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What to consider in buying camcorder?

Apr 10, 2011 1:15PM PDT

Just want to share this cool stuff...really informative...I think we have to be picky this time.

What to consider in buying Digital Camcorder

You don't want to plunge blindly into the thicket of the camcorder market without a sense of where you're going. Here are several things you'll need to keep in mind to help narrow your choices.

Price

Camcorders span the range from $149 for a low-end model to $1,500 or more for advanced products. Within this range, the $600 mark is typically a dividing line between the high end and the rest of market. You can still buy a quality camcorder for considerably less than $600, but most of the advanced technologies will be introduced at higher price points.

Your Lifestyle

Think carefully about how you plan on using your camcorder. Do you want to carry it with you at all times to record spontaneous moments, or is it mostly for special occasions? Do you want to take it underwater?

Pocket Versus Full Featured

Pocket camcorders, like the Flip from Cisco are all the rage these days. They're very compact, extremely easy to use and the video is easily transferred to the computer and Web. They're inexpensive, too, usually falling below $200. These benefits have motivated a fair number of shoppers to opt for pocket models, but they do come with trade-offs.

Resolution

Like televisions, digital camcorders are available in standard definition and high definition (HD). Standard definition models will cost less, on average, than high definition. They'll deliver video quality suitable for viewing on a computer or non-HDTV. HD camcorders will produce wide-screen video suitable for viewing on an HDTV.

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