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Step 1: Tape or Disc?

One question you may ask yourself is whether you want a camera that records on to tapes or discs. Tapes and discs are just two of the formats onto which digital video can be recorded. Others include Hard Disk Drive Cameras, and Card Cams. To see an overview of the benefits and draw backs of the major formats please watch the VideoJug film.http://www.videojug.com/film/digital-video-cameras-tape-or-disc

Step 2: Pixels

Digital pictures are made up of hundreds of thousands of tiny dots of light arranged in a grid. Each of dots is called a "picture element" or a pixel. A mega-pixel is a million pixels. The greater the number of pixels the clearer your images will be, and the more realistic colours your camera will be able to capture. However, when considering a camera, always ask for the number of effective pixels a camera captures instead of the gross number of pixels. Effective pixels are the number the camera's CCD chip actually uses when recording.

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Step 3: CCDs

Pixel information is captured on a CCD chip behind the lens, the same way film captures light for a film camera. These chips come in different sizes. Most home camcorders have chips between 1/6-inch to 1/3-inch. The larger the CCD, the more light is taken in with the image, resulting in brighter pictures with better colours.

Another important factor is the number of chips. 3 chip cameras have a different chip for capture each primary colour - red, green and blue. 3-chip cameras give you far more vivid colours.

Step 4: Low Light Performance

As most home camcorders are used indoors, it is important to find a camera that can perform well in low lit conditions. The better models will not only have a number of automatic mode settings in their menus for dark conditions, but will also allow you to manually set features such as the iris and shutter speed to allow more light into the camera.

Some camcorders have an option called "gain" to help with filming in dark conditions. Using gain boosts the light levels being recorded, but be aware that the picture quality will suffer when using this function.

Some models even come with a night vision function, making it possible to shoot in pitch black conditions.

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Step 5: Zoom

On a digital camera there are 2 types of zoom. Digital and optical. Optical zooms are the important ones, as they maintain picture clarity. Some camcorders boast massive digital zooms, but all they are doing is enlarging a part of the existing picture, which means there are less pixels and the image becomes less clear.

Step 6: Image Stability

Apart from lowlight, the second biggest complaint for picture quality is shaky pictures. However, the most important feature for stability is how comfortable you are with the camera. Pick it up, imagine operating it. Is the weight distribution comfortable in your hand? Can you access the controls without fumbling for them?

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Step 7: Interconnectivity

Each camcorder will come with a number of sockets in the back to allow you to connect the video camera to a VCR or DVD recorder to transfer images, or to a computer for editing. Most have the sockets for the old fashioned red white and yellow audio-visual leads for connection to VCR and DVD recorders, but some also have S-video ports. Check what connections are on your computer, VCR or DVD recorder to ensure they are compatible. Mini-DV cameras will also have DV out ports to connect to your computer, but it is worth checking if the ports will also take information in so you can put edited films back on to tape from your computer.

Step 8: LCD Screen

Most modern camcorders come with LCD screens to view what you're filming and to review what you've already filmed. Again the more pixels on the LCD screen the better. Remember these screens use up the battery very quickly, ad can be hard to view in strong daylight, so it may be worth checking the camera also has a traditional viewfinder.

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Step 9: Sound

Unfortunately, most in built microphones on digital camcorders suffer from picking up handling noise from your camera. If sound is important to you, it is worth checking that you can fit an external microphone to your camera, and also if there is a headphones socket to monitor what you are recording.

Step 10: Manual Settings

If you like just pointing and shooting, a good selection of automatic settings in the menu will be useful. However, you may want to tailor your image to the conditions you are shooting in. Ask the salesperson if the camera comes with manual controls for the iris, focus, white balance, and shutter speed as these are all functions that effect your picture quality.

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Step 11: Where to Buy

Make sure your camera comes from a reputable source. The warranties from major department stores can save you money in the long run. Many stores are happy to give advice as they are not affiliated with any particular brand. Look for approved websites when purchasing from the net.

Step 12: Regional Formats

When ordering a camera from abroad, make sure it has the same operating system as in your home country. NTSC is used in the Americas, while PAL is the preferred system in Europe. If you try to match one with the other, the results are far from satisfactory.

1. Determine how much money you want to spend. Setting a budget, or at least a budget range, will help you avoid cameras that you could never afford. You can more easily target which models are affordable for you.

2. Carefully consider what you will usually be photographing. Is it family pictures of the kids playing? Will you be traveling often, and shooting landscapes? Look for cameras that have the best features for your needs. For instance, if you typically shoot sports and action, find a camera that can shoot at high speeds.

3. What is your experience level? If you are a beginner, look for models that seem easy to use. Go to the stores and handle the cameras personally. Find a camera that is as automated for things like flash, aperture, and so on. If you are more experienced, you will want a camera that gives the user more control.

4. Figure out what your photo printing needs are. For casual use and simply sharing 4x6 vacation photos with family, a basic 2-megapixel model is perfectly fine. If you plan to make larger prints, and make them frequently, you will need more megapixels.

