It is all too easy to overspend and pay for features that you do not need. Think of all the features that your mobile phone has and you never use so don't make the same mistake with your camcorder.
The camcorder is the center piece and mainstay of your video production and if the camcorder you choose doesn't have the needed features, it will be difficult or even inpossible, to produce a quality video.
Having a camcorder with the following features can be the difference between a video that will look professionally produced, or one that is obviously home made.
Here is a list of features to help you select the right camcorder.
MiniDV: The best and most flexible format. Consider HDD but give DVD camcorders a miss, if you do buy one then you will soon realize its limitations.
External Microphone Terminal: Required so you can plug in an external microphone. A must have. Check for the external mic terminal first, if it's not there, choose another camcorder.
FireWire Terminal. Might be listed as a DV terminal or a IEEE-1394 connection. A must have so you can send and receive digital video between camcorder and computer.
Remote Control: Needed so you can operate the camera while recording yourself. Allows you to start the record, zoom, pause, etc. Extremely useful.
Headphone Terminal: Required so you can use headphones to check the audio being recorded. Another must have.
1/4" or larger CCD: Avoid anything smaller. The larger the CCD the higher the resolution of the video.
10X Optical Zoom: Do not settle for less and do not be seduced by digital zoom which is pretty worthless for our needs.
Manual White Balance: Required to balance colors under all lighting conditions.
Image Stabilization: Steadies the image as you shoot. It doesn't compensate for bad camerawork, but it can help smooth out a shot when you can't use a tripod.
Tripod Socket: You would be hard put not to find this but worth mentioning.
Top or Side Loading Tape: Inconvenient to have a bottom loading tape when using a tripod.
Analog Video In/Out: Convert and record analog video to miniDV format or miniDV format to analog. Can connect to a VCR or 8mm camcorder. Most useful.
Manual Focus And Exposure Controls: Having the ability to turn off automatic control leads to better production as you become more experienced.
S-Video In/Out: Needed so you can record input from computer screens. Most useful.
Size Does Matter: A camcorder that is too small can be difficult to operate, will also have a smaller LCD. Look for a medium sized camcorder. When out and about take your digital camera for unexpected shots.
Finally: Stick with the major name brands, Canon, Sony etc. Avoid the temptation to buy a used camcoder from eBay. No need to spend more than the minimum if you can buy a major brand with all the above mentioned features, unless you are planning on moving up a level in your production then go for a 'pro' quality camcorder. My Canon MVX350i has all these features and cost me less than $500.
Research online and narrow down your list noting the prices. Then visit a store and have a 'hands on' before making your final choice. Check on the stores best price and if they are much more expensive then order online and just be patient until it arrives.
Making A Web Page
I like to compare our society to the Mazda's ?Zoom Zoom? slogan. Everyone today is just zoom zooming all over the place. So, who wants to read your long drawn out explanation of well?anything? Or scroll left to right? Or even read out of date material? No one. Described below are reasons why and solutions to the problem.
Yes, You Can Have To Much Information
When creating your site keep it simple. No need for paragraph after paragraph, simple short sentences will do just fine. Use creative eye catchers such as:
?Customized bullets make things easy to read, reduce space and draw attention
?Numbers (1, 2, 3) do too, they lead the reader to what they want to know
Our zoom zoom society wants their information quick and easy. Lists with subheadings are extremely popular, as well as links to another page explaining a topic. Even if it explains something minor it stands alone, is easy to access, and quick to read. This keeps the scroll bar longer and the page shorter. The viewer's eye easily gets lost in all that information and no one wants to scroll forever.
Click, Click is easier and less frustrating than skimming.
Pictures, video's and other graphics distract when they are everywhere. They draw attention away, not too. Highlight what is important with a graphic. If that is simply your logo on every page that surely is enough.
Yes, Horizontal Scrolling Is Bad
Standard Web pages usually for Dreamweaver default are 600 (h) x 480 (w) or 640 (h) x 480 (w) and Flash defaults are 1024 (h) x 768 (w) or 550 (h) x 400 (w). These are measured in pixels, the unit of measure used for the screen. When staying inside these lines you eliminate horizontal scrolling. Website viewers already scroll vertically and don't want to scroll horizontally. Again in our zoom zoom society that just wastes time.
If you have horizontal scrolling it is guaranteed that less than half of your viewers are choosing not to scroll over. So stay inside the lines.
Yes, Your Site Can Go Out of Date
Have you ever seen a Website that says, Last Updated: January 2007? Or How about, Last Updated: January 2004? You've probably seen something similar. In the Web world outdated means three to five months. Updates are important because they prove to your viewers that you care about their interest. Keep their interest by maintaining and updating your site. Don't get carried away not everything standard has to be updated, but a few minor additions or deletions are always good.
These three features gone wrong can discourage viewers and down ratings. If you have too much information, horizontal scrolling and / or out of date information you can fix it in a flash. You can also simply avoid them completely.
Both Bruce Walls & Malerie Giaimo are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Bruce Walls has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Site Promotion and Affiliate Programs. Bruce Walls writes about using video on your website to increase traffic. You can read this article and more at
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