Lenses and Viewing

The lens quality is important because, with a low-quality lens, you get a low-quality image. This may not be important for the casual videographer, but for someone who uses their camcorder for more than just hobby, this is vital. As with a still-image camera, the lens will have an optical zoom and a digital zoom. Optical zoom is considered more important by experts, and a 10X zoom is generally deemed more than adequate for most consumers’ needs.

Digital zoom takes over after the optical zoom has done its job. The problem with digital zoom is that it focuses more on enlarging part of the image, which can make the overall result very grainy and pixilated. Ideally, the consumer should only need to use the digital zoom at a low setting to achieve the image he or she wants. Aftermarket lenses and lens accessories can be purchased for as little as $10, though prices can run well into the hundreds. Whether or not that image has been obtained can be determined through the use of the viewfinder or LCD screen.

LCD (liquid crystal display) screens have become standard on modern camcorders and can aid the consumer in getting just the right shot. The larger the screen, the more of the shot the user can see. Currently, the average screen size is between 2 ½”-4”. Unfortunately, LCD screens don’t always do well in bright or direct sunlight, and outside is where people often utilize their camcorders. If image distortion on the screen occurs, the best option is to switch to the viewfinder. A bonus of using the viewfinder over the LCD screen is the battery life. LCD screens can burn through the battery power much faster than the viewfinder.

The resulting videos you can watch on TV or the computer. You can edit the videos on the computer and burn to DVD. Be burned in the period in which the data to DVD, you can play an online game of your choice from Bigpoint and bridge so the time. You could try, for example, the new online game Battlestar Galactica or one of many other games. The finished DVD can then show your friends or give it away.