Search

Benefits of a Camcorder (back to top)

 

Ever felt the need to re-live an interesting event from your life? Or to record the stages of growth of the newly born - something he/she will always cherish into adulthood? All of this is now possible with the entry of the camcorder!

A camcorder is a device that has revolutionized the concept of photography and filming. This simple and versatile gadget has put into the hands of the common man a facility that was previously the exclusive domain of professional movie makers. This small, light-weight, sturdy, and portable device enables one to record for posterity, on film or digitally, just about any occasion from family events like birthdays, parties, and picnics, to long holidays and overseas excursions. The simple functionality and user-friendly layout of the buttons and other controls makes the camcorder an ideal friend for even the 'non-techie'.

On the professional front, camcorders have also found a place in the gear toted by news reporters. These gadgets have proved invaluable in capturing film footage in inaccessible areas that were out of reach for a full-fledged television camera. Usage of camcorders by local residents has led to the proliferation of live recordings of many earth-shattering events such as riots, arson, and natural disasters, including the South-Asian tsunami. Some low budget movies have also been ingeniously shot using camcorders. Using cheap and easily available storage media, as well as a rechargeable battery, a camcorder combines economics with efficiency.

 

1. How Camcorders Function (back to top)

 

A camcorder is composed of a camera section and a recorder section. In order to understand how a camcorder functions, we will examine each of these sections in more detail, to get an idea of the successive tasks performed by each section to finally generate viewable video data.

 

• Camera Section (back to top)

The camera section is concerned with the actual capture of the image. This section consists of the lens and the imager.

 

• Lens: This is the foremost component of the camcorder. When the camcorder is in use, it is the lens which accepts light input and focuses the same on the imager. The lens adjustments, which include the aperture control to adjust the light quantity, the zoom feature, to manage the field-of-view; and the shutter speed to trap continuous motion, are handled automatically in most all consumer camcorders. This electronic adjustment control ensures constant exposure on the imager. Professional camcorders, used only by professionals, allow manual control of these adjustments.

 

• Imager: This is composed of the Charged Coupled Device (CCD), which is a semiconductor image sensor having an array of photosensitive diodes. The camcorder lens focuses light on this device. Each diode gauges the amount of light falling on it, in the form of photons, and converts this light energy into electrons, generating an electrical charge. A brighter image triggers a greater electric charge and vice versa for a darker image. Thus, a complete video image is collated electronically, with varying light intensities. However, using only light intensity input generates a black-and-white picture. Therefore, in addition to the intensity, the CCD also needs to detect the color constituents of the light. Since every color is a combination of three colors: red, green, and blue, the sensor needs to consider the levels of only these colors.

 

Some modern camcorders incorporate a 'beam splitter' that splits the light input into three separate entities: one depicting the red light level, one depicting the green light level, and one for the blue light level. Each of the three light components are detected by a different chip, and later all three are superimposed, generating the correct color. Camcorders using this technology are called 'three-chip' camcorders.

 

In order to generate a video signal, the sensor takes many of these light 'pictures' per second, resulting in continuous motion. This light input is instantaneously converted into an electric charge in real-time.

 

• Recorder Section (back to top)

In this section, the electrical signals from the CCD are recorded onto the storage media. In analog camcorders, this electrical output goes to a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR), which transmits these electrical signals onto a magnetic tape. In digital camcorders, on the other hand, an analog-to-digital converter, 'converts' these analog electrical signals into digital data, composed of the binary numbers, 0's and 1's. This digital information is then written onto a DVD, miniDV, a hard drive, or any other compatible digital storage device. Most camcorders have the facility to superimpose the date and the time of the recording at the bottom of the video during playback.

 

2. Types of Camcorders (back to top)

 

When camcorders were first invented, they were analog devices, which implied that video and audio data was stored through electrical signals of varying voltage and frequencies, depending on the input through the camera lens. Nowadays, most camcorders are digital, which means that data is stored in the form of numerical values, offering better quality recording and longer life for the storage medium. Analog camcorders stored data on magnetic tape formats, such as: Video Home System (VHS), Video8, or Betamax. The output from digital camcorders is stored on more durable media including: Digital Versatile Discs (DVD), mini Digital Video (miniDV), and Digital8.

