Getting Started: How to Avoid Common Camcorder Mistakes

Wouldn�t it be great if you never made a mistake with your camcorder? If you were the perfect videographer, then you wouldn�t need to read this magazine (heaven forbid!). The simple truth, however, is that you will make mistakes no matter how good a videographer you become. Some mistakes, however, are more common than others. With a little practice you can avoid those common mistakes and take your videos to a higher level.

Don�t Waste Juice

Why is a "common" mistake so common? More than likely because it�s an easy mistake to make. That said, let�s start with one of the easiest and most annoying mistakes: the sin of wasting your battery power.
You�d think, given the cutting-edge technology that gets packed into today�s camcorders, a camcorder battery could easily provide reliable power for countless hours. The fact of the matter is the battery that came with your camcorder will most likely last for less than an hour of continuous use. That means it�s important to conserve energy every chance you get, or you�ll wind up with a battery that isn�t ready for action when you are.
Fortunately, conservation is easy. The most basic level of battery conservation is simply turning the camcorder off when you aren�t using it. It may seem like common sense advice, but it�s easy to put the unit away with the power still on.
Also, avoid over-using those camcorder features that consume extra juice. The power zoom, autofocus, fast forward/rewind controls and the flip-out LCD monitor are the most notorious of these. By limiting the amount of time spent using these functions, you can greatly increase the amount of shooting time on your battery.<…