Before we start using the gadget, it is utmost important to know atleast its basic working techniques to get an idea of its design.

What is a Digital Camcorder?

Camcorder is an electronic device that is a combination of a video recorder and a video camera in a single unit. A camcorder is the short form for video camera recorder. Photos and videos are the medium of long term memory. A camcorder records video on small discs that can be played back on most DVD players. Image resolution is not a major factor for camcorders as they are designed to match the already existing video and TV.

High Definition digital camcorders produce clearer and sharper pictures when played on HD Ready TV. HD camcorders give deeper colour pictures with four details of the traditional model. You can  shoot film in widescreen and experience the movie effect even without the  High Definition. You can also enjoy better quality play back on flat screen and widescreen TVs. LCD screen of the camcorder helps the user to film and view the footage when necessary. Nowadays camcorders are available with automatic modes to adjust its lighting and exposure according to different occassions. Built-in microphone produces stereo or Dolby Digital Surround sound effect to the movie clips taken by the user.

Selection is based on some criteria

• If you need a small camcorder, go for a flash media camcorder

Models that are as small as a mobile phone are available in the market. Although these models do not come with all the features as in the case of a standard camcorders, they are designed to film in high definition mode. Image quality of the small sized camcorders doesnot reach the heights of the standard camcorder.

One advantage of a small gadget is that it can slip easily in to the pocket and can be carried wherever you go. Other added features are that they come with a USB OUT for the computer and a TV connection(component video, HDMI).

• If you need extensive filming, go for a hard drive camcorder

Hard drive camcorders stands out from the rest of the camcorders because of the capacity. This can store video on hard disk drives like the PC. Hence there in no need to buy an extra disc or tape for the storage. A camcorder that comes with a 120GB hard disk can run continuously for about 45 hours in High Definition mode. This is far better when compared to the batteries that run not more than an hour. Video clips can be viewed in an easier way with the miniatures displayed on the screen.

• If you need best editing, go for a MiniDV cassette camcorder

Cassette camcorders are nowadays used for DV format that is compatible to all kinds of software including the most basic. DV films occupy less memory when compared to the AVCHD camcorder. Cassette camcorders are capable of filming in both high definition (1080 lines) and standard definition (576 lines). Small tapes used in this model store home movies in an affordable way. You can easily store upto one hour of digital film that can be edited on the computer or played back on the TV. Long optical zoom feature gets you closer to the action. Digital photo capture feature records moving as well as still images.

Considering the aspects of specification

• Screen

Selecting a screen size of 2.7 inches helps the user to check and also view images simultaneously as this is the only medium for viewing. Screen also makes it possible to view the menu and set the settings correct.

• Sensitivity

Sensitivity tells how well a camcorder can record film in low light. Pictures taken in mini camcorders are not satisfactory because the sensors are small here.

• Zoom

You will atleast need a 10x optical zoom to shoot a good video. Digital zoom is not to be considered at all as this is not the real zoom factor. Higher the optical zoom factor, higher must be the image stabilization and the wrist stabilization.

Other areas to concentrate on

• Image Resolution

Standard Definition camcorders are complete for cathode ray TVs and the High Definition camcorders are used at the maximum for High Definition plasma TVs and LCDs.

• Wide angle

Camcorders that come with 38mm lens have wider angle than the camcorders that come with 50mm lens. A 32 inch flat screen will perfectly fit HD video filmed with wide angle lens.

• Photo mode

Some camcorders allow the user to take photos at 8 Megapixels. They come with Face Recognition feature. You can also take photos as you film.

• Microphone socket

Audio type that are of stereo type in a camcorder record the sound around the camera. If at all you need to plug in a microphone to your camcorder, make sure that you have a microphone socket and a headphone socket before purchasing a camcorder.

• Video format

Widely used video format is Mpeg-4. The common Mpeg-4 formats are HDD camcorders and Flash media. Other formats of Mpeg-4 are DV(cassette) and Mpeg-2 (flash media). Memory is also occupied depending on the quality of the image. Speed is the main factor for better image quality. Higher the speed, better will be the image quality.

Accessories normally available with the camcorder

• Lamps

Lamps are necessary for a camcorder to light up dark rooms. Some camcorders come with lamp fixed at the top of it. In some camcorders, the lamp gets power from the camcorders while some need separate battery. Lamps extract more battery life.

• Extra lens

Added shooting options require interchangeable lens. Some model camcorders come with extra lens that have different diameters and different power of magnification. Telephoto lens allow you to combine wide angle with the optical zoom to enlarge the fields of vision.

• Battery

A camcorder is supplied with a battery. A single battery runs out easily when filmed for long occassions. You may need to recharge the battery for one or two hours. It is always ideal to buy a second battery for use while the first battery is on charge.  Each camcorder comes with its own type of battery. And hence it is good to check for the battery type before buying.

• Bags

A bag is a very useful accessory to be carried around to put in the camcorder, cables, remote, charger and other related items. The delicate camcorder can be put safely into a bag when not needed.