 

3. Purchasing Criteria (back to top)

 

When buying a camcorder, there are certain points that need to be kept in mind to ensure you are getting the best deal. Listed below are some of the parameters you should consider when buying a camcorder:

 

• Size: Depending on your requirements, choose the applicable size of the camcorder. While bigger and heavier camcorders may be sturdy and prevent shaky images being captured, they may be cumbersome to lug around and may also result in pain in the recording arm when used for long durations.

 

• LCD Screen/Viewfinder: The camcorder should have a built in Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, which should ideally have a minimum size of 2. 5 inches. The viewfinder enables the user to view his recording. The higher the resolution of the LCD, the better the picture quality will be. A camcorder with an LCD playback feature enables one to play back a recording on the camcorder itself.

 

• Image Stabilizer: This feature is mandatory as the camcorder is definitely bound to shake when being used, resulting in a distorted, blurred picture. The stabilizer prevents any tremors or jerks from being recorded, resulting in a relatively clearer picture. Image stabilizers are of two types: optical and digital, with the optical stabilizer being more proficient.

 

• Zoom: This feature enables the camcorder to magnify an image viewed through the lens. Zoom also has two types: optical and digital. Optical zooming is preferred to digital zooming, as optical zoom enlarges the image through lens adjustment, without any decrease in resolution. Digital zoom, on the other hand, performs enlargement by removing peripheral pixels from the image and then increasing the size of the remaining pixels, resulting in a slight decrease in resolution.

 

• Nightscope: This feature enables video shooting at night.

 

• Microphone: This appendage enables the camcorder to record audio signals. The microphone can be built into the device or there can be a port to insert a zoom microphone. A zoom microphone enables audio to be detected from large distances too, by focusing on a small area.

 

• Memory Card Compatibility: The camcorder should have a slot to insert a solid state flash memory card, which come in capacities ranging from 8MB upwards.

 

• PC Connection: The camcorder should offer connectivity with a personal computer. This enables one to transfer video recordings to a computer, facilitating editing, adding effects, or just plain storage.

 

• Battery: The longer the battery charge duration the better. Some camcorders have a facility of external batteries which stay charged for a longer time. In addition, an external charger enables the user to charge one battery set while the other is being used, thus allowing continuous usage.

 

• Storage Media: Depending on user requirements and size of the camcorder, the purchaser can decide on the media used, such as DVD, miniDV, or any of the other storage media available. Some camcorders have a built in hard drive, which offers an even larger storage capacity.

 

4. Making the Decision (back to top)

 

After finalizing your requirements and preferences with regards to the various features mentioned above, you should compare various camcorders that match those requirements offered by leading brands at a comparison shopping site such as www.smarter.com.

 

When buying a camcorder, it is advisable to survey a number of products from different brands. Most camcorders available today use state-of-the-art technologies to ensure good video as well as audio quality. For a relatively amateur user, a user-friendly camcorder is a must. At the time of purchase, one must examine the location of all the buttons and function keys, in order to determine if all the necessary adjustments are easily reachable during filming.

 

The camcorder should be adaptable to all weather conditions and locations, and also be strong enough to withstand shocks. This requires the device to have a durable metal or aluminum reinforced casing. In addition, the holding strap should be strong and feel comfortable in the palm of the hand.

 

Another factor to be considered especially for frequent travelers is the after sales service of the product and the service center coverage that the company offers. If you have observed most of the tenets for a prudent purchase and maintain the equipment well, the camcorder should give you years of trouble free service.

 

Buying a good camcorder requires investment of a reasonable amount of time in researching and evaluating the various contenders. The trick is to strike the perfect balance between price and functionality and the best way to begin is to find out exactly what your needs are. Hopefully, you now have more information to help make your purchasing decision more informed, now go find a great camcorder!