How to shoot good digital video with your camcorder

Useful tips to help you get the most out of your digital camcorder

Let me tell you from experience how important it is to know how to shoot good digital video with your camcorder before going on that vacation or filming that big event. When I was getting married my sister offered to film the happy day for me with her new camcorder, I agreed as it would save money on the wedding as a videographer could get quite expensive.
Let me tell you how wrong I was, the digital video was dark, shaky and blurred anytime she went into zoom or moved around the room. The sound was off and muffled and it was more of a headache to watch rather than a joy. In a nutshell, I wish I spent money on a good digital video shooting.
I don’t want people to make the same mistake that I did so to spread the word on my learning experience I would like to pass on some great tips on how to shoot good digital video with your Mini dv camcorder.
Tip #1 - Do not record while walking or moving about as the digital camcorder cannot stay focused on a moving object. Choose a place to stand and begin by recording a starting point for a few seconds before moving onto the next object. Slowly and carefully pan the camcorder to the next point of focus and hold there for a few more seconds before you stop shooting.
Tip #2 - Avoid excessive zooming of objects, not only does it kill the camcorder battery faster, it can give the viewers a crazy headache. If there were a moment you’d like to catch up close, stand still and take your time while zooming and shooting video, also try to avoid any quick motions, as the image will blur.
Tip #3 - Make sure that the lighting around you is bright enough and do not point the camcorder lens directly facing sunlight, not only can this damage the video camera lens, it will also blacken the images making for an unpleasant movie. If you plan to be indoors, I suggest you invest in a camcorder light attachment that can easily be placed onto the video camera and turned on if needed.
Tip #4 - Last but not least, my favorite camcorder accessory by far has to be a Tripod. You can buy a cheap little mini table tripod for simple videos or you can invest in a larger stand up tripod for longer shooting of video. By using a tripod when recording, you can be assured that your images will not be shaky nor will the movie look amateur.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Vorelli is a successful writer with info on all types of camcorders. Read reviews and other useful information on dvd camcorders,VHS camcorders, HD camcorders, and more. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net Reprint permission will all hyper links intact.

How digital camcorders work

Learn about how camcorders work

The first camcorder was invented by Jerome Lemelson in 1980. And since that time the first bulky analog video camcorders have evolved into the modern digital camcorder, so small they can fit in the palm of your hand, and so clear they rival even professional broadcast video cameras.
Consumers have been using camcorders since early 1980s. Since then they have gotten better and cheaper, with prices starting at only a few hundred dollars, making DV camcorders affordable for anyone. Shooting home videos is fun, everyone loves filming their families during special events. From your kids birthday, your son's soccer game, to the family trip to Mexico, but how exactly do video cameras work?
Digital video cameras convert analog video into a digital format. Digital video camcorders take the analog information in the video camera and then translate it into bytes of data. Digital video is converted from moving images to a stream of zeroes and ones. The digital video camcorder records the bytes of digital information onto one of three items, a hard disk, a dv tape, or a DVD. From there you have the ability to transfer the video to your computer. You can then edit the video, email it to friends and family or even add the video to a website.
The digital video process begins at the lens in the camcorder. The lens stores and then focuses light from the video that you are capturing onto the image sensor located behind it. Because the Charge- Coupled Devices (CCDs) used by camcorders are capable only of measuring the amplitude of the light hitting the photodiodes on their surfaces, a system of filters is required to establish just what color that light is.
Another part of the camcorder, that plays an important role is the viewfinder. Originally view finders where black and white, as time progressed viewfinders have evolved into color LCD screens. This is a necessary part of the camcorder, it lets you see what you are filming. Newer models of viewfinders even let you add effects to your video via an LCD touch screen while you are filming.
Newer DV camcorders can not only shoot high definition video (up to 720 lines) but models such as the Sony hdr-fx1 hdv camcorder, Canon xl2 and the Canon zr200 mini dv camcorder even offer digital still image capabilities. You can snap crystal clear images with resolutions up to 1024 x 768, perfect for family photos. Need to email your videos to friends and family across the globe, no problem. With the MPEG feature you can even email short video clips to any one with an email address! Grandparents in Europe can see your daughters birthday 4 minutes after you have filmed it in the U.S.A!
Even though current digital video camcorders come in a range of sizes and shapes, the techniques used to convert moving pictures hasn't evolved much. But the styles of digital camcorders have evolved. You can find digital video camcorders come in all types, from dvd camcorders to mini dv camcorders. As technology changes video is not restrained to digital video cameras. cell phones now have the capability to shoot video and email the clips instantly anywhere in the world. It's hard to predict how far video technology can go, the sky seems to be the limit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C Vorelli offers info on digital camcorders. Read digital camcorder reviews on Sony camcorders & Panasonic camcorders. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact. http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/

