How to choose a camcorder for a family?

Many people like to be photographed, catch every convenient moment, the most interesting shot, to capture the best times in their lives. You must admit that watching family photos together on a large TV screen on your favorite sofa is a great pleasure. If you also want to enjoy such moments, then this article will help you answer the most important question, how to choose a camcorder for your family yourself. You can shoot not only with the camera, but you must understand that only the presence of special functions can ensure the highest quality shooting.

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Determined for the purpose of buying a camcorder

Naturally, before choosing a good video camera, you should decide on the place and features of its future use. Of course, many may think why buy a camera, if you can shoot with a digital camera or smartphone. But keep in mind that the camera of even the most expensive mobile phone or an amateur camera cannot be compared with a specially designed video camera for its ease of use. In principle, you can buy an expensive professional camera, but most likely you will not be able to master even half of its functionality. Therefore, we must look for a “middle ground”.

To make it easier for you to decide on the choice of a device by a set of functions and parameters, answer yourself to a number of the following questions:

1. With what device will you later view the captured video - a computer, an ordinary TV, Smart tvHD panel?
2. Where are you going to shoot more often: on the street, indoors, in training, during hiking?
3. How often do you plan to use the technique?
4. Are you going to record long or short videos?

Only after receiving answers to all these questions can we begin to study the basic functions, options, and parameters of the most popular video cameras that affect the quality of shooting. Thanks to this information, you can choose the ideal option for yourself with the optimal ratio of quality and cost.

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Camcorder Selection Options

Are you interested in a camcorder suitable for home use? Which is better to choose from the presented assortment - you will find out if you get acquainted with the main parameters of such devices:

• permission standard;
• zoom and optics;
• video recording medium;
• type and size of photosensitive matrices;
• type of image stabilizer.

We will now consider each of them separately.

Permission standard

The clarity of the resulting video while watching on devices of various nature depends on this parameter.

They are divided into the following types:

• SD cameras allow you to shoot scenes in a resolution of 750 by 576 pixels, which corresponds to the quality of a DVD video. If you shoot on such a camera, then you can view the material on a computer or ordinary TV, however, on the TV the image may be slightly blurred.

Important! The biggest plus of such devices is their affordable cost. Therefore, if you are looking for a budget solution and a high-quality picture is not important to you, then feel free to choose an SD camera.

• HD cameras are chosen by people who plan to view the captured video in the highest quality.Such models allow you to shoot with a resolution of 1280 by 720, 1920 by 1080 pixels, but they are relatively inexpensive.
• Only devices with the AVCHD standard are capable of supporting full shooting in Full HD quality. They differ from the previous version in that they immediately begin to shoot in the highest resolution. In the case of other cameras, the video format should be increased to the required format during its playback.

Important! You may also be interested in learning about such a modern variety of shooting techniques as 4k camcorder.

Scaling and optics

The main characteristic of any camcorder is optics. It is through the lens that the picture enters the device. Naturally, its quality directly depends on the quality of the integrated optics. Therefore, the largest manufacturers equip their products with professional lenses developed directly by their own designers, or cooperate with world-famous brands.

The optical zoom and its level of magnification are directly dependent on the optics. It is for this reason, when planning to regularly shoot objects that are over long distances, choose a high-quality optical zoom, since it will allow you to reach distant objects without losing image quality.

Important! If you use digital zoom, the image will only deteriorate if you zoom in.

Recording media

Choosing which camcorder is best for the home, one cannot help but raise the issue of media for recorded materials. So, today videos are often saved on external hard drive HDD, DVD, Flash cards, analog cassettes like Mini DV. Speaking in more detail, we will characterize each option separately:

• Models that use DVD discs for recording, as a rule, are inexpensive, allow you to view the footage on desktop computers or laptops. But, unfortunately, the disks themselves are short-lived, they are easily damaged, even a small scratch can cause damage to the material.

Important! This is the best solution for people who are looking for something inexpensive and simple.

• If you plan to shoot while traveling, traveling, and you cannot transfer material to a computer for a long time, then select a model with a Flash or HDD drive. With this camera, you can shoot long clips in the highest quality. For example, concerts, weddings.
• Mini DV devices are used as carriers of mini-video cassettes. They are used more often for professional filming, but the models themselves can differ greatly from amateur cameras in functionality and cost.

Important! In use, they cannot be called the most convenient, so it is better not to take such equipment home.

Type and size of photosensitive matrices

The photosensitive matrix is ​​an analog or digital-to-analog microcircuit that converts the light signal entering the lens into an electric one. There are two types of CCD and CMOS matrices, each with their own pros and cons.

Now let's dwell on each option:

• CCD arrays make it possible to obtain high-quality images, minimum noise, but have large pixels, are quite expensive and consume too much energy.
• CMOS matrices are inexpensive, consume a minimum of energy.

Image Stabilizer Type

Naturally, when moving a movie, any camcorder shakes and sways violently. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a model with an image stabilizer, since it is it that reduces shaking and is of great importance for amateur home shooting, because in this case a tripod is never used.

The stabilizer may be optical or digital. The first one provides the highest quality of the resulting images, but such cameras are expensive.

Important! Mandatory stabilizer is considered when traveling and when shooting on the road.

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Camera tips

If you have not yet decided which camcorder to choose for the home, then pay attention to user reviews on the Internet or reviews in print media:

• If you like extreme sports, planning to go skiing or diving, then pay attention to the Gopro models equipped with a special protective case that does not let water through.
• If you want to not only shoot videos, but also engage in their processing on a computer, then buy special software designed for video processing.

Having figured out the types and characteristics, it's time to look at yourself a suitable model. This will help you our camcorder rating.

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Stock footage

In principle, not everything is so difficult with the selection of equipment for the home, the main thing is to correctly identify your goals and focus on them when buying, and not on the trendy functions of the latest and most expensive models that consultants will try to convince you of.