Conclusion
Although several model cameras and video cameras are available in the market, one can never stop from getting his own camcorder to film his own movies. Wider options available in a camcorder convert movie making in to a thrilling experience to be engaged in.

Basic Technology
An analog camcorder records video signals in magnetic form while a digital camcorder stores video signals in the form of 1s and 0s. Camera images are translated into electronic signals and then in to digital bytes in a digital camcorder.
It consists of two parts:

• Camera section consists of lens, a CCD and motors that handle focus, zoom and aperture.
• A VCR section is zoomed-in to fit the body of the camcorder.

A camera receives visual information and interprets it as an electronic video signal. The VCR section receives the electronic video signal and records it on to the video tape in the magnetic form.
Thirdly, the viewfinder helps you to see what you are shooting as it receives the video image. Viewfinders are in fact the small black and white or colour televisions. Modern camcorders are designed to have colour LCD screen. This is the basic design for the camcorder.
Digital camcorders have an added feature in it. That is, it does not store video signals in magnetic form instead, it is stored as 0s and 1s. Digital camcorders are more popular because 0s and 1s can be copied easily and the stored information can be easily loaded in computers for editing and sending e-mail. By emailing the video, any receiver will be able to view it just after 4 minutes of video shooting. Digital camcorder are built to easily fit in to the palm of our hand.

The new DV camcorders offer picture resolution of up to 1024 x 768 pixels. They are designed to give high definition shoot and digital still image capability.

Camcorder Lens
Lens is used in a camcorder to focus light coming from the object in front of it on to the CCD. The focus of the lens must be adjusted to record a clear picture. Camcorders come with autofocus device that bounces the objects off from the center of the frame and returns back to a sensor of the camcorder.

The distance of the object is calculated by the processor with the distance taken by the beam to bounce and return, multiply the time by the speed of the light and divide the product by two. There is a small motor to move the lens while focusing on the objects. Optical zoom lens allows you to change the focal length from one magnification to another. A scene can be magnified by increasing the focal length of the lens.

One highlight feature of the camcorder is that it is designed to automatically adjust according to the different levels of light. The cameras iris is adjusted by the camcorder to let more or less light depending on the photosite charges.

Charge-Coupled Device (CCD)
Unlike an analog camera, a camcorder stores everything it sees through the lens on to a semiconductor image sensor. This sensor is called as the Charge-Coupled Device. CCD or the imager is referred to as the eye of the camcorder. Photosites or light sensitive diodes of about 300,000 to 500,000 are found on the half inch panel of the CCD.

Each photosite on the CCD measure the amount of light that hit a particular point and then translate this information in to electrons. A darker and brighter image depends upon the electrical charge. A darker image is formed when the electrical charge is low and a brighter image is formed when the electrical charge is high. Thus a picture is created by recording the light intensity. We get the picture on the screen when the intensity of the TV’s electron beam is directed by the information when the video is played back. Black and white picture is produced when only the intensity of the light is measured. In order to get a colour image, camcorder has to find the level of each light’s colour and not only the total light levels. The level of each colour is measured by combining the three colours namely, red, green and blue. A camcorder produces a full colour picture by measuring the levels of these three colours.

A beam splitter in high end camcorder splits or separates a signal in to three different versions. One of the version is the level of red light, the other is the level of green light and the last is the level of blue light. Each chip captures its own image and measures the intensity of one colour of light. Then the three colours are overlaid by the camera to produce a complete colour image. This type of camcorder is called as the three-chip camcorder. Most of the camcorders come with a single CCD fitted with colour filters to individual photosites permanently. Filters determine the colour of the light. Some percentage of photosites measure only red light, while another percentage measure only green light and the rest of the photosites measure only the blue light. A movement is got the screen when the CCD takes many pictures every second to generate a video signal.

A camcorder catches video or a frame from the CCD. This is then recorded in two fields. There is another sensor layer behind the image sensor in the CCD. Every video field of the CCD transfers the photosite charges to the second sensor layer, which transmits electric charge at each photosite.
In analog camcorder, VCR collects the signal that records the electric charges in the magnetic form on the videotape. The first layer gets refreshed and collects the next image when the second layer is transmitting the video signal. The difference in the digital camcorder is that an analog-to-digital converter converts the analog signal to 0s and 1s (digital signal). The camcorder then records this on to any storage medium like DVD, a hard disk or a tape.

Progressive digital camcorders record video as a complete still frame, which is then broken up in to two fields when the video is output as an analog signal.

Recorder

Digital signals can be written and stored onto a recording platform called the MPEG(Moving Picture Experts Group). Film edition and additional special effects can be added into the movie before starting the editing process. A MPEG-4 file can be edited on a PC and converted in to DVD format and the final version of the film can be played in any DVD player. MPEG-4 can be downloaded on a MP4 player and watched. Now the preferred mode of recording for the camcorder manufacturer is MPEG-4.