Features to look for in a camcorder

Features to look for in a camcorder
If you're on the look out for a new digital camcorder then you need to know what type of features to look for. It's easy to get confused and hard to make sense of all the specifications. Looking for the right features is the key in finding the best camcorder for your needs. While you compare digital camcorder reviews and ratings, there are some items to consider.
You should have a general idea of what you need the mini dv camcorder for. Do you need a video camera for home movies? Or are you looking for a professional camcorder, for your next feature film? Think about what you are looking for so your camcorder comparison shopping won't take as long.
Zoom
All digital camcorders have a zoom feature. Older analog camcorders only had optical zoom, but new digital video cameras have both optical and digital zoom. There is a difference between these two types of zoom. Optical zoom physically lengthens the lens,and will still give your videos high image quality. However digital zoom basically blows up the scene in a digital format. The problem with digital zoom is that when you zoom in on a subject the video becomes pixilated and blocky with little squares giving the video a blurred and distorted look.
If you're wondering which zoom is better and more important, optical zoom. The more distance that your optical zoom can do, the more flexibility that you have when focusing in on a subject. I suggest a minimum of 10x optical zoom for most consumers.
CCD Sensors and Resolution
The video quality in a dv camcorder is dependant on the CCD, which is an abbreviation for charged-coupled device. The CCD is an image sensor that converts light into pixels to produce images; your digital camera works in the same way. You can find camcorders with one CCD or three CCDs. One CCD camcorders are less costly however you will compromise the color quality in the video. 3 CCD camcorders on the other hand provide the best color quality. The reason being is that there are 3 CCDs. Digital camcorder models with three CCDs (one each for red, green and blue) give your video the most vivid colors possible, but the price is more than 1 CCD video cameras.
Viewfinders & LCD Screens
It's important to find the best possible viewfinder when comparing camcorders. The viewfinder is the heart of the camcorder without it you can't see what you are filming. Viewfinders cam in black and white, if you buy a cheap camcorder you will be stuck with a black and white screen. Personally I like my color screen, you can see the exact color and video quality as it will appear in the video. Sizes for LCD screen range from 2 to 4 inches across.
Digital Video Editing & Still images
Almost all newer digital video camcorders have FireWire (IEEE 1394). This feature enables you to transfer digital video footage from your camcorder to your computer system in the fastest possible way. The newest models even have the ability to take digital still images and video and transfer them to your computer for emailing to friends and family.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C Vorelli offers info on where to find the best digital camcorders. You can read camcorder ratings as well as camcorder reviews, on Sony camcorders, Canon camcorders, & Samsung camcorders and more. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/

Mini Dv Camcorders

Mini DV camcorders have many advantages over traditional analog video cameras and even Digital and DVD camcorders. Mini DV camcorders are compact, small and afford better editing. They have a better picture resolution compared to Digital Camcorders and even though they cost more, it comes as no surprise that many people prefer them over their more traditional counterparts.
Mini DV camcorders are sold on many websites, electronics stores, through shopping magazines and niche magazines like the ones dedicated specially to white goods. These camcorders are sold by brand, zoom strength, LCD display properties, price, and size, so it becomes easy selecting the one that best suits your needs.
The major brands of Mini DV camcorders are Sony, Panasonic, and Canon. Sony is the market leader in the Mini DV camcorder segment, while Canon, though a late entrant in the market, is fast catching up. Sony camcorders are popular owing to a wide variety and many innovative features, and they come with a reasonable price tag . The Sony Handy cam DCR HC 42, for example, is a Mini DV digital camcorder with still recording as well as MPEG movie recording features. This light, compact camcorder delighted users with it\'s easy to use features and high sound and image recording quality on it\'s May 2005 launch into the Mini DV camcorder market. Another new feature is the facility for low light and night time recording. And it has a lithium battery which lasts up to eight hours, far more than the batteries of it\'s nearest rivals Panasonic and Canon. The camcorder costs around $600.
Panasonic Mini DV camcorders are the next popular after Sony Camcorders. The PV-GS 150 model, for example, comes with 3 CCDs, instead of one, as is the case with the Sony camcorders. You can choose between internal or external microphone for sound recording. Canon\'s ZR 300 camcorder series has similar features, but it is available with only one CCD.
The mini DV camcorder market is still evolving, and newer features are being introduced almost every day, with a decreasing price tag. It is important to research the products available in the camcorder market to check suitability regarding your needs, and to see if the recording format is compatible with players in other formats.

What are DV camcorders all about?

Since they appeared, DV or Digital Video Camcorders turned the home video shooting and creation into a much easier activity than it was before. Among their many advantages, DV camcorders made it possible for every camcorder user to be able to cut and edit their videos without much difficulty as well as to enjoy a much higher video quality than before.DV camcorders allow their users to shoot and edit without having to recur to someone else's help or even needing an extra device for it. Most DV camcorders allow users to cut images and edit right after having shot the movie and by just using some of the camcorder controls. The image and sound of the shots taken with DV camcorders are of an extremely higher quality than they were with the older camcorders. This way, DV camcorders not only facilitate their users' job but also provide them with the best quality final product they could have. Movies shot with DV camcorders can be also easily uploaded to PCs, allowing this way the use of many different edition software, sending the images to a friend, and any many other possibilities. Although there are many different types of DV camcorders, all of them should share some features in common in order to be of good quality. First of all, it is important that a DV camcorder has easy to use controls; otherwise this could become a constant problem and an obstacle for its user.DV camcorders usually come with a high quality screen through which their users can view what the camcorder would shoot as well as can play back what has already been shot. It is very important that this screen is of good quality as well as easy to be used while shooting a movie and handling the camcorder.Nowadays, most DV camcorders store video on special memory cards, although some of them still use videotape in a special format known as mini DV. Many DV camcorders come with both these video store capabilities, allowing its users to chose the most convenient one for them.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snapjunky.com. Visit his digital camera & camcorder guide and learn how to take better pictures and shoot better movies.

