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If you’re in the market for a digital camcorder, it’s prudent that you arm yourself with a few tips before you buy otherwise you might end up with some thing that does not suit your needs. Below are a few guide lines that will help you along the way.

Look at The LCD Screen in Day Light if you can

You need to ensure that you can use the LCD screen under any lighting conditions as certain screens tend to fade out in bright sunlight. Use the view fiinder if you’re unable to view the images on the screen in bright day light. Using the view finder will not only get the job done but also extend your battery life.

Examine the lens’s optical zoom ratio rather than the digital zoom ratio

With a digital zoom, the camcorder is merely making the image larger through the viewfinder as opposed to actually delivering a closer look. The optical zoom spec is more expedient in that respect and you’ll want at least 10X optical zoom.

Buy an additional higher-capacity battery for longer recording times

Majority of camcorders come with a battery that only lasts an hour or so. However, you can purchase a longer lasting battery for about $50 to $100 so remember to include that in the budget. Running out of power in the middle recording an important event could be very frustrating!

Microphones that are mounted in the front get better results

Buying a front mounted microphone camcorder is is better than a camcorder with the microphone mounted on top. Rather than the camcorder capturing the event being recorded, the top mounted microphone has the tendency to capture the voice of the person using the camcorder.

Best sound can be achieved by buying an external microphone

For the best sound possible, factor in an extra $50 to $100 for an external microphone if the camcorder you’re interested in has the ability to connect an external microphone.

Before you purchase become familiar with the camcorder’s controls and feathures

If you have large hands it will be better to buy a bigger camcorder if it’s more comfortable to handle because the smallest camcorders can ocassionally be difficult to use.

Be sure to examine exposure controls and low-light options

Quite a few camcorders allow you to control certain functions and modes like adjusting apperture settings to permit more lights to enter, low light options to enable you to shoot in dark environments using infrared light or long shutter mode. These are manual features available on certain digital camcorders even though all camcorders come with fully automatic mode.

Wide-screen shooting capability and your format

Knowing which format the camcorder records in is very important. The most common formats used are Mini-DVD discs and MiniDV tapes but the most widely available format is the MiniDV tape. Also if you have a HDTV, you’ll get a full picture with no black bars at top or buttom if you record with a wide-screen model.

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