In this digital camcorder purchase guide, we’ll tell you all about the newest camcorders on the market and what features you need to consider before you purchase one.
As with any electronics purchase, there are a lot of features to digital camcorders, and knowing more about them will help you choose a model with the features you need while keeping you from paying for features you don’t.
There are two kinds of digital camcorders: Standard definition (SD) and High definition (HD)
Until recently, affordable standard-definition camcorders offered pretty good-quality video. However, for the same price, you can now buy high-definition video camcorders, which record movies with gorgeous color and clarity, save recorded video to flash memory or hard-disk drives, and even uploads to the Web. Most newer playback devices will work better with high definition videos as well. Therefore, this guide will be focusing on high definition digital camcorders.
Main Features of HD camcorders
Recording file format
Most HD camcorders use AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition), a file-based format for the digital recording and playback of HD video, which was created in 2006 by Sony and Panasonic.
Flash Memory
The most popular digital camcorders today are Flash and Dual Flash camcorders. These Camcorders use flash memory cards (same as digital cameras) to store video, or have built in solid state flash memory. Without a tape mechanism or hard drive, these camcorders are generally smaller in size than other camcorders and have better battery life. It also makes it easy to transfer files to other devices.
Battery
A rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery is used in most HD camcorders. These batteries are able to record for at least an hour of HD video.
Optical Zoom
If you want to get up close to your subject, you’ll need a model with a high-powered zoom lens. Most modern digital camcorders have at least a 10X optical zoom.
Image Stabilization (IS)
To avoid blurry video due to shaking hands, you’ll need image stabilization. Today IS is a standard feature on many camcorders, including Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba.
Photo Features
If you want to leave the digital camera behind, you can find camcorders with robust photo capabilities, including scene modes, a flash, burst shooting, and exposure controls.
Screen
The camcorder’s LCD screen lets you see more easily what you’re recording and let you watch playback previews. The bigger and higher-resolution screen it is the better.
New on the market: Full HD and 3D camcorders.
Full HD is a marketing term that refers to camcorders that record in 1920 x 1080 resolution. In general, you’ll get sharper video from camcorders that record at 1920 x 1080, compare to a 720p model.
3D Camcorders
In 2011 a new type of camcorder has hit the market, the 3D camcorder. Panasonic is the current leader in this field. In 2012 Panasonic introducing new ten models HD camcorders. With 3D camcorders, you can record regular HD video, and then when you want to record in 3D, you just put the 3D conversion lens on the camcorder.
In Conclusion
If you’re in the middle of deciding what camcorder to buy, we definitely recommend a digital HD camcorder. These save space and battery life over older models and create gorgeous, high-quality video for your memories, projects, and more. With standard flash and SD card memory options, moving your videos to your computer or other devices is a breeze. As with any major purchase, do your research and make sure to pick a camera that focuses on the features you need the most. For more info about new HD and 3D camcorders please visit the official Panasonic website.
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