Expert Guide to DVD Camcorders

Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's a rapidly growing sector of the camcorder market, with Hitachi, Sony and Panasonic all making more than one mini dvd camcorder.These camcorders differ from regular digital video cameras in one important way - they record video onto mini DVD discs, rather than DV tape. This has a number of advantages. DVD discs are more robust than tape and won't get chewed up in the camera. Although this is thankfully a rare occurance, it scares me every time I here a strange noise coming from my camcorder, so it's with bearing in mind.The second advantage is that DVD discs are random access, compared to tape on which everything is recorded sequentially. This means that there's no need to rewind and fast forward to find the clip you're after, just select it from the menu. Some cameras even allow you to perform basic editing functions on-camera. An additional side-benefit is that a mini DVD camcorder doesn't have tape heads to get worn or dirty as happens in regular mini DVD cameras.And thirdly, you can easily watch your home movies by removing the DVD from the camera and playing it in practically any DVD player.However, there are negative factors to. The most siginificant one is that video is encoded as MPEG-2 on a mini DVD camcorder, as opposed to DV format. This means that it needs specialist software to edit - you can't just use your regular video editing program (unless it specifically supports MPEG-2). And if a Mac user you're out of luck, as there are no MPEG-2 editing applications for the Mac.Also, mini DVD camcorders tend to cost more than similarly specified mini DV cameras. And the media is also more expensive. However, if you don't intend editing your movies and don't mind the extra cost, a mini dvd camcorder does offer extraordinary convenience.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of Master DVD (http://www.masterdvd.com), a website which provides information, articles, and tutorials on issues and products related to recordable DVD.

The Types Of Camcorders

by: Richard Gazzo
Types of camcorders
If you are planning on purchasing a camcorder, you should be familiar with the types of camcorders and how they can benefit your specific needs. The formats of video cameras include, VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, Hi8, Mini Digital Video (Mini DV), DVD and Digital 8. Each format has its pros and cons
VHS
The VHS format is the oldest type of camcorder. This type of video camcorder is fast becoming outdated, because you can only play back the video on a VHS VCR system. VHS camcorders are not nearly as clear as digital video camcorders that offer clear video with 540 lines of resolution, VHS video cameras only offer 240 lines of resolution. They also weigh more and are much more bulky, that dv camcorders. You can only find these video camera used because their technology is now outdated.
VHS-C
The VHS-C format offer 240 lines of resolution, just like VHS. These analog camcorders come in a smaller size that the VHS camcorder models, but use the same technology. The video tapes used in VHS-C camcorders are much smaller in size than VHS, just in a smaller camcorder design. VHS-C is considered old technology and not used today in newer models.
8mm
If you are looking to record more than 1 hour, then 8mm camcorders are perfect. These video cameras can record up to 5 hours of footage and they offer better video quality that VHS cameras. In order to view video from your 8mm video camcorder, you need to connect the camcorder to input jacks on your TV or your VCR system.
MiniDV
MiniDV, short for mini Digital Video off the clearest and most vivid colors out of all the types of camcorders on the market, and they're small in size only 4 inches in width and height. Mini dv camcorders can fit in the palm of your hand, making them very easy to handle and transport. And if you like editing your video footage you can connect dv camcorders to your computer system. Transferring the video is a snap with the FireWire connection. Once the footage is in your computers hard drive you can burn it to dvd, add it to your web site or email small clips to friends and family.
Digital8
Digital8 camcorders offer the best of both worlds, Hi8 and DV. You can use 8mm and hi8 video tapes combined with the best image quality found in digital camcorder formats. Digital8 camcorders are larger and heavier than Mini DV camcorders, but they are also cheaper in price. The Digital8 system offers 540 lines of crystal clear resolution.
DVD Camcorders
The newest form of digital video cameras are DVD camcorders. These camcorders are small in size, just like Digital8 and Mini DV camcorders. The big difference compared to other camcorder systems is that DVD camcorders use recordable DVD discs such as DVD-R or DVD-RW. The big benefit to dvd video cameras is that they can be played on your home DVD player, and of course the quality is the best you can find.
Price comparisons
If you want to buy the cheapest priced camcorder go for a VHS analog camcorder, you don't get the same quality as digital camcorders however if you plan on filming family vacations this should be sufficient for your needs. Then there are DVD camcorders, they are the most expensive of digital video cameras, but at the same time, they are the newest technology offering the best image and sound quality. Lastly is the mini dv format, this is probably the best camcorder for the price and quality. Small in size and reasonably priced. Review top manufacturers such as Panasonic, Sharp, Canon and Sony which offer the very popular Sony Handycam.
About The Author
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer with info on digital camcorders. Read camcorder reviews on Sony camcorders , Canon camcorders & more. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/

