Which Video Camera? The Beginners' Guide To Video Cameras

Video Cameras - A Beginner's Guide

I was recently asked by a friend if I knew anything about video cameras - rather than writing a long email to them about the different types of video cameras, I thought I would write a beginners' guide to choosing a camcorder and put it up here instead.

Video cameras are a great way to capture those special moments in life, especially if you have young children - somehow a photo isn't quite the same as a moving picture. If you've been thinking about buying a video camera, but aren't sure where to start, then read on.

I've summarised the main types of camera currently for sale, the pros and cons of each format and some desirable features you should look out for whichever type of camcorder you choose. I've also taken a quick look at how budgetary constraints might influence your choice, as video cameras cover a very wide range of prices.

Video Camera Formats: Don't know your DV from your HDD? Read on...

It wasn't so long ago that there was only one format - analogue tape. As the years went by, tapes got smaller, higher capacity and better quality, but the basis of the technology remained the same.

In recent years, however, that has all changed. There are currently three principle recording technologies in use in the newest generation of consumer video cameras, all of them digital.

DV Video Cameras

DV (Digital Video) is perhaps the last of the tape formats - but with a difference: it's digital! DV video cameras offer excellent quality, reaonable recording length and compact, lightweight packaging.

There are a huge range of DV video cameras on the market, and they offer an affordable way to get into digital video, normally including a DV-out connection - great for transferring your videos onto a PC for editing or recording directly onto a DVD, if you have a DVD recorder.

DVD Video Cameras

DVD video cameras offer the unique benefit of allowing you to record directly onto DVD - although before you get too excited, these aren't full size DVDs - instead, they are 8cm diameter mini-DVDs - great for portability, but unfortunately only providing 30 minutes of video recording time on each disc.

DVD Video cameras offer DV-quality recordings - just like DV Camcorders, but with the added practicality of recording directly onto DVDs - meaning that your disks can be taken straight from the camera and played in home DVD players, games consoles and computers.

HDD Video Cameras

HDD camcorders are at present the newest and most expensive type of video camera available, but they do offer some remarkable advantages - with huge capacities - a HDD camcorder with a 20GB hard disk can record up to 24 hours of DV-quality digital video, for example.

Capacities like this place HDD video cameras in a different league, capacity-wise, and this alone is a good reason to consider one if you can. Of course, there is a downside to this design, which is that if the hard disk does fill up while you are out and about (on holiday, for example), there is nothing you can do about it without deleting some footage or downloading it all to a PC, neither of which may be desirable...

Discount Video Cameras on Amazon

Panasonic PV-GS80 MiniDV Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

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Amazon Price: $349.00 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $249.95

Panasonic SDR-H18 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

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Amazon Price: $440.25 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $499.95

Canon HV10 3.1MP High-Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

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Amazon Price: $899.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $1,299.99

Flip Video Camcorder: 60-Minutes (White)

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Amazon Price: $89.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $149.99

Sony DCR-SR62 30GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom (Handycam Station Included)

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Amazon Price: $988.00 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $749.99

Camcorder bag options

Here a selection of worthwhile accessories for your camcorder.

VidPro VID-300 Camcorder Bag (Black)

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Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price:
Used Price:

Sony LCMHGC Semi Soft Carrying Case for DVD105/205/305

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Amazon Price: $48.55 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $49.99
Used Price:

Sony LCSVA40 Soft Carrying Case for DVD & MiniDV Camcorders

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Amazon Price: $20.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $44.99
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Samsonite Journey Camcorder Bag for Most Camcorders

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Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $34.99
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Case Logic CBV2 Nylon Camcorder Bag

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Amazon Price: (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $24.99
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Camcorder Accessories

Sony High Definition Minidv Videocassette (2-Pack)

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Amazon Price: $19.24 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $25.99

Sony 3DMR30 8CM DVD-R Discs for Video Cameras - Three Pack

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Amazon Price: $12.00 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $17.89

Targus Camera/Video Messenger Case

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Amazon Price: (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $19.99

Sony 1PK HD DVC MINIDV 63MIN VIDEO ( DVM63HDR )

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Amazon Price: $9.62 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $23.15

SONY 3DMW30 8CM DVD-RW Discs For Video Cameras - Three Pack

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Amazon Price: $14.98 (as of 10/12/2008)
List Price: $39.99

Digital Video Camera Features - What To Look For

Fortunately, many of the features you'll find on digital video cameras are the same whichever type of camcorder you choose. Here's a few of the most useful ones to look out for:

- Image stabiliser

It's hard enough to keep your hand perfectly still when you aren't holding a camera, let alone when you are moving round filming. Zooming in close to an object results tends to exaggerate any movements or vibrations and can ruin your video. Image stabilisers process the images being recorded to eliminate the effects of any slight movements or vibrations.

- Zoom Facilities

Almost all new cameras will have both digital and optical zoom, but make sure you look at the details. More optical zoom is better than digital zoom in terms of picture quality, because it is using the camera's lens to bring the image closer, gathering more detail as it does.

Digital zoom, while a useful supplement to optical zoom, does not gather any more detail through the lens - it simply processes the image to create a closer view of the original picture.

- Photo Mode

Many digital video cameras have a photo mode, which enables you to use the video camera to take still photos. If this is a feature you like the sound of, check whether the camcorder you are considering offers this, and what picture quality (megapixel rating) is available. You will probably also need to buy some kind of data storage card to store these photos (like a digital camera).

- Screen Size

Most digital video cameras come complete with small LCD screens, which fold out and allow you to watch what you are filming without having to use the eyepiece. You can normally watch what you've recorded through these screens, as well. Check out the size and quality of the screens, especially when in bright light, when this type of screen can be difficult to see.

- Manual Override?

Possibly only of interest to enthusiasts, but it is worth being aware of whether your camera allows you to manually focus and set the exposure levels. This can be useful for keen photographers, particularly in difficult light conditions.

Video Camera Bargains

Here are some great Camcorder bargains...

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Camcorder Accessory Bargains

Here are some fantastic bargains for your camcorder...

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The $64,000 Question

How Much Do Video Cameras Cost?

As with any piece of technology, the prices of video cameras are constantly changing, with existing models getting cheaper, and newer, even more exotic models being introduced at the top of the range. It's far beyond the scope of this writer to produce a video camera price guide, but camcorders do seem to get more expensive in this order:

Cheapest: DV Video Cameras
Middle: DVD Video Cameras
Most Expensive: HDD Video Cameras

Of course, there are overlaps between these groupings - a cheap DVD camcorder may well be less expensive than a top-end DV video camera.

The best advice I can give is to research what's available for sale at the moment, decide which features you need, and which you would like, then buy the best video camera you can afford.

That way, you should have something that will last you for at least a few years, and will give you great videos and many happy memories for even longer.

Happy filming!