Action Steps for Savvy Shopping for Camcorders
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search for information about video cameras and supplies online

Your business can find lots of data about video cameras and supplies on the Internet. Manufacturers, video camera stores and photography websites provide information to help you know just what supplies you need for your video cameras. To find the right supplies when checking, your staff will need the model number of the digital video camera in hand.

I recommend: Find a complete online catalog of supplies for video cameras at Canon, including battery packs and battery chargers. It also carries supplies for industrial and medical video cameras. For top-quality supplies for security cameras, check Lumenera. It provides USB and all power connections to integrate the entire system.

Identify the best image storage options for professional video cameras

Your team will find a number of image recording and storage options, such as tapes, DVD or memory cards. Choosing one will depend on the camera and the purpose of the videography. For example, your video surveillance cameras might be best served by a tape that can be continually taped over, while DVDs or memory chips are best for video your firm wants to keep for an extended period of time.

I recommend: Look into the Sony storage and retrieval system for digital video cameras. It also makes memory cards and readers. You can find an array of memory card models at video camera retailers such as Best Buy. Its video experts will make sure your firm buys the best card for your needs.

Check with sellers of video cameras for hard-to-find supplies

There are almost too many supplies and accessories to list. Lens, tripods and carrying cases are just a few. You might need some help tracking down certain supplies for your business's used video camera. But if you can't find the piece from the manufacturer because it is out of production, check with local camera stores or online sources.

I recommend: Locate lighting supplies, tripods, carrying cases and a number of other supplies at a camera store near your business. Check CameraShops.us for locations. To link your firm's professional video camera, computer system and monitors for easy viewing, use the Sanyo AV Connection kit. With the available docking station, there is no need for a PC.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Compare prices for supplies for video cameras just as you would the cameras themselves. Some retailers offer special pricing, especially for large orders and supplies being replaced by new models.

Guide to Buying and Using a Camcorder or Video Camera

Ready for your close-up? First, take a closer look at camcorder and video camera choices

By Greg Brown

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understanding digital camcorder basics

The important differences are video format, the size of the LCD-screen viewfinder, maximum optical zoom and weight of the camera. Look to buy digital rather than outdated analog technology. Get an LCD that's big enough to comfortably view at arm's length, and focus on optical, not digital, zoom.

I recommend: Mini-DV is the most commonly sold format now, but recordable mini DVD discs are catching on. Some new cameras come with hard drives, too. Canon, Sony and Panasonic make a selection of affordable models. Look to them and at Samsung, Hitachi and Sanyo for fancier DVD models. More video cameras and camcorders be found at Business.com.

Decide first what your camcorder will do for you

The vast majority of camcorder buyers simply want to shoot home movies they can play back easily on a television. If that's you, then your choices are pretty easy: Buy a consumer model camcorder in either mini-DV or tapeless format and get shooting.

I recommend: Mini-DV is a miniaturized videocassette. The tapes are easy to buy at drug stores and the image quality is comparable to what local television crews use. The newest wrinkle has been tapeless versions of the same video camera, which use either recordable mini DVD discs or a hard drive on the camera. See consumer mini DV camcorders at Best Buy or Circuit City and at retailers including Wal-Mart, Sears and Target.

Want more than a standard video camera? Go prosumer

If you expect to shoot video for editing and professional use, a higher-end camera can be had for about twice the money as a consumer model and can accomodate different lenses as well as carry a stronger battery pack and capture high-quality audio.

I recommend: Mostly, though, the difference is in having three, rather than one, charged coupling devices, or CCDs. These are what capture the image being recorded. "Prosumer" type cameras will be pricey compared to most but still less than a fully professional rig. Canon, Sony, JVC and Panasonic aim squarely for this market.

Learn more about digital video cameras

A good way to get in slowly is by reading up in the enthusiast press. Camcorder owners tend to be a bit obsessive about small details, and their insights can help you choose your camcorder.