Camcorder Battery

by: Angela Oliver
Choosing what works for you.
Camcorders have come a long way from the big bulky machines that required an advanced degree to operate them. Now camcorders make you think of a hand held trendy accessory that can easily be brought to any event to capture the moment. As with all handheld appliances, the element that keeps them going is the battery. For every brand of camcorder, there is a specific type of battery and a varying amount of battery life.
For each brand and model of camcorder, there is a specific battery designed for that camcorder by the manufacturer. In order to purchase additional batteries, you must know the make and model number, as brands like Sony have dozens of models of camcorders.
Camcorders typically use NiCD or NiMH batteries. Newer Lithium Ion batteries are on the market for camcorders as well. They are more ideal for camcorders because they must run multiple applications which uses lots of battery power. To accommodate this, traditional NiCD and NiMH batteries can be extremely large and heavy, whereas Li-Ion batteries weigh much less and provide the same amount of power.
Depending on the type of battery, whether it be NiCD, NiMH, or the new Li-Ion battery, the type of camcorder charger needed will be very different. All these batteries use different technologies and therefore charge using different technologies. Many camcorder charger manufactures have helped to overcome this problem by creating universal chargers that charge all types of batteries in one docking station. Another option is rapid chargers, which charge batteries in a fraction of the time it takes traditional chargers. For convenience, some chargers are also equipped with a battery tester to measure the battery and avoid over charging.
Camcorders use lots of battery power, so it is important to consider how it will be used before purchasing a camcorder battery. Remember to take into account weight and frequency of use to get the most for your money.
About The Author
Angela Oliver writes for BatteryWeb at http://batteryweb.com/. Please visit the site at http://batteryweb.com/camcorder.cfm for some of the greatest deals on all your Camcorder battery needs.

Easy Guide to Buy Digital Camcorders and DVD Camcorders

by: Gagandeep Dhaliwal
A camcorder is a portmanteau word made by combining 'Camera' and 'recorder'. A camcorder is a portable television camera and videocassette recorder. It is an electronic device for recording video images and audio onto a storage device. It contains both camera and recorder in one unit. The camcorders generally contain digital cameras. A camcorder having digital camera or digital technology is known as digital camcorder. A camcorder having dvd facility is dvd camcorder. A camcorder is powered with a camcorder battery.
Sony introduced the first camcorder in 1983, followed by Kodak in 1984. The first camcorders combined the video-camera with an existing full-size VHS/Betamax recorder. These camcorders were large devices that required a sturdy tripod or strong shoulders to stably support the camera's bulk. The majority of these were designed for right-handed operation, except a few that possessed ambidextrous ergonomics.
Sony introduced the first HandyCam camcorder in 1984. The HandyCam could be held and operated entirely within the palm of the operator's hand, made possible by the 8mm video format.
The lens, imager, and recorder are the three major components of a camcorder. The lens gathers and focuses light on the imager. The imager (usually a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS sensor IC on modern camcorders; earlier examples often used vidicon tubes) converts incident light into an electrical (video) signal. Finally, the recorder encodes the video signal into a storable form. The optics and imager are commonly referred to as the camera section.
The recent times are witnessing a great revolution in the camcorders. The camcorders with ultra modern technology are in the market. The mainstream consumer market favors ease of use, portable cheap camcorders and discount camcorders.
There is a great number of websites offering bulks of info on camcorders, cheap camcorders and discount camcorders. There are numerous online sources offers camcorder articles & blogs, camcorder review, digital camcorder review, sony camcorder review, canon camcorder review, sharp camcorder review, kodak camcorder review etc. The guys planning to buy camcorder must go through these reviews and articles, before buying a camcorder.
About The Author
Gagandeep Dhaliwal owns a website on digital camcorders http://www.123digitalcamcorder.com You can check their website for latest deals on buyers guide for a quick review on camcorders http://www.digitalcamcorderguide.info.

7 Questions You Must Ask Yourself Before Buying a Digital Camcorder

by: Robert Armstrong
There’s never been a better time to buy a digital video camera. Prices are lower than ever, the camcorders are packed with features, and editing software is cheap and easy to use.
Unfortunately, there’s also never been a more confusing time to buy a digital video camera. There are so many different formats competing for your money, it’s almost impossible to know which one to go for. Should you buy a Mini DV camcorder, or a DVD camcorder? What about solid state (flash memory), or hard disk? And is now the time to bite the bullet and buy a high definition video camera?
Confusion reigns, and it’s not helped by manufacturers releasing new models with improved features and lower prices every few months.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to reduce the confusion and give yourself a clear idea of which type of video camera is the best for you.
Below are seven questions you should ask yourself before you studio a single feature list or read a single review.
• What do I want to use the camcorder for? • Will I be mostly using it indoors or outdoors? • Do I want to edit the footage I shoot? • Do I want the camcorder to be a stills camera too? • How important is the quality of the video I shoot? • Is audio quality important • Will I use a tripod with the camcorder?
The answers to these questions will influence which type and model of camcorder you buy. For example, if you want to be able to edit your video footage on a PC or Mac, you should choose a Mini DV camcorder. And if you are likely to use a tripod, you should choose a camcorder which loads its media from the side or top, rather than one which loads from the bottom.
By answering these questions and learning what the jargon that manufacturers are so fond of means, you can make sure that when you come to buy your camcorder, its exactly what you want and not a costly mistake.
About The Author
Robert Armstrong is the publisher of http://www.master-home-theater-design.com/how-to-buy-a-digital-camcorder.html ‘How to Buy a Digital Camcorder’ – a seven part email course which takes you step-by-step through the process of deciding which type of camcorder is best for you. It includes a jargon buster and is available now for $19.95.

