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Step 1
Understand CCDs. That stands for charge-couple-device. CCDs are measured in terms of size: the bigger the size, the better the picture. This is the biggest factor in video performance in camcorders.
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Step 2
Understand effective pixels vs. gross pixels. Most manufacturers list both, but the number you are concerned with is effective pixels. Pixels are associated with the CCD--the more, the better.
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Step 3
Don’t worry about megapixels. While megapixels greatly effect still quality, it factors little into video quality.
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Step 4
Understand optical zoom vs. digital zoom. Digital zoom is not a true zoom—your camera will merely enlarge the pixels and make a cross-section of the image, giving the appearance of being closer. This creates distorted images when zoomed in very close, and will exaggerate any movement of the camera. Optical zoom is a true zoom where the lens moves in and out. When shopping, look for a camera with high optical zoom.
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Step 5
Think twice about automatic adjusting camcorders. Trusting a computer to determine what will make the picture look best isn’t always a good idea. While it might be nice for beginners, make sure you have the option to manually adjust as well.
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Step 6
Read reviews. Like most gadgets, it’s hard to tell whether or not a camcorder is worth the money until you’ve tried it out. Check the Internet for user reviews. Pay particular attention to low-light performance, battery life, ease of use and overall quality.
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Step 7
Try it out! Even if you are ordering online, go down to the store and take the camcorder or a similar model for a test play. Fiddle around with all the features. Try to find a place to test out the low-light performance.
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Step 8
Think twice about combination video and still camcorders. A general rule of thumb for cameras is do one thing and do it well. A camcorder that produces both high quality stills and high quality video is going to cost you a whole lot more than buying a camera and a camcorder separately.
