| A camcorder is defined as a portable electronic | | | | should be very clear about the working and |
| device that is used for recording audio and video | | | | functioning of both before making the purchase. |
| with the help of a built-in recorder unit. | | | | Digital zoom is not really a zoom. An optical zoom |
| Camcorders are made up of three main | | | | actually allows the user to change the field of |
| components which are the lens, imager, and the | | | | view of the image. This allows the photographer |
| recorder. | | | | to widen out the lens for a landscape shot, or |
| | | | | zoom in to shoot a portrait. Many professional |
| The lens is used to collect the light and focus it on | | | | digital camcorders come with a combination of |
| the imager. The imager in turn converts this light | | | | optical and digital zooms. |
| incident on it into an electrical signal. The final step | | | | |
| includes encoding the video signal into a storable | | | | Today's video cameras are available in very |
| form which is performed by the recorder. | | | | affordable price range which makes them available |
| | | | | to a wide range of consumers. They are also |
| Earlier the camcorders used to be of analog types | | | | available in various styles such as typical video |
| which used the technique of analog recording to | | | | camera shaped to small flip camcorders and |
| capture the audio and video images. Today, with | | | | handy digi-cams. The most popular video cameras |
| the advancement in technology, these gadgets | | | | today are the flip, pocket, flip ultra pocket, DVD |
| are now much more sophisticated and | | | | and HD camcorders. |
| technologically superior to the ones available in | | | | |
| earlier days. Today, there are technologically | | | | Today, it is next to impossible to imagine |
| advanced digital camcorders are available that | | | | electronic media or any TV productions without |
| record videos on flash memory devices, micro | | | | these digital video cameras. They have become a |
| drives, hard disks or DVD-Rs using MPEG-1, | | | | part of our lives that not only create |
| MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 formats. | | | | masterpieces for televisions but capture the |
| | | | | joyous and memorable moments of our lives. |
| Most of these digital camcorders allow the user to | | | | These are perhaps the most popular and widely |
| zoom in or zoom out to change the perspective | | | | loved electronic devices in the world that allow |
| of the image. There are video cameras that are | | | | you to take memories of the present and |
| available with digital zoom and optical zoom | | | | capture them to cherish forever. |
| facilities. Both perform different functions and one | | | | |