Camcorder Input?

Question

I am planning to buy a camcorder which I plan to send outside US. I would like to know what are the basic features that I should look for in a camcorder. I have no idea what are the typical features to check for since it is the first time I am giving a thought to buying a camcorder. One more concern I have is of course with reference to charging the camcorder. How does companies like Sony/Canon deal with the charger used across different countries. All tips on good camcorder selection is welcome.

Answer 1

I recommend joining Consumer Reports online:  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/elect...

It provides unbiased information on everything you'll need to know...and you actually won't need to pay unless you want the ratings on the individual camcorders.  Another decent site is:  http://www.camcorderinfo.com/

Good luck!

Answer 2

First of all look at the type of media the video gets stored on, mini dv, mini disc, memory card... this just depends on what you want to do with the video.

If you want high quality video get a recorder with HD.

Most of the features are similar, some companies have a few advancements of editing, viewing.... things like that.

All of the providers come with american tips that support 120v-240v. That means that they can be used all over the world, all you have to do is change the tip with an adapter. These can be purchased at airlines, Radio Shack, internet. Google them.

Answer 3

Charging the camcorder shouldn't be a problem - the charger will work with a range of voltages.  You'll need an adapter to plug in to the different mains sockets though.  You say you're planning to send it outside the US - the TV standard in the US is NTSC but most of the rest of the world uses PAL.  That's not a problem if you're taking it on a trip, but it could be troublesome if you're always going to use it in PAL land.

There are loads of features that could be important, such as external microphone inputs and manual control of focus, shutter speed, white balance etc.  If you're only ever going to use it in automatic mode they become a bit pointless though.    It's easier to define what you're going to do with the camcorder and then draw up a list of requirements from there.