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Budget buyer
- I can't afford to spend too much on a camcorder, and I don't want a model that uses pricey cassettes or discs.
- I don't need an advanced feature set or compatibility with lots of accessories, and I don't mind a relatively bulky design either.
- I just want a basic camcorder that's easy to use.
The Specs That Matter
- Design Horizontal; vertical; compact
- Lens type 10X or greater zoom controlled via switch; electronic image stabilisation
- Sensor 1/6-inch CCD; 290,000-pixel or greater effective (a.k.a. actual) video resolution
- Minimum illumination rating 7 lux or lower
- Recording format MiniDV; Digital8
- Ports and connectors FireWire (a.k.a. i.Link or IEEE 1394); A/V; S-Video; microphone terminal
- Exposure controls Automatic; exposure shift
- Focus controls Automatic
- Viewfinder and LCD Black-and-white or colour viewfinder and/or 2.5-inch colour LCD
Mice features to look for
- Bundled video-editing software;
- digital effects;
- fader;
- remote control;
- analog-to-digital conversion for digitizing 8mm or Hi8 video
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