In order to capture the most important events in life or just make a funny video whenever you want, any family thinks about buying a video camera. What features does this technique have and what should I look for when choosing?
There are many varieties of video cameras, but how to choose a really suitable model? What characteristics to look for and which manufacturer to choose? Consider the features of the technique and the recommendations of specialists about which video camera is better to buy?
Types of Camcorders
All video cameras can be divided into several groups depending on their technical characteristics and purpose.
They are compact, easy to use and are in the middle price category. With these devices you can shoot family holidays, travels, events from life or record incidents. They do not take up much space, so they can be easily taken with you on the road. Most amateur camcorders are manually configured and have several shooting options.
Many people ask: what is better to buy a camcorder for high-quality shooting? Experts recommend considering the purchase of a professional analogue. Such devices can be used both for shooting at home, and for shooting video for television or a blog on the Youtube channel. They are distinguished by great functionality, different shooting modes, all kinds of parameters that are manually configured. Often such cameras are equipped with high-resolution matrices, a microphone for high-quality sound recording and interchangeable options. They also differ in larger size than amateur counterparts.
This is a separate type of device that is gaining more and more popularity every year, especially among people who engage in active sports. These cameras can shoot good quality video in extreme conditions or with a constantly moving dynamic picture. Most often they are used in motor sports, with high-speed descents from the mountains on skis or bicycles, during parachute jumps or bridges. Cameras are small in size, not subject to moisture or mechanical damage. In addition, they can easily be attached to some equipment dressed for a person. The lens that this camcorder has is wide-angle, so it allows you to convey the full range of emotions in dynamic shooting.
They have two built-in lenses that allow you to shoot video for later viewing in 3D. Most often, there is no such need for home shooting. In addition, many cameras can be supplemented with the 3D option if necessary and for a fee.
How to determine the model of the camcorder?
Everyone is concerned about the question: which is better to buy a camcorder for the home and what to look for when buying? But before choosing a model or type of camera, you need to decide what it is for. After all, the market has many different models with various options, so here you can get confused as a beginner or a professional.
Features of the choice:
- We determine what a video camera is for.
If shooting is needed only for amateur home videos, then bulky professional devices are not necessary. If a person buys a camera with the hope that in the future he will become a professional blogger or videographer at gala and other events, then it is worth considering more professional models.
- Where will the captured video be played?
If the video will be watched on a home computer or an ordinary TV, then there is no need for cameras with high-resolution cameras, and often these are professional models. If this is a smart TV with a higher screen resolution, then it is worth taking a closer look at more expensive models that provide high-quality shooting.
- Where will the shooting take place?
Before deciding which one is better to buy a video camera for high-quality shooting, it is worth understanding where the main shooting location will take place. This can be at home, on the street, on the road or during active travel, as well as night shooting - the type of video camera that is required directly depends on these factors.
- Frequency of use and duration of the video.
Depending on how often you plan to use the camera, as well as how long the video will be, the device class is selected. For home shooting with occasional use, an amateur model is quite suitable. But before deciding, it is worth examining the parameters of the selected model, on which both the quality and the maximum shooting duration depend.
When familiarizing yourself with the parameters, you need to pay attention to the resolution of the matrix, the type of image stabilizer, the presence of the shooting option in the dark and autoflash, the optics and the approximation quality of the video.
Important camcorder options
In order for the purchase to be successful and to be sure which cameras are better to buy, you still need to know the options in the device - important, primary and necessary.
You should not choose a camcorder with a large number of megapixels, image quality does not depend on them, but on the characteristics and features of the matrix. The larger its extension, the higher the video quality.
Today, there are many types of video cameras, regardless of price category, which are equipped with a good lens with high-quality optics. But which camcorder is best for home? Zoom over 10x for amateur home shooting is not needed, moreover, if the camera has an optical stabilizer. A five-fold increase is a perfectly optimal solution. Of greater importance here is the “wide-angle” of the lens, that is, what angle of space it can cover.
Well suited for shooting in sunny weather, but expensive models have this option. The optimal focus option is from 30 to 35 mm.
The most important element of every device. The duration of the camera’s operation without recharging directly depends on its quality and characteristics. Experts recommend that before deciding which digital video camera is better, familiarize yourself with the battery parameters. If necessary, stock up on extra.
All camcorders come with a microphone and record fairly high-quality sound. But in order to do, for example, reporting or making concerts, it is worth paying attention to the fact that if necessary a stereo microphone is connected to the camera, for which an additional input is required.
This option is more like an additional rather than a basic one. If necessary, you can supplement your camera with such functionality, but it is not very popular for amateur home shooting. Therefore, the answer to the question of which is better to buy a camcorder for the home, will be not so much additional functions as the device’s capabilities.
A camera equipped with an LED flashlight is a good option for shooting video at night or in a dark room. But for this you need to make sure whether it can be used when shooting video or only photos. In addition, the built-in spotlight illuminates only 1-2 m, which may not be quite enough.
Optics and Scaling: Features
Optics is the most important characteristic in any device for shooting video. Therefore, before answering the question which video camera is better to buy, it is worth knowing its features. Image quality, and accordingly, the quality of shooting depends directly on the optics and scalability.
Well-known camcorder manufacturers equip their equipment with professional lenses that have good zoom quality and magnification. If you need to shoot video from home distance in home shooting and so that it does not lose quality, you should choose high-quality optics. If this is not necessary, a three- or five-fold increase in the image is an acceptable characteristic of the optics, and at the same time at an affordable price for the model itself.
Interfaces and Equipment
The answer to the question of which mini-camcorder is better will be a mix of all kinds of parameters, where the interface and equipment are of great importance. The most convenient interface in the home camera is USB. The option allows you to easily transfer the captured video to a computer or laptop. LANC - needed when the camera is planned to be controlled remotely. So that no one copied the video and the image was not lost when transferring the image, it is worth considering the HDMI image.