How to shoot good digital video with your camcorder

by: Richard Gazzo
Let me tell you from experience how important it is to know how to shoot good digital video with your camcorder before going on that vacation or filming that big event. When I was getting married my sister offered to film the happy day for me with her new camcorder, I agreed as it would save money on the wedding as a videographer could get quite expensive.
Let me tell you how wrong I was, the digital video was dark, shaky and blurred anytime she went into zoom or moved around the room. The sound was off and muffled and it was more of a headache to watch rather than a joy. In a nutshell, I wish I spent money on a good digital video shooting.
I don’t want people to make the same mistake that I did so to spread the word on my learning experience I would like to pass on some great tips on how to shoot good digital video with your Minidv camcorder.
Tip #1 - Do not record while walking or moving about as the digital camcorder cannot stay focused on a moving object. Choose a place to stand and begin by recording a starting point for a few seconds before moving onto the next object. Slowly and carefully pan the camcorder to the next point of focus and hold there for a few more seconds before you stop shooting.
Tip #2 - Avoid excessive zooming of objects, not only does it kill the camcorder battery faster, it can give the viewers a crazy headache. If there were a moment you’d like to catch up close, stand still and take your time while zooming and shooting video, also try to avoid any quick motions, as the image will blur.
Tip #3 - Make sure that the lighting around you is bright enough and do not point the camcorder lens directly facing sunlight, not only can this damage the video camera lens, it will also blacken the images making for an unpleasant movie. If you plan to be indoors, I suggest you invest in a camcorder light attachment that can easily be placed onto the video camera and turned on if needed.
Tip #4 - Last but not least, my favorite camcorder accessory by far has to be a Tripod. You can buy a cheap little mini table tripod for simple videos or you can invest in a larger stand up tripod for longer shooting of video. By using a tripod when recording, you can be assured that your images will not be shaky nor will the movie look amateur.
About The Author
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer with info on all types of camcorders. Read reviews and other useful information on dvd camcorders,VHS camcorders, HD camcorders, and more. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact. by: Richard Gazzo
Let me tell you from experience how important it is to know how to shoot good digital video with your camcorder before going on that vacation or filming that big event. When I was getting married my sister offered to film the happy day for me with her new camcorder, I agreed as it would save money on the wedding as a videographer could get quite expensive.
Let me tell you how wrong I was, the digital video was dark, shaky and blurred anytime she went into zoom or moved around the room. The sound was off and muffled and it was more of a headache to watch rather than a joy. In a nutshell, I wish I spent money on a good digital video shooting.
I don’t want people to make the same mistake that I did so to spread the word on my learning experience I would like to pass on some great tips on how to shoot good digital video with your Minidv camcorder.
Tip #1 - Do not record while walking or moving about as the digital camcorder cannot stay focused on a moving object. Choose a place to stand and begin by recording a starting point for a few seconds before moving onto the next object. Slowly and carefully pan the camcorder to the next point of focus and hold there for a few more seconds before you stop shooting.
Tip #2 - Avoid excessive zooming of objects, not only does it kill the camcorder battery faster, it can give the viewers a crazy headache. If there were a moment you’d like to catch up close, stand still and take your time while zooming and shooting video, also try to avoid any quick motions, as the image will blur.
Tip #3 - Make sure that the lighting around you is bright enough and do not point the camcorder lens directly facing sunlight, not only can this damage the video camera lens, it will also blacken the images making for an unpleasant movie. If you plan to be indoors, I suggest you invest in a camcorder light attachment that can easily be placed onto the video camera and turned on if needed.
Tip #4 - Last but not least, my favorite camcorder accessory by far has to be a Tripod. You can buy a cheap little mini table tripod for simple videos or you can invest in a larger stand up tripod for longer shooting of video. By using a tripod when recording, you can be assured that your images will not be shaky nor will the movie look amateur.
About The Author
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer with info on all types of camcorders. Read reviews and other useful information on dvd camcorders,VHS camcorders, HD camcorders, and more. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact.

