A Checklist To Find The Best Digital Video Camcorder For You (page 3)

8. What inputs and outputs do I need?

What inputs and outputs do you want your camera to have? How does the video get from the camera to the editing station? Does it have a place for external microphones? Can you plug it directly into a wall socket if your battery runs out? Does it have an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connection so that you can play back directly to your HDTV from your video camera?

9. What resolution is right for me?

Do you want to make movies or upload things to YouTube? Buying and using an HD camera requires some significant resources, from storage space for your video to an editing system that can edit the video to a television that can play it back. Don't buy a camera that's going to sit in a drawer because you don't have the resources to operate it. At the same time, don't buy a camera that's underpowered for your needs. Think ahead of time if you'll be editing and distributing video in HD.

10. What will you need to do later?

Down the road, you may realize you really like videography, to the point where you want to have more control over your camcorder. If the camcorder you choose doesn't offer manual control over items such as exposure and audio levels, you may find yourself wanting to upgrade later. Think about your still camera to give yourself a guide: if you have a nice SLR and use all of the controls that it has to offer, you will probably appreciate a camcorder's manual controls. If you have a point-and-shoot camera and you don't go much beyond pushing the shutter release when you want to take a picture, you probably won't use the manual controls on a camcorder.

Conclusion

Buying a new camcorder can be a daunting task - but by reading this magazine you're already better off than most in making this important decision. A strong idea of what you want to do with your equipment is the most vital way to keep your wits about you and make the most intelligent purchase. Above all, it shouldn't be a rush decision and should be rooted in an understanding of how your current equipment is keeping you from doing what you want to do.

Contributing Editor Kyle Cassidy is a visual artist who writes extensively about technology.