How to Choosing a Mini Dv Camcorder

Buying a Mini DV camcorder is like buying a car: thoughBecause you'll be using more accessories at this level,
the priciest models cost eight times as much as theyou'll want an accessory shoe to hold a movie light or
cheapest, they all have essentially the same parts andan external microphone. The Sony DCR-TRV17 and
they kook similar to the uninitiated. So why springthe Canon Elura 10 both have this desirable feature. A
$4,995 for a JVC GY-DV500U when a Samsungheadphone jack is indispensable for any serious sound
SCD67 has an MSRP of $600?recording: think of headphones as a viewfinder for
Or, to go even further, why not just get a nice analogyour ears. Most models in this range include them but a
camcorder for $300 on the street? The short answerfew omit this basic accessory.
is, if you don't plan to copy or edit your tapes, go rightIn the $1,000 to $2,000 range, look for two very
ahead: the quality of Hi8 camcorders is quite good.desirable editing features: remote controls anddocking
Otherwise, Mini DV is an overwhelmingly superiorstations. The JVC GR-DVM55 has both. In shooting, a
format because you can make exact digital copies,remote is useful for wildlife photography and other
you can make edits without loosing quality and (withspecial applications. In editing, however, it is essential,
some maintenance) you can make your preciousbecause you can set your camcorder safely aside
videos last forever. Also, the ability to connect with aand run all its controls from the remote.
single cable and edit digital footage with an up-to-dateA docking station works just like the same animal on a
desktop computer is amazingly powerful, even withlaptop. Instead of wrangling spaghetti cords and tiny
software you canlearn in an hour.plugs and sockets every time you lash up your edit rig,
So let's make a quick survey of the Mini DV format, tojust plug everything permanently into the docking base
help you decide how much camcorder to buy andand then attach the camcorder when you are ready
how much to pay for it.to edit.
For the Casual ShooterFor the Budding Professional
Today, you can find many fine DV camcorders forCamcorders between $2,000 and $5,000 are intended
$1,000 or less, all chocka-block with nifty features.for the dedicated amateur, for education, corporate
Models like the Panasonic PV-DV101, the RCAand government applications and even broadcasting.
CC9360 and several others use imaging chips (CCDs)The quality imaging of many of these camcorders
with a generous 680,000 pixels, which produce verycomes from a three-chip design. By directing each
high-quality video images.primary color of white light to its own dedicated CCD,
A few entry-level cameras lack some useful featuresthey obtain better color and higher resolution than
that might be found in a more expensivecamcorder. Ifsingle-CCD camcorders.
you just want to point and push, you may not miss theHigh-end camcorders also add key professional
lack of manual shutter, iris, focus or white balance; butfeatures. The Canon XL1S for example, offers
you can't take control of your camcorder withoutinterchangeable professional-grade lenses, including
them. Many models lack analog (S-video and/orseveral designed for it, in particular.
composite) inputs, which means you cannot copy yourAnother major improvement is in professional XLR
old tapes to the camera in order to convert them tomicrophone inputs, which are far superior to amateur
the DV format for archiving.mini-plugs for many reasons. In addition, one model, the
The Canon ZR20 is one of several models with aJVC JY-VS200U, includes an audio level meter built
color viewfinder, which is better than black and whiteright into the viewfinder.
because it shows a truer picture of what you'reFinally, some high-end models use optical image
getting (external screens are not as accuratestabilization instead of electronic. Though bothsystems
asinternal finders.)work well, the optical approach generally results in
Finally, a couple of camcorders in the under-S1000higher resolution and higher video quality.
category, like the Sharp VL-WD450U, can capture stillsLast but far from least, the best Mini DV camcorders
on memory sticks that can be inserted in card readersare engineered and built with satisfying ruggedness
and uploaded into your computer. Models withand precision. To return to our auto metaphor, the
tape-only stills record each as a several-secondcontrols work with the elegant,positive feel of a BMW
freeze frame, which must be located andtransferredor Jaguar -- with what the French like to call
like any other video shot, and that's a far less"exactitude."
convenient process.How (and Where) to Buy
For the Serious HobbyistLike car shopping, buying a camcorder should involve
And what do you get if you move up to the $1,000 tojudicious test drives; but how are you supposed to do
$2,000 price range? Part of the answer'seasy: all thethis? Most local camera stores have dropped
desirable features mentioned previously that are oftencamcorders completely; though if you live in a
missing from low-end camcorders. If you consult themegacity, you could get it easily.
matrix, you'll see that these models are loaded.