Viewfinder: Missing Pieces and Parts

There are a few useful features that we rarely see on camcorders or VCRs. It's not that no one wants these features. It's just that they don't fit into the marketing plans of the manufacturers.

Take, for example, the shrinking mike options on the average camcorder. External mike jacks are becoming scarce. Manufacturers don't include them because they want people to "buy up" to a higher grade (and higher priced) unit.

Anyone who shoots video knows the value of an external mike. Even the entry-level hobbyist knows it's better to place a mike close to the subject's mouth. I can't figure out why they would omit a mike jack from any Hi8 or S-VHS camcorder. It's clear that the buyer of one of these high-performance camcorders wants more features, …

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