3 things to look for before buying your first Camcorder

Getting your first camcorder could land you into trouble as there are lots of choices in front you; fat and thin ones, black and white with big or small size, dozens of such camcorders are available in the market. In order to make sure that you are in the right track of buying the appropriate camcorder for yourself, you should take some preparations beforehand. Here I am listing the top three things which you should take into consideration before having your first camcorder.

1. The viewfinder

The viewfinder is one the most significant factor in the way of buying your camcorder. You have to decide whether you want an internal finder or you may have external LCD screen finder. But external LCD finders are having lots of advantage over internal finders. External LCD finders are bigger in size and easier to look at. They are colorful, and can be rotated according to your choice irrespective of the position of the camera so that you can view them from any position. Most significantly, external LCD finders will allow you to move your eye away from the camera preventing eye fatigue during long shooting sessions. This type of cam will allow you to lace it in almost every position: high over our heads or down near the ground.

2. Zoom ratio and zoom range

The versatility of the lens is characterized by zoom ratio. It is defined as the ratio of the longest focal length to the shortest. The normal zoom ratios are 10- or 12-to-1 though there are 8-to-1 zoom ratios available. The higher the ratio, the more versatile the lens is considered to be. If the cam has the facility of “digital zoom” then it will double the overall zoom range, for example, a 24-to-1 digital ratio will be produced with a 12-to-1 lens. Zoom range is how wide is the angle setting and for how long the longest telephoto setting can take place. So for shooting regular family activities at a close range, the 4-40mm zoom is a good choice; but for shooting sports or wildlife, the preference should go to the 12-120mm model.

3. Image stabilization

Image stabilization is an important factor in choosing a camcorder. Stabilization is a method of automatically compensating for shaking of camera by taking all or most of the jitters out of your images. Image stabilization systems works quite well to reduce the camera shake effect but it will increase the price of the camcorder at a substantial rate. But the extra cost is worthy if you have the bucks to spend. Some camcorders use optical stabilization. In this method the image is mechanically adjusted within the lens. Electronic stabilization compensates for shaking by selecting slightly different areas on the chip for recording. Optical Stabilization produces better effect than the electronic ones.