How to Use a Camcorder: Buttons and Contols

It's easy for first-time camcorder owners to be intimidated by all of the buttons and controls that seem to sprout from every recess and surface of a new camcorder. Believe me, if you don't know how to focus, adjust your iris or when to select a different shutter speed, you are not alone. In this column, we will give all you beginners an overview of the various buttons, controls, dials and knobs common to camcorders.

Somewhere on the camcorder, there is a power switch. This switch often includes a save, standby or neutral position so that the camera goes into a power save mode when not recording, to preserve battery life. If your camcorder goes into the standby or save mode, simply push the standby button to power it back up. Power switches sometimes have a "lock" feature that prevents you from turning the camera on accidentally. To disengage this lock, press in the power switch to move it. The power switch might also be part of the switch that changes the mode of the camcorder from camera to playback VCR.

The eject button is also a standard feature on all camcorders. This button, often colored blue, can be found most anywhere on the camcorder. Usually they are located on the side, top or bottom of the camcorder near the tape door. By pressing this button, you can eject your tape or open the tape door so that you can insert your tape into the tape carriage. On many camcorders, the door opens and the tape carriage then pops or slides out. If this is the case with your camcorder, when loading the tape into the camcorder, slide your tape into the carriage, then let the camcorder pull the tape inside before closing the outside door. This allows you to make sure that the camcorder firmly seats the tape into its internal mechanism.

All camcorders have a record button, of course. This button is usually red and is located where your thumb sits when holding the camcorder in your right hand. Some camcorders also have a record button on top or in the front for easier access when using the camera with a tripod. The record button starts and stops recording while in camera mode. On some cameras, the record button also acts as a record/pause button when your camcorder is in the VCR mode.

The buttons, knobs or dials that control the lens and the picture are perhaps the most important controls on the camera. As a beginner, you may tend to let the camera do the work in Auto mode. However, as you get used to your camcorder and do more shooting, you may want to switch it to manual so that you can take greater control of your focus.

The focus button or dial is usually located on or near the lens but, on some camcorders, it is on the side of the casing. By setting the camera for automatic focus, you let your camera do the focusing, sending out an infrared beam, computing the distance and setting the lens. This sounds great, but in practice, there are many problems with it. Anything that moves across the lens will cause it to change focus and, even though your subject may not change position, the camera is constantly checking the focus and changing it. This constant check and rechecking of the focus, causes your picture to drift in and out of focus and is a major drain on your battery.

If you are not comfortable focusing manually, let the camera focus automatically, then switch to manual. This effectively locks the focus until you change it again. Some camcorders allow you to hold the manual focus button down so that the camera focuses using its auto function. Then, when you release the button the camera enters the manual focus again so that it won't auto-fluctuate.

The zoom control is usually a couple of buttons, a slider or a rocker switch on top of the camera. These buttons have the letters W for Wide (zoom out) and T for Tight (zoom in). You can also think of these as aWay and Towards. These buttons change the focal length of the optical system, which controls how close or far away your subject looks. The zoom can be a very helpful feature, but be careful not to overuse it. Its primary use should be in setting the image size before you begin recording; try not to zoom during recording. Recorded zooms often don't look very good unless your camcorder has a variable speed zoom and you practice a lot using it.