There are now a whole host of different format camcorders available and choosing the correct one is vital.
However as a general guide if you can afford it go for a digital format as this will give you the best quality and flexibility.
Camcorder Formats
VHS-C
A cheaper camcorder which allows you to play back video tapes on a standard Video Recorder using an adaptor. However, VHS-C will only allow about 30 mins of recording on a tape.
Hi8
The best lower cost option before a digital format camera and has 400 lines of resolution. Hi8 is more expensive than VHS-C, but the quality is better and they are smaller and lighter.
Digital / DV Camcorders
Digital or DV camcorders offer a very high quality of reproduiction and great audio quality.
They also tend to contain a lot more features such as digital image stabilisation and the ability to take widescreen videos for viewing on a widescreen tv.
You can also make direct digital copies without losing any quality and on some models, even take digital stills.
Editing is also a lot easier with DV camcorders, as long as you have the necessary IEEE 1394 port (FireWire and i.Link) on your computer.
The footage is recorded onto mini digital tapes which you have to rewind to view scenes in the same way as a standard video tape.
DVD Camcorders
Similar to DV Camcorders except they record the video directly onto mini DVDs.
The main benefits are that there is no fast forwarding or rewinding as with DV Camcorders and you can also "finalise" the DVD disk so that it can be played on most DVD Players without any further copying.
Features
Zoom
Nearly all camcorders will offer a zoom feature but there are 2 types:
Optical Zoom uses the cameras lens to magnify the image and does not reduce the quality of the recorded footage.
Digital Zoom is only available on digital camcorders and uses internal camera trickery to crop the image so it appears to be closer. This results in a loss of quality.
You should therefore look at the optical zoom ratings when deciding which camera to buy. Somewhere between 10 and 20 times magnification should be sufficient for optical zoom.
Auto Exposure
pre-set modes for action, landscapes and portraits etc.
Effects
Includes taking stills, fading pictures, adding a "Bohemium Rhapsody" style effect and even adding old movie atmosphere.
Video Titles
Allows you add a title to your footage without the need for editing on a PC
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