5. How do you plan to store your images? If you have a computer with very little memory available and no CD burner, I don't recommend getting that hot, cool 7-megapixel camera even if your budget allows it. The images will be too large to store. If you do have a way to convert images to CDs or have a huge hard drive, go for it.

6. Do you already have devices that use one type of memory card? If your digital camcorder and PDA all use the Secure Digital memory card, this may be a major deciding factor when purchasing a digital camera. Why spend so much money on multiple styles of memory card when you can just use the same card with all those gadgets?

7. Will you be shooting a lot of close-ups, or frequently taking photos from a distance? Find a camera with a powerful optical zoom, certainly at least 3x.

8. Choose about two or three of the above features, and determine which is most important. This will help you quickly narrow down models to a few that are a good fit. For example, if you need to spend less than $300 but must print quality images, find the cameras offering the most megapixels for that amount.

9. Do some research online to compare the handful of models you have narrowed the field down to. (See my link below, "Where to Buy Digital Cameras.") Many sites offer digital camera searches by features, or offer side by side comparisons. Know all the specs and details before you even hit the stores (where in a frenzy and with pressure from salespeople, you may be tempted to buy prematurely).

10. Once you are down to two or three models you like, visit the stores and handle the cameras (even if you plan to buy online). Be sure to go to a store with working models, so you can play with the features and see the quality of the LCD screen. Pay attention to how it feels in your hands. Odds are, there won't be a memory card inside to allow you to take a picture, but pretend anyway to see if it's comfortable.

11. Now that you are down to one model, shop around for the best price. Look at the Sunday sales ads for electronics stores, and visit Web sites selling digital cameras. You could save even hundreds by shopping around for the best price. Of course, especially when it comes to the Web, cheapest is not always best. Do some homework on the seller as well.

12. Before you buy, decide if you want to purchase an optional warranty on the camera. Look at the vendor's site (see my link, "Digital Camera Manufacturers"), because the factory warranty may be sufficient.

13. Now you are ready to buy the camera and have fun!

14. But don't forget to save your receipt, the camera's box and all related warranty papers. Register your purchase with the manufacturer. This will all make it easier to make a warranty claim, as many camera-makers require documentation to honor a warranty.

Tips:
1. Be sure to select a model with a good LCD screen, even if you don't think you need one at all. At the store, examine the screen in the light and be sure you can see the images well. Almost every camera has an LCD screen, so you shouldn't pay more to get it. But it's a good idea to be sure it's large, easy to see and shows good detail.

2. Determine what type of batteries the camera uses. If you are a frequent shooter and it takes AAA batteries, you will blow through them. A rechargable battery may be a better choice.

3. Ask friends and family what digital cameras they have, and what they like or don't like about theirs. This is one of the best ways to get real feedback on a mode.

Evaluating Image Quality

Unfortunately, the average electronics store is not the best location for evaluating a camera's image quality. However, if you know what to look for, you can usually get a pretty good idea of how well a camera shoots.

Ideally, you want to be looking at the camera's footage on a high-quality monitor. Many electronic stores keep their cameras hooked up to video screens. If your only option is to use the camera's LCD screen, be aware that, because of their size, LCD screens do not provide a good measure of a camera's focus. Typically, images on an LCD look sharper than they really are. In addition, vendors usually crank up the brightness of LCD screens to make them easier to see in bright daylight. Finally, subtle color-balance problems as well as color accuracy issues are going to be difficult to judge on an LCD. With these issues in mind, these are some things you should look for when evaluating a camera's output quality:

* Color Accuracy Try to pay attention to whether or not the camera is accurately reproducing colors. Also, be sure to check the accuracy of different colors. CCDs are especially weak at reproducing blues, for example, so pay particular attention to all things blue in your image. Also, try to test the camera's color accuracy in different lighting situations. Some cameras will produce very different colors under tungsten lighting than with higher-temperature lights, for instance.

* Sensitivity How does the camera respond to low light? Most DV cameras are very good in low light situations, frequently being able to function with practically no light at all. Being able to function is one thing, however; being able to shoot an image with good color and no visual "noise" is another. Don't be wowed by a camera's ability to shoot in low light without making sure the resulting images will be suitable for your needs. With most cameras, images will get much noisier as light decreases.
* Overall Color Tone Does the camera have a particular color tendency? Sony cameras, for example, tend to produce rather cool images, with tones tending toward blue, while Canon cameras frequently yield warm images, which lean more towards browns. One approach is not by definition better than the other, but you might find that you have a preference for a particular color tone.

* Banding Many CCD-based cameras have a tendency to produce vertical white bands when exposed to bright lights. Point the camera at a bright light (but never at the sun) and then quickly tilt the camera down, and watch for a white flare or smear during the camera move. Finding one doesn't mean you have to reject the camera, but it does tell you that the camera has an idiosyncrasy that you may need to work around.

* Oversharpening Most cameras employ some sort of sharpening algorithm to improve image detail. This is all well and good unless the vendor has gone too far. Some cameras apply so much sharpening that high-contrast lines will appear jagged and broken -- a visual artifact that can be very distracting when the camera is moving. Shoot hard-edged, high-contrast lines -- telephone wires, for example -- and look for stair-stepped, moving artifacts.