How to shoot good digital video with your camcorder

by: Richard Gazzo
Let me tell you from experience how important it is to know how to shoot good digital video with your camcorder before going on that vacation or filming that big event. When I was getting married my sister offered to film the happy day for me with her new camcorder, I agreed as it would save money on the wedding as a videographer could get quite expensive.
Let me tell you how wrong I was, the digital video was dark, shaky and blurred anytime she went into zoom or moved around the room. The sound was off and muffled and it was more of a headache to watch rather than a joy. In a nutshell, I wish I spent money on a good digital video shooting.
I don’t want people to make the same mistake that I did so to spread the word on my learning experience I would like to pass on some great tips on how to shoot good digital video with your Minidv camcorder.
Tip #1 - Do not record while walking or moving about as the digital camcorder cannot stay focused on a moving object. Choose a place to stand and begin by recording a starting point for a few seconds before moving onto the next object. Slowly and carefully pan the camcorder to the next point of focus and hold there for a few more seconds before you stop shooting.
Tip #2 - Avoid excessive zooming of objects, not only does it kill the camcorder battery faster, it can give the viewers a crazy headache. If there were a moment you’d like to catch up close, stand still and take your time while zooming and shooting video, also try to avoid any quick motions, as the image will blur.
Tip #3 - Make sure that the lighting around you is bright enough and do not point the camcorder lens directly facing sunlight, not only can this damage the video camera lens, it will also blacken the images making for an unpleasant movie. If you plan to be indoors, I suggest you invest in a camcorder light attachment that can easily be placed onto the video camera and turned on if needed.
Tip #4 - Last but not least, my favorite camcorder accessory by far has to be a Tripod. You can buy a cheap little mini table tripod for simple videos or you can invest in a larger stand up tripod for longer shooting of video. By using a tripod when recording, you can be assured that your images will not be shaky nor will the movie look amateur.
About The Author
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer with info on all types of camcorders. Read reviews and other useful information on dvd camcorders,VHS camcorders, HD camcorders, and more. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact. by: Richard Gazzo
Let me tell you from experience how important it is to know how to shoot good digital video with your camcorder before going on that vacation or filming that big event. When I was getting married my sister offered to film the happy day for me with her new camcorder, I agreed as it would save money on the wedding as a videographer could get quite expensive.
Let me tell you how wrong I was, the digital video was dark, shaky and blurred anytime she went into zoom or moved around the room. The sound was off and muffled and it was more of a headache to watch rather than a joy. In a nutshell, I wish I spent money on a good digital video shooting.
I don’t want people to make the same mistake that I did so to spread the word on my learning experience I would like to pass on some great tips on how to shoot good digital video with your Minidv camcorder.
Tip #1 - Do not record while walking or moving about as the digital camcorder cannot stay focused on a moving object. Choose a place to stand and begin by recording a starting point for a few seconds before moving onto the next object. Slowly and carefully pan the camcorder to the next point of focus and hold there for a few more seconds before you stop shooting.
Tip #2 - Avoid excessive zooming of objects, not only does it kill the camcorder battery faster, it can give the viewers a crazy headache. If there were a moment you’d like to catch up close, stand still and take your time while zooming and shooting video, also try to avoid any quick motions, as the image will blur.
Tip #3 - Make sure that the lighting around you is bright enough and do not point the camcorder lens directly facing sunlight, not only can this damage the video camera lens, it will also blacken the images making for an unpleasant movie. If you plan to be indoors, I suggest you invest in a camcorder light attachment that can easily be placed onto the video camera and turned on if needed.
Tip #4 - Last but not least, my favorite camcorder accessory by far has to be a Tripod. You can buy a cheap little mini table tripod for simple videos or you can invest in a larger stand up tripod for longer shooting of video. By using a tripod when recording, you can be assured that your images will not be shaky nor will the movie look amateur.
About The Author
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer with info on all types of camcorders. Read reviews and other useful information on dvd camcorders,VHS camcorders, HD camcorders, and more. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact.

Features To Look For In A Camcorder

by: Richard Gazzo
If you're on the look out for a new digital camcorder then you need to know what type of features to look for. It's easy to get confused and hard to make sense of all the specifications. Looking for the right features is the key in finding the best camcorder for your needs. While you compare digital camcorder reviews and ratings, there are some items to consider.
You should have a general idea of what you need the mini dv camcorder for. Do you need a video camera for home movies? Or are you looking for a professional camcorder, for your next feature film? Think about what you are looking for so your camcorder comparison shopping won't take as long.
Zoom
All digital camcorders have a zoom feature. Older analog camcorders only had optical zoom, but new digital video cameras have both optical and digital zoom. There is a difference between these two types of zoom. Optical zoom physically lengthens the lens,and will still give your videos high image quality. However digital zoom basically blows up the scene in a digital format. The problem with digital zoom is that when you zoom in on a subject the video becomes pixilated and blocky with little squares giving the video a blurred and distorted look.
If you're wondering which zoom is better and more important, optical zoom. The more distance that your optical zoom can do, the more flexibility that you have when focusing in on a subject. I suggest a minimum of 10x optical zoom for most consumers.
CCD Sensors and Resolution
The video quality in a dv camcorder is dependant on the CCD, which is an abbreviation for charged-coupled device. The CCD is an image sensor that converts light into pixels to produce images; your digital camera works in the same way. You can find camcorders with one CCD or three CCDs. One CCD camcorders are less costly however you will compromise the color quality in the video. 3 CCD camcorders on the other hand provide the best color quality. The reason being is that there are 3 CCDs. Digital camcorder models with three CCDs (one each for red, green and blue) give your video the most vivid colors possible, but the price is more than 1 CCD video cameras.
Viewfinders & LCD Screens
It's important to find the best possible viewfinder when comparing camcorders. The viewfinder is the heart of the camcorder without it you can't see what you are filming. Viewfinders cam in black and white, if you buy a cheap camcorder you will be stuck with a black and white screen. Personally I like my color screen, you can see the exact color and video quality as it will appear in the video. Sizes for LCD screen range from 2 to 4 inches across.
Digital Video Editing & Still images
Almost all newer digital video camcorders have FireWire (IEEE 1394). This feature enables you to transfer digital video footage from your camcorder to your computer system in the fastest possible way. The newest models even have the ability to take digital still images and video and transfer them to your computer for emailing to friends and family.
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About The Author
Richard Gazzo offers info on where to find the best digital camcorders. You can read camcorder ratings as well as camcorder reviews (http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/camcorder-reviews.html), on Sony camcorders , Canon camcorders, & Samsung camcorders and more. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact. © http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/