I recommend: Read up on the latest in digital camcorder technologies at Digital Video. Compare and contrast new models from manufactures and read editorial picks at CNET. See video camera and camcorder supplies at Business.com

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Digital zoom is a software trick, not true zoom, and results in lower quality images. Rather than focus the lens physically, bringing distant subjects closer, digital zoom blows up a small part of the existing image, distorting it.
• •  Go down to the electronics store and ask the salesperson to put the one you are considering in your hand. Are the buttons too small or unclear? Is the LCD as clear and bright as you'd like? Usability is a factor you cannot determine by looking at Web sites.
• •  It's less crucial, but some camcorders are wireless video cameras. A remote control can be helpful if you expect to be in the shot, but it's a nice-to-have more than a dealbreaker.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get detailed information about video cameras and ways to use them by attending college

Educate yourself on the best ways to create images with digital video cameras and other cameras by obtaining a degree in areas such as picture production and video editing. Learn about lighting and marketing your business through these courses.

I recommend: Education Online offers a list of colleges, photographic institutes and universities as well as vocational schools with education and training for video cameras. Check out its database by state or by type of degree. Education-Portal.com lists various colleges offering degrees in video, including camera operator. It also details what the degree entails and what types of jobs people who get these degrees can get.

Contact sellers of video cameras to determine the best way to use your particular model

Keeping in touch with the retailer is particularly helpful when you work with used video cameras. Retailers often have updates and suggestions for accessories to maximize results in product usage.

I recommend: PhotoLinks.com has a list of camera retailers that offer special education and training, including camera clubs. Many stores listed offer great service as well as classes in areas such as computer and photo imaging. Precision Camera not only repairs cameras but also has an online chat option so its customer service team can offer tips and training for camera usage and performance.

Glean information from video camera experts through workshops and tutorials

Whether your focus is videocams or professional video camera usage, use tips from experts to promote your business and work in the best manner. Attending workshops and learning from online tutorials gives you hands-on experience and offers you networking opportunities.

I recommend: MediaCollege.com offers a variety of tutorials for beginners. It covers topics ranging from exposure to filters and setting up the viewfinder on a video camera. Videomaker offers hands-on workshops that allow attendees to network while learning how to use cutting-edge camera technology. Learn about shooting, lighting and editing in its basic or advanced workshops.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Working as an intern gives you a chance to learn how to use video cameras in a professional setting.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Professional video cameras

Professional video cameras are the expensive, high-end, quality studio cameras used in film and television studio, which may be stationary or mobile. They can record special lighting effects and range from extreme close-up to expansive shots.

I recommend: See a wide variety of professional video cameras from an industry leader like Panasonic.

Camcorders

Camcorders are small, lightweight, highly mobile and usually handheld devices. They can be used for journalism, film making or personal use.

I recommend: Searchmobilecomputing.com explains what a camcorder is as well as its main components.

Digital cameras

A digital camera takes video digitally using an electronic image sensor. Digital cameras can upload and store images on a computer and provide many capabilities that traditional video cameras cannot.

I recommend: eHow gives the definition of a digital camcorder. The article explains the basics, differences, and other considerations when buying a digital camcorder.

Closed-circuit cameras

Closed-circuit cameras are capable of running for long times unattended, can transmit the video through one or several specific circuits, and can be very small and inconspicuous. These cameras are usually used for security and monitoring purposes.

I recommend: TechTarget explains what closed circuit cameras are as well as the technology they utilize.

Webcams

Webcams are small, inexpensive video cameras that connect and work through computers or computer networks. They are most often used for communication across the Internet for purposes like videoconferencing, social networking and entertainment.

I recommend: HowStuffWorks explains how web cams operate.

Special systems cameras

Special systems cameras is an umbrella term referring to any highly technical video camera with a highly specialized use, such as infrared cameras or x-ray cameras.

I recommend: Find out more information on the possible special uses of video cameras by looking at special systems cameras from JVC.