DV VS DVD Camcorders
by Michelle Dudley
Should you get a DV or DVD camcorder? The first question you will need to ask yourself is what are you going to do with your videos? If your goal is to to watch them unedited then a MiniDVD camcorder will work just fine for you (as long as you record your videos in the highest quality mode available on the camcorder). When using a MiniDVD camcorder you will want to make a copy of your footage because unlike a tape where a small scratch or defect will result in a glitch in your video, a small scratch or defect on your DVD will make it unviewable. DVD software from Sonic or Nero will help you to make copies very easily. For your copies you will want to make one for you to watch and the other copy you should store in a cool dark place just in case the original gets damaged. If you do decide in the future that you want to edit the video from your MiniDVDs, you can with Adobe Premiere Elements software.
On the other side of the coin, if you plan on downloading your videos to your PC and editing them, then a MiniDV would be a better choice for you. Why? Because MiniDV's video is less compressed and it survives the editing process and comes out with a better quality.
Things to consider about a MiniDVD camcorder:
1. Has a short battery life.
2. Has a poor low light performance.
3. Slow to focus.
One of the best MiniDVD camcorders in a $300 price range is the Panasonic VDR-D12. It has optical image stabilization to overcome the effect of shaky hands - something that's important especially with 32X zoom. This model does not have poor light performance.