Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Camcorder Guide - You Know You Don't Know Jack

I'm kind of jumping the 2011 camcorder buying season but it is a puzzlement. People say that they want to buy a camcorder. Then they purchase a camcorder and get upset that it doesn't meet their needs.

Research is not a dirty word. Yet I do understand that it can be time intensive to figure out what you want. No worries. Here are a few resources that you can use to narrow down your choices.

The Help Me Figure Out What I Want Method

One place for the time and research challenged folks to investigate is the CNet Digital Buying Guide. This will not take long, you make some decisions on:
  • do you want high definition, 
  • how much control you want over the camcorder
  • storage media; flash, hard drive or DVD
  • the size of the camcorder
  • do you want an external mic or other features
 Use this an an idea generator rather than what you should absolutely buy. Next, a little visual help.

The Can't You Just Show Me? Method

Consumer Reports does have a video that breaks down the type of camcorders and their features.



This is a good orientation about the types of camcorders, what they are used for and what to be aware of when you make a purchase. Consumer Reports is a subscription site but there are other videos on their Electronics video page that you can check out for more information.

The I Need Info Damn It! Method

Yes, you do need more information. If you reviewed the above resources you now are ready to boogie on over to Camcorder Info to get a better idea on what models are available and what you can expect at certain price ranges.  You also want to visit Steve's Digicams digital camcorder buying guide and the About.com Buying Camcorder page.

See, it doesn't take long. Don't waste money on the wrong equipment, know what you want and need before you make a purchase.

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