Easy Guide to Buy Digital Camcorders and DVD Camcorders

by: Gagandeep Dhaliwal
A camcorder is a portmanteau word made by combining 'Camera' and 'recorder'. A camcorder is a portable television camera and videocassette recorder. It is an electronic device for recording video images and audio onto a storage device. It contains both camera and recorder in one unit. The camcorders generally contain digital cameras. A camcorder having digital camera or digital technology is known as digital camcorder. A camcorder having dvd facility is dvd camcorder. A camcorder is powered with a camcorder battery.
Sony introduced the first camcorder in 1983, followed by Kodak in 1984. The first camcorders combined the video-camera with an existing full-size VHS/Betamax recorder. These camcorders were large devices that required a sturdy tripod or strong shoulders to stably support the camera's bulk. The majority of these were designed for right-handed operation, except a few that possessed ambidextrous ergonomics.
Sony introduced the first HandyCam camcorder in 1984. The HandyCam could be held and operated entirely within the palm of the operator's hand, made possible by the 8mm video format.
The lens, imager, and recorder are the three major components of a camcorder. The lens gathers and focuses light on the imager. The imager (usually a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS sensor IC on modern camcorders; earlier examples often used vidicon tubes) converts incident light into an electrical (video) signal. Finally, the recorder encodes the video signal into a storable form. The optics and imager are commonly referred to as the camera section.
The recent times are witnessing a great revolution in the camcorders. The camcorders with ultra modern technology are in the market. The mainstream consumer market favors ease of use, portable cheap camcorders and discount camcorders.
There is a great number of websites offering bulks of info on camcorders, cheap camcorders and discount camcorders. There are numerous online sources offers camcorder articles & blogs, camcorder review, digital camcorder review, sony camcorder review, canon camcorder review, sharp camcorder review, kodak camcorder review etc. The guys planning to buy camcorder must go through these reviews and articles, before buying a camcorder.
About The Author
Gagandeep Dhaliwal owns a website on digital camcorders http://www.123digitalcamcorder.com You can check their website for latest deals on buyers guide for a quick review on camcorders http://www.digitalcamcorderguide.info.

How Digital Camcorders Work

by: Richard Gazzo
The first camcorder was invented by Jerome Lemelson in 1980. And since that time the first bulky analog video camcorders have evolved into the modern digital camcorder, so small they can fit in the palm of your hand, and so clear they rival even professional broadcast video cameras.
Consumers have been using camcorders since early 1980s. Since then they have gotten better and cheaper, with prices starting at only a few hundred dollars, making DV camcorders affordable for anyone. Shooting home videos is fun, everyone loves filming their families during special events. From your kids birthday, your son's soccer game, to the family trip to Mexico, but how exactly do video cameras work?
Digital video cameras convert analog video into a digital format. Digital video camcorders take the analog information in the video camera and then translate it into bytes of data. Digital video is converted from moving images to a stream of zeroes and ones. The digital video camcorder records the bytes of digital information onto one of three items, a hard disk, a dv tape, or a DVD. From there you have the ability to transfer the video to your computer. You can then edit the video, email it to friends and family or even add the video to a website.
The digital video process begins at the lens in the camcorder. The lens stores and then focuses light from the video that you are capturing onto the image sensor located behind it. Because the Charge- Coupled Devices (CCDs) used by camcorders are capable only of measuring the amplitude of the light hitting the photodiodes on their surfaces, a system of filters is required to establish just what color that light is.
Another part of the camcorder, that plays an important role is the viewfinder. Originally view finders where black and white, as time progressed viewfinders have evolved into color LCD screens. This is a necessary part of the camcorder, it lets you see what you are filming. Newer models of viewfinders even let you add effects to your video via an LCD touch screen while you are filming.
Newer DV camcorders can not only shoot high definition video (up to 720 lines) but models such as the Sony hdr-fx1 hdv camcorder, Canon xl2 and the Canon zr200 mini dv camcorder even offer digital still image capabilities. You can snap crystal clear images with resolutions up to 1024 x 768, perfect for family photos. Need to email your videos to friends and family across the globe, no problem. With the MPEG feature you can even email short video clips to any one with an email address! Grandparents in Europe can see your daughters birthday 4 minutes after you have filmed it in the U.S.A!
Even though current digital video camcorders come in a range of sizes and shapes, the techniques used to convert moving pictures hasn't evolved much. But the styles of digital camcorders have evolved. You can find digital video camcorders come in all types, from dvd camcorders to mini dv camcorders. As technology changes video is not restrained to digital video cameras. cell phones now have the capability to shoot video and email the clips instantly anywhere in the world. It's hard to predict how far video technology can go, the sky seems to be the limit.
About The Author
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer with info on the digital camcorders. Read digital camcorder reviews on DVD camcorders (http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/dvd-camcorders.html), Panasonic camcorders, Canon camcorders, Samsung camcorders and more. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact. http://www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net/ .