Different Formats

Analog Format

With the analog camcorders you can record audio and video signals in the form of an analog track on the video tape. It loses audio and image quality whenever a copy of the tape is made. Briefly, analog video and audio quality is poor when compared to the quality of audio and video in digital camcorder. Some of the analog formats are VHS-C, Standard VHS, Standard VHS, Super VHS, Hi-8 and 8mm.

Digital Format

Digital camcorder store or record information in the digital form, hence does not lose its audio or video quality. Also resolution is much better than the analog video. It allows for online sharing and downloading directly to a website. Skipping of one section of the video to the other is possible while DVD recording. Some digital formats are MiniDV, Digital8, Memory card and DVD.

It is obviously more clear from the above description that a digital camcorder serve better than an analog camcorder. Clear, crisp pictures filled with life can be achieved only with a digital camcorder.

Finally you got the camcorder that you were longing for and if you are a novice user, using the camcorder for the first time then it is good that you start shooting after you thoroughly know at least the basic operation of the camcorder. Or otherwise it could make your videos and stills irritating. Mentioned here are some useful tips for better shooting.

Read The Manual

Most of us, out of excitement start explore the camcorder though we do not have prior knowledge about the appliance. This could some time make the appliance malfunction. Instead read the manual even before switching on the camcorder. Follow them step by step, since the manuals are filled with all the information that you are looking for.

Experiment

Read a section of the manual and give a try on the camcorder. Try operating all possible strings with respect to that particular function. Try different lighting conditions filter, effects and more to make yourself familiar so that you do not collapse videos when recording important shots.

Zoom

Zoom is a process of narrowing the angle of view of a video image. While shooting frequent in and out zoom, could make your video sick. Using zoom to your recording is a good thought but limit the zoom to use it only when it is required. Also without a tripod how well you shoot, the clips with possessing wobbly effect. To avoid this try to keep you camcorder movements minimal.

Skip special effects

It is better to avoid adding effects to the videos while you shoot. Once you complete the clip, transfer it to PC and add effects to the finished video. This way you will have more time for creativity, also new ideas are provoked when you are relaxed.

Shoot A Bit Extra

Most of the camcorder start recording few seconds later after the record button is pressed. This might some time result in missing your favorite shot. For this reason make your self prepared to start recording few seconds prior as well as end the video little later. Later on when you sit out for editing you can cut the unwanted clips and send them to thrash.

The memory stick gained its popularity as it was the only source of extending the memory of Sony appliances. The memory stick were quiet expensive that were mandatory to get when buying Sony appliances. As consumer needs keep on increasing day by day, seeking for higher capacity and flexible memory cards, to store more data with quick transfer time. Hence came a revolution in storage capacity, the SDXC cards. SDXC cards were revealed at the CES 2010 show by Panasonic. Also, Panasonic showcased cameras and camcorders that supported SDXC card.

The SDXC cards can store a very huge capacity, twice that of SDHC cards, of about 48GB and 64GB. Panasonic has priced the SDXC card exceeding high with $449.95 and $599.95 respectively. At a maximum the card promises to store up to 2TB and supports data transferring at 300 bits per second. This new card implements optimized error correction controller technology and is made available in February. CES also comprised of other camcorder models supporting cards slot for SDXC cards. The cards look very similar to SDHC, differing only in storage capacities.

VIXIA HF M30 Camcorder from Canon is been brilliantly blend with capacity and convenience. Enjoy recording clear high definition videos up to 3 hours either with 8GB internal flash memory or with the SD card slot. When ever the memory that you are currently using becomes full, the relay recording option automatically makes use of the second available memory to facilitate continuous shooting. The camcorder is been powered with Genuine Canon 15x HD Video Lens to deliver exceptional video quality. The large 2.7 inch touch panel LCD screen get bring you million colors together to present detailed images. Also the touch screen makes navigation across the menu much easier.

Video resolution being 1920 x 1080p, you get a very high detail in still images too. The DIGIC DV III image processor can reproduce color so beautiful and in depth to present a lifelike tone. Through out the zoom range, Canon’s Dynamic Super Range Optical Image Stabilizer sustains to provide continuous adjustments for broad range of movements. When shooting HD videos, one of the most significant factor to consider is the image sharpness. Canon equips dramatically improved instant Auto Focus(AF) system that captures accurate images even under night mode or high light or when capturing moving objects.

VIXIA HF M30’s Smart Auto option intelligently detects color, distant, faces, movements and sets the best possible setting corresponding to the scene. Canon’s face detection technology can notice up to 35 faces even faces looking side ways or down wards. As we all know, SD videos are more easier to edit, upload and share, HD to SD down conversion available on the camcorder could be made use of for faster data transfer. The Dual Flash Memory Camcorder is Eye-Fi SD Memory Card compatible, which means with few simple steps you can transfer your files directly to web. You can also explore under water world with Canon VIXIA’s optional WP-V2 Waterproof case up to 130ft (40m).

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