The HD-SDI interface is used to transmit high-resolution video, but the transmission speed is low. In addition, the camera may have a headphone input in order to view and listen to video in a noisy room.
The camcorder can be equipped with an LCD screen to see the features of the image directly during shooting. The flash allows you to shoot in the dark, and an option such as PictBridge eliminates the need to transfer the captured video, since everything happens automatically.
An interchangeable lens, a remote control or a lighting lamp are additional equipment options for the camcorder, which are usually not needed at home.
Flash memory or hard drive: which is better?
In order to make a quality purchase and know which is better to buy a digital video camera, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the features of the device’s memory. The best storage device for information on the device is solid state memory. It can be in the form of a memory card or built directly into the camcorder.
But there is also a storage medium in the form of an HDD. Its distinctive feature is the ability to store a large amount of information, but devices with this type of memory are more sensitive to shaking and sudden movements when shooting.
The most optimal memory size is 32 GB, but you need to make sure that it is possible to increase the built-in or removable memory in the camcorder.
What camcorder to buy a blogger on Youtube?
Before deciding which one is best to buy a digital video camera, it is worth clearly indicating the purpose of its use. Blogging on the Youtube portal is a fairly common activity recently in people of different age categories. Depending on the topic of the blog, you may need a different modification of the camcorder.
Buying initially expensive equipment is not worth it, especially if a person is new to his business. For video, an amateur camera for home shooting is well suited. Perhaps at first you can use a smartphone in order to understand the intricacies of the case.
Action cameras are suitable for maintaining a dynamic blog, but if a person plans to shoot only in a calm or home environment, then it is easier to use more budgetary and easy to manage modifications.
Which portable camcorder is better to buy? Experts recommend at the first stages to give preference to models Sony RX100 Mark IV, Sony RX100 Mark III, Panasonic Lumix GH4 or Panasonic G7. They are compact, comfortable, have all the necessary functionality, but the sound will have to be recorded separately. If you plan to shoot not only video, but also good quality photos, then the Canon 80D model with a built-in microphone is a great solution.
Mandatory in the camcorder for blogging, even when shooting at home, support for 4K. This option allows video editing without loss of quality, but a powerful computer is required.
Action camera or conventional?
Many people wonder which camcorder is better to buy - action or normal for home use. Often amateur and simple devices are chosen for the home. But if the family leads an active lifestyle or plans to shoot a certain dynamic video sequence, then you cannot do without a compact action camera.
The advantage of an action camera is its mobility. In order to attach it to any place, there are all kinds of belts, suction cups, Velcro and additional accessories. It is worth paying attention to the quality of fasteners. The camcorder must hold firmly and securely in a specific place.
Regarding the quality of a conventional camera and action modifications, it all depends on the selected device model. A dynamic picture can also be on an amateur camera with good optics and wide resolution. Action cameras also increase the viewing angle of space, that is, when shooting on such a device, more elements fall into the frame.
Tips on which camcorder to choose in a car, or consumer reviews suggest that an action camera is better in this case. In addition, the quality of dynamic shooting will be many times higher, and the viewing angle is much wider. This may be necessary in certain cases. For home and simple shooting, you should not overpay, from a number of amateur cameras you can find an excellent option for properties and characteristics.
The best camcorders and their specifications
To finally decide which camcorder is better to buy, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the features of the most popular models on the market.
Panasonic HC-V760 |
20x optical zoom allows you to shoot a high-quality picture, even if it is quite far away. The device weighs only 350 g. Among the minuses can be noted the low build quality and not too responsive touch screen. |
Canon Legria HF R706 |
A budget device with good features. It is characterized by ease of use, despite the presence of 38 different modes, as well as small dimensions. Among the minuses can be noted poor quality in low light. |
Sony Handycam HDR-CX900 |
Suitable for professional home shooting, video is shot in Full HD. The device is equipped with ZEISS optics and a matrix with backlight. Among the shortcomings can be noted a high price category and difficulty in using. Such a camera will not work for a beginner. |
Sony HDR-CX405B |
High quality, image clarity and low cost. From Sony which camcorder is better, one cannot say for sure. Any modification has excellent quality and long service life. |
JVC Everio GZ-R415 |
Quality devices, waterproof, moisture and dust resistant, excellent design and diverse functionality. Optical zoom - 40x, which allows you to shoot from a very long distance. The device can work up to five hours without recharging and has no drawbacks in use. Price category - medium. |
PANASONIC HC-VX980EG-K |
Excellent color rendering when shooting, the option to switch from UltraHD to FullHD mode. The camera is equipped with a Leica lens, has a convenient menu and the ability to transfer video from a smartphone in real time. Among the minuses can be noted a high price category. |
It is the cameras of Sony and PANASONIC companies that are most popular with consumers, although in recent years many new products with not worse characteristics have appeared. What is the best Panasonic camcorder ? It all depends on the nature of the shooting and the necessary functions for a particular consumer.
Output
The choice of a video camera for home and family is an important purchase, and it must be approached with knowledge of the matter. Given the selection factors and features of some models, as well as the nature of their use, you can choose a really convenient, easy to use and budget device.
There are many varieties of video cameras, it is important to decide on what plan the shooting will take place in the first place, and only then look for it according to the necessary parameters. The choice of a professional device is not always the best option, since they must be able to use it. For a family, it’s quite possible to choose a budget amateur option with a set of only the most necessary options. This will capture all the important events, such as the birth of a child, birthdays, anniversaries or just spending time together.
But to answer the question which video camera is the best is impossible, since each user chooses the type or class of products according to their personal preferences. It is important to be guided by both expert advice and user reviews, and the convenience and preferences in the device interface.