HD camcorders: Buyer's guide - Part Three
Media transfer Today’s camcorders routinely transfer data via a USB 2.0 connection. This is good news for people with one of the most-recent MacBook models, which lack a FireWire port. Unlike full-size camcorders, which include mini-USB ports, pocket camcorders have full-size USB connectors. A push of a button usually releases the connector so it’s ready to plug into a USB 2.0 port. For cameras that use removable media—an SD card, for example—you can optionally eject the media from the camera and plug it into a card reader attached to your Mac.
Inputs and outputs In addition to a USB port, HD camcorders can include a variety of other ports for moving audio and video in and out of the camera. Mini-HDMI ports for connecting the camera to an HDTV or an HD receiver are commonly found on full-size HD camcorders. You might also find an AV-out port that lets you send component analog video to an analog device such as a TV set, a video recorder, or a video-capture card. Many full-size camcorders also include microphone and headphone ports.
Image stabilization Even if you don’t load up on caffeine, your hands are going to shake when holding a camcorder. To take the resulting shake out of a camcorder’s video, manufacturers include image-stabilization technology in their full-size camcorders. It can’t do much for wild movements, so it’s no substitute for a tripod—but it will smooth out the mild shake you commonly get when holding a camera. When you zoom in all the way, image stabilization makes it easier to frame your shot and hold it steady. Pocket camcorders don’t include image stabilization, so the video they capture is likely to be shaky unless you use a tripod or have unearthly muscle control. (As with zoom, optical stabilization is preferable to digital stabilization.)
Still capture Full-size camcorders can also take still images, just like a digital camera (some can do this while you’re shooting). Cameras will rate their still-image capabilities by the number of megapixels captured—3.0 megapixels, for example. While having the ability to capture still images is nice, it’s not these cameras’ strongest feature and therefore shouldn’t be a major factor in your buying decision. Most of today’s point-and-shoot cameras will produce better-looking pictures than a camcorder (and camcorders usually produce better looking videos than still cameras with video functionality, although there is a new crop of still cameras that can shoot HD video). Of the pocket camcorders, only the Kodak Zi6 captures still images.
Manual control While camcorders are normally operated as point-and-shoot devices, there will be times when you want greater control over exposure and focus—for example, if you’re shooting on a bright sunny day and want the camera to compensate with a more sympathetic white balance, or if you’re shooting in low light and the camera’s autofocus doesn’t track your subject as well as you’d like. The ability to select a white-balance setting, adjust exposure, and manually control focus is handy. The more expensive a full-size camcorder is, the greater manual control you’re likely to get. Pocket camcorders truly are point-and-shoot and offer no exposure or focus controls.