders that offer a built-in flash, dedicated photo shutter button, and photo scene modes will be superior performers in the still photo department.

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