7 Questions You Must Ask Yourself Before Buying a Digital Camcorder

There’s never been a better time to buy a digital video camera. Prices are lower than ever, the camcorders are packed with features, and editing software is cheap and easy to use.
Unfortunately, there’s also never been a more confusing time to buy a digital video camera. There are so many different formats competing for your money, it’s almost impossible to know which one to go for. Should you buy a Mini DV camcorder, or a DVD camcorder? What about solid state (flash memory), or hard disk? And is now the time to bite the bullet and buy a high definition video camera?
Confusion reigns, and it’s not helped by manufacturers releasing new models with improved features and lower prices every few months.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to reduce the confusion and give yourself a clear idea of which type of video camera is the best for you.
Below are seven questions you should ask yourself before you studio a single feature list or read a single review.
• What do I want to use the camcorder for? • Will I be mostly using it indoors or outdoors? • Do I want to edit the footage I shoot? • Do I want the camcorder to be a stills camera too? • How important is the quality of the video I shoot? • Is audio quality important • Will I use a tripod with the camcorder?
The answers to these questions will influence which type and model of camcorder you buy. For example, if you want to be able to edit your video footage on a PC or Mac, you should choose a Mini DV camcorder. And if you are likely to use a tripod, you should choose a camcorder which loads its media from the side or top, rather than one which loads from the bottom.
By answering these questions and learning what the jargon that manufacturers are so fond of means, you can make sure that when you come to buy your camcorder, its exactly what you want and not a costly mistake.
About The Author
Robert Armstrong is the publisher of http://www.master-home-theater-design.com/how-to-buy-a-digital-camcorder.html ‘How to Buy a Digital Camcorder’ – a seven part email course which takes you step-by-step through the process of deciding which type of camcorder is best for you. It includes a jargon buster and is available now for $19.95.

Viral Video - Make Money Online

by DeWayne Strickland

Copyright 2006 DeWayne Strickland

Are you disgusted with all the "make money online" scams? If you have purchased money making systems from tv or the internet, that do not work, your not alone. There is a way to make money online and you could start with a small investment today.

Most of the "make money online" scams keep people from finding what really works. When you have spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and nothing works, you just give up and keep your day job.

Are you skeptical about "make money online" ideas? You should be, but remember there are profitable ways to "make money online". The most effective way to "make money online" is a proven method called viral videos.

Have you ever watched a funny video online? Have you ever been sent a funny video? People forward funny videos to each other every day. Most of the videos have the name of the website where it came from and this brings in thousands of visitors a day!

iFilm.com is a viral video website that gets tons of traffic! Imagine for a moment being paid for your funny videos! Picture being paid hundreds of dollars for them! Funny viral videos will never disappear off the face of the earth! This is the hottest marketing tool and a great way to "make money online"! Is your camcorder making memories or making you money!

Amp'd Mobile, which is a new cell phone provider, has some of the craziest videos for your cell phone. These crazy Amp'd Mobile viral videos have been shown on TV! How do you think some of the biggest companies and websites get their name out there! That's right, you guessed it! Viral video marketing! This is the most remarkable tell-a-friend form of marketing on earth!

Remember the last time you laughed so hard and I'm not talking about your last paycheck. It was a funny video that made you laugh! Either you saw it online or in your email, but either way you laughed and then sent it to a friend. Imagine how many people send one video to a friend and then it starts showing up all over the internet!

This is the most mind blowing "make money online" idea, you will ever find! One website is having a contest right now for the funniest video! Who ever wins gets $15,000! Look at what tv advertisers are doing and they are laughing all the way to the bank! The internet has made it possible for anyone to sell a crazy viral video online. Can you think of a better "make money online" idea?

"Did you know that eBaum's World will buy funny video's? eBaum's World is one of the hottest websites on the internet today!"

The most painful part of marketing is getting targetted traffic to your website. One day you might be at the top of the search engines, but for how long. Buying traffic will leave you poor, and hoping people will find your website out of millions is a joke.

Let's face it, the competition is a nightmare, but you can win this internet war with viral video marketing! Viral video marketing will allow you to be creative and possibly become famous! Just think, becoming well-known and making more money. Is it fear that keeps us from our dreams?

Will you create the next viral video? Imagine your video being passed on to hundreds, then thousands! It can be infinite traffic! You can promote your site with a funny video or you can sell it for cash to a funny video website! The choice is yours! Imagine your video, making you the talk of the internet and bringing thousands to your website everyday!

Picture how big this can really get! This powerful information does exist and it is waiting just for you! The question is, will you get a piece of the action?

About the Author

DeWayne H. Strickland has been a Film Freak since the time he could walk. Check out his "Viral Video Marketing Information!". He is a webdesigner and is the crazy movie review critic at: http://www.moviedownloadmatrix.com