By
eHow Electronics Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Get a camcorder with good audio performance and the ability to accept external microphones. Look for models that accept XLR plugs, which are the industry standard for professional microphones.
Step2
Choose manual controls for making changes to focus, shutter speed and exposure. You will need to fiddle with these parameters so that your camcorder can capture all of the gorgeous details of the wedding.
Step3
Select a model with manual control over the camcorder’s white balance. White balance affects the camera’s entire color performance.
Step4
Check the camcorder’s low light performance. The ISO number measures the camcorder’s sensitivity to light. ISO 400 is a dead minimum for shooting indoors.
Step5
Pick a modest optical zoom over a huge digital zoom. Digital zoom works by enlarging the pixels, which rapidly degrades picture definition.
Step6
Look for decent still performance. Although you won’t be replacing the wedding photographer any time soon, the ability to make quality stills with your camcorder is a nice bonus.
Step7
Buy a sturdy, lightweight tripod. Not even the best stabilization will hold the image perfectly steady.