| Buying a Mini DV camcorder is like buying
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| | Because you'll be using more accessories
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| a car: though the priciest models cost
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| | at this level, you'll want an accessory
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| eight times as much as the cheapest, they
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| | shoe to hold a movie light or an external
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| all have essentially the same parts and
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| | microphone. The Sony DCR-TRV17 and the
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| they kook similar to the uninitiated. So
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| | Canon Elura 10 both have this desirable
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| why spring $4,995 for a JVC GY-DV500U
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| | feature. A headphone jack is
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| when a Samsung SCD67 has an MSRP of $600?
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| | indispensable for any serious sound
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| Or, to go even further, why not just get
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| | recording: think of headphones as a
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| a nice analog camcorder for $300 on the
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| | viewfinder for your ears. Most models in
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| street? The short answer is, if you don't
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| | this range include them but a few omit
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| plan to copy or edit your tapes, go right
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| | this basic accessory.
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| ahead: the quality of Hi8 camcorders is
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| | In the $1,000 to $2,000 range, look for
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| quite good. Otherwise, Mini DV is an
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| | two very desirable editing features:
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| overwhelmingly superior format because
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| | remote controls anddocking stations. The
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| you can make exact digital copies, you
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| | JVC GR-DVM55 has both. In shooting, a
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| can make edits without loosing quality
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| | remote is useful for wildlife photography
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| and (with some maintenance) you can make
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| | and other special applications. In
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| your precious videos last forever. Also,
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| | editing, however, it is essential,
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| the ability to connect with a single
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| | because you can set your camcorder safely
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| cable and edit digital footage with an
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| | aside and run all its controls from the
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| up-to-date desktop computer is amazingly
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| | remote.
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| powerful, even with software you canlearn
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| | A docking station works just like the
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| in an hour.
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| | same animal on a laptop. Instead of
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| So let's make a quick survey of the Mini
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| | wrangling spaghetti cords and tiny plugs
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| DV format, to help you decide how much
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| | and sockets every time you lash up your
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| camcorder to buy and how much to pay for
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| | edit rig, just plug everything
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| it.
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| | permanently into the docking base and
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| For the Casual Shooter
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| | then attach the camcorder when you are
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| Today, you can find many fine DV
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| | ready to edit.
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| camcorders for $1,000 or less, all
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| | For the Budding Professional
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| chocka-block with nifty features. Models
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| | Camcorders between $2,000 and $5,000 are
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| like the Panasonic PV-DV101, the RCA
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| | intended for the dedicated amateur, for
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| CC9360 and several others use imaging
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| | education, corporate and government
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| chips (CCDs) with a generous 680,000
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| | applications and even broadcasting.
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| pixels, which produce very high-quality
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| | The quality imaging of many of these
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| video images.
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| | camcorders comes from a three-chip
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| A few entry-level cameras lack some
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| | design. By directing each primary color
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| useful features that might be found in a
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| | of white light to its own dedicated CCD,
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| more expensivecamcorder. If you just want
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| | they obtain better color and higher
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| to point and push, you may not miss the
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| | resolution than single-CCD camcorders.
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| lack of manual shutter, iris, focus or
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| | High-end camcorders also add key
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| white balance; but you can't take control
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| | professional features. The Canon XL1S for
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| of your camcorder without them. Many
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| | example, offers interchangeable
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| models lack analog (S-video and/or
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| | professional-grade lenses, including
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| composite) inputs, which means you cannot
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| | several designed for it, in particular.
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| copy your old tapes to the camera in
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| | Another major improvement is in
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| order to convert them to the DV format
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| | professional XLR microphone inputs, which
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| for archiving.
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| | are far superior to amateur mini-plugs
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| The Canon ZR20 is one of several models
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| | for many reasons. In addition, one model,
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| with a color viewfinder, which is better
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| | the JVC JY-VS200U, includes an audio
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| than black and white because it shows a
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| | level meter built right into the
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| truer picture of what you're getting
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| | viewfinder.
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| (external screens are not as accurate
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| | Finally, some high-end models use optical
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| asinternal finders.)
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| | image stabilization instead of
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| Finally, a couple of camcorders in the
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| | electronic. Though bothsystems work well,
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| under-S1000 category, like the Sharp
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| | the optical approach generally results in
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| VL-WD450U, can capture stills on memory
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| | higher resolution and higher video
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| sticks that can be inserted in card
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| | quality.
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| readers and uploaded into your computer.
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| | Last but far from least, the best Mini DV
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| Models with tape-only stills record each
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| | camcorders are engineered and built with
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| as a several-second freeze frame, which
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| | satisfying ruggedness and precision. To
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| must be located andtransferred like any
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| | return to our auto metaphor, the controls
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| other video shot, and that's a far less
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| | work with the elegant,positive feel of a
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| convenient process.
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| | BMW or Jaguar -- with what the French
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| For the Serious Hobbyist
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| | like to call "exactitude."
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| And what do you get if you move up to the
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| | How (and Where) to Buy
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| $1,000 to $2,000 price range? Part of the
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| | Like car shopping, buying a camcorder
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| answer'seasy: all the desirable features
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| | should involve judicious test drives; but
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| mentioned previously that are often
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| | how are you supposed to do this? Most
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| missing from low-end camcorders. If you
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| | local camera stores have dropped
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| consult the matrix, you'll see that these
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| | camcorders completely; though if you live
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| models are loaded.
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| | in a megacity, you could get it easily.
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