Many people ring and ask for advice on purchasing a video camera so I realize that many people do need help. Even the first video camera I bought for myself was actually quite unsuited to my needs – but at the time I didn’t realize what my needs actually were. I was given very little assistance, mainly because I did not know where to get it! But that was eighteen years ago and way back then there were very few magazines dedicated to hobby video making and the only clubs were for film makers using "film".
The
first thing that a new buyer needs to consider is Budget. Video cameras
come in all ranges of prices from fairly in-expensive to really expensive! If you
are on a strict budget and need to be very careful about being extravagant then
you have quite a choice of reasonably priced cameras and can get something that will
give you good results and will serve you well.
The number of different formats is very confusing but at this point in time the best two formats to consider are “Mini DV” and Hi definition DV. DVD cameras are another option but editing the material shot on DVD is not really very satisfactory. The video is captured in a compressed format and when it is edited and then rendered to be recorded to disk for playing in a DVD player, some quality is lost.
What
Brand of camera should you choose? That is entirely very difficult to recommend. Some people swear by
Panasonic, others by Sony. Just like with cars, everyone develops a
favourite manufacturer. Video cameras have been around
for many years now and there are none that have shone out as being bad, so
pick up and feel the balance of lots of different cameras. Large chain stores
usually have quite a range of cameras on practical display. Of course, as soon
as you pick one up, even if it is attached with a chain to the counter or to the
display rod, an assistant will be at your shoulder within seconds. Many display
cameras are stolen so shop assistants need to be vigilant. The assistant will
point out the features of each of the cameras but don’t be fooled by the
overhead monitor that is meant to be showing the quality of the picture from the
camera you are handling. The image on the screen has not been recorded; it is
not a true example of what the recorded picture on tape is like, it only shows
what the lens is capable of transferring.
If you have bought a tape or a DVD of the size the DVD cameras use, you might be permitted to record a few seconds in each camera. Make sure you take a shot of the sign giving the brand and code of the camera or you will forget which shot is from which camera. In the last camera you try, play back the tape and see if there is a noticeable difference between all the cameras you have tried. If there is very little difference, then you can choose the camera you like by its features, its balance and its ease of use.
One good test of a camera is to point it at something that is very near and then point it at something much further away. See how quickly the camera changes the focus. You do not want a camera that spends a long time out of focus. Some cameras will adjust the focus so quickly that the operator need not ever use Manual Focus. (We shall get to that later!)
Small cameras have a flat microphone that is positioned on the front face of the camera, above or below the lens. While this makes the camera look very neat, it means that the sound is often spoilt with the roar of the wind. Even a slight breath of wind will sound like a hurricane! After a while you might like to put a microphone and headphones into the camera – a microphone to pick up the sound and headphones to make sure that you do! To facilitate this you will need a microphone jack and a headphone jack (socket) in the camera. Some brands of camera do not have one or the other.
Stabilizers are wonderful things – they are the internal technology of many cameras that will eliminate a lot of the shake from hand held camera work. A stabilizer or Steadishot does add to the cost of the camera, but it makes the camera so user friendly that it is money well spent.
Video Cameras either have one CCD chip or 3 CCD chips. The sharpest and best colour images come from the cameras with 3 CCDs. As can be expected, these are the more expensive line of video cameras. They are favoured by serious hobbyists and semi professionals. The images you will get from a single chip camera will impress you so unless you are extremely fussy, save your pennies until you know for sure you want to be serious about your video making hobby. An exception to this rule is with High Definition one chip cameras - they are brilliant!
Forget “Digital Zoom”! Many cameras have the amount of digital zoom that they are capable of plastered in huge numbers on the side by the lens. What is important is the OPTICAL zoom. That is the real zoom that allows you to get a closer picture without moving in closer. The digital zoom only magnifies the image in the same way as a magnifying glass will magnify a photograph so that you can see the little dots that make it up. The Digital Zoom will magnify the pixels so that the image appears quite blocky.
Finally, see if the camera you like has manual overrides. As a beginner you will be happy using all the automatic features of the camera but before too long you will get more adventurous and want a little more control. You will need manual focus, manual iris control – to brighten or to darken the shot before it is recorded, and shutter speeds or AE controls. If the camera has no manual controls at all you will soon outgrow it.
If you intend shopping overseas or on-line for a camera, be aware that the overseas warranty is not valid in your home country. There is also a danger that you might be sold a camera that is not the same playback format as the country you live in. Ask the salesperson if the camera is for PAL or NTSC and be aware of which format is used by the country YOU live in!
Get an Extended Warranty if you can afford it. Something always goes wrong with the camera the week after the 12 month warranty expires!