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I've decided to buy a video camera but i'm clueless when it comes to knowing how it should be. I want to use it to make short films but it shouldn't be too expensive. Can you give me some articles to read to acquaintance myself with what features a good but not-exceptional video camera should have so i'll know what to look for when i buy one? thanks
Answer
(I posted this for similar question here on YA but edited some of it for you).
You did not state your budget so you may get suggestions for many camcorders. So I'll answer part of your question, what to look for.
First decide how viewers will see your work; DVD, web, etc. And you'll need an appropriate video editing program that will support the video format of your cam. Plus your computer needs to be able to handle the video format, as some formats like HD is very compressed and requires a computer with lots of proper and memory.
You may want to avoid camcorders that use a drive, like a hard disk drive (HDD) and miniDVD drive. These moving drives use more power and are subject to failure should the camera be dropped or abruptly jolted. HDD don't like high altitudes and DVD cams are difficult to edit (takes more steps, and you need a ripping program to access the actual video files on the DVD if you want to edit them). The better choice would be flash memory (internal and memory card; Dual-flash). Or even miniDV tapes.
You will want a camcorder that has an external microphone input port (many lower priced cams do not, except the $99.00 Kodak Zi8 pocket cam). Using a good quality mic will make the audio of your video projects more appeasing. Good audio is more important than the video imagery.
You may want a cam with manual focus. Although many consumer-grade cams do a good job of auto-focus, they don't do well if you are trying to pin-point a subject within objects such as tree branches, crowds of people, etc. It's much easier to 'lock' focus on the subject.
LCD screen and a viewfinder. A cam with a viewfinder will make it easier to manually focus, but they tend to be small (like on palm-held cams) so they can be a challenge to use. You will also want to buy an LCD shade screen. The screens are hard to see on a bright day outdoors.
Iris control is found on pro-sumer cams; it controls the aperture of your lens. Many cams come with presets, but it's nice to control the iris manually.
Shutter control is also important. Most shutter speeds are set based on the frames-per-second that you set your camera at, like 30fps or 60fps for example. But it's nice to be able to go lower or higher and still keep the cam set at 30fps or 60fsp.
Threaded lens for filters or lens adapters. Some cams don't have a threaded lens for adding a filter or a wide-angle lens.
Accessory shoe. Some cams don't have a shoe to mount a light or a mic on top of the cam. But you can use under-camera brackets.
Low Lux. This may or may not be the biggest factor to you when choosing a camera because most small consumer-grade cams have such small sensors and lenses that these cameras don't do real well in low light. Video likes lots of light so keep that in mind.
There are many articles on the net on how to choose a camcorder but many are several years old. The link below is a from 2010:
(I posted this for similar question here on YA but edited some of it for you).
You did not state your budget so you may get suggestions for many camcorders. So I'll answer part of your question, what to look for.
First decide how viewers will see your work; DVD, web, etc. And you'll need an appropriate video editing program that will support the video format of your cam. Plus your computer needs to be able to handle the video format, as some formats like HD is very compressed and requires a computer with lots of proper and memory.
You may want to avoid camcorders that use a drive, like a hard disk drive (HDD) and miniDVD drive. These moving drives use more power and are subject to failure should the camera be dropped or abruptly jolted. HDD don't like high altitudes and DVD cams are difficult to edit (takes more steps, and you need a ripping program to access the actual video files on the DVD if you want to edit them). The better choice would be flash memory (internal and memory card; Dual-flash). Or even miniDV tapes.
You will want a camcorder that has an external microphone input port (many lower priced cams do not, except the $99.00 Kodak Zi8 pocket cam). Using a good quality mic will make the audio of your video projects more appeasing. Good audio is more important than the video imagery.
You may want a cam with manual focus. Although many consumer-grade cams do a good job of auto-focus, they don't do well if you are trying to pin-point a subject within objects such as tree branches, crowds of people, etc. It's much easier to 'lock' focus on the subject.
LCD screen and a viewfinder. A cam with a viewfinder will make it easier to manually focus, but they tend to be small (like on palm-held cams) so they can be a challenge to use. You will also want to buy an LCD shade screen. The screens are hard to see on a bright day outdoors.
Iris control is found on pro-sumer cams; it controls the aperture of your lens. Many cams come with presets, but it's nice to control the iris manually.
Shutter control is also important. Most shutter speeds are set based on the frames-per-second that you set your camera at, like 30fps or 60fps for example. But it's nice to be able to go lower or higher and still keep the cam set at 30fps or 60fsp.
Threaded lens for filters or lens adapters. Some cams don't have a threaded lens for adding a filter or a wide-angle lens.
Accessory shoe. Some cams don't have a shoe to mount a light or a mic on top of the cam. But you can use under-camera brackets.
Low Lux. This may or may not be the biggest factor to you when choosing a camera because most small consumer-grade cams have such small sensors and lenses that these cameras don't do real well in low light. Video likes lots of light so keep that in mind.
There are many articles on the net on how to choose a camcorder but many are several years old. The link below is a from 2010:
I was thinking about getting the Samsung Captivate for AT&T.?
StlCards11
I don't know for sure but I think I'm getting the samsung captivate in a couple of days. What are the best things and themes you can do or put on this android powered phone.
Answer
Galaxy S with Android 2.1 OS
Do you want the whole world in your hands? How about the whole universe? Tens of thousands of apps populate Android Market -- everything from popular games to productivity tools to constellation maps. Powered by the latest Android platform (and upgradeable to 2.2), this phone fully integrates with Google Mobile Services. You're now at one with your Gmail account, Google Maps, YouTube videos and more.
Super AMOLED 4" Touchscreen
Your world just got brighter and you don't even need shades. Experience HD-quality video recording that's clearly detailed, extraordinarily vivid and astonishingly colorful on the brilliant 4-inch Super AMOLED screen. Movies, games and websites all come to life even in broad daylight thanks to an anti-reflective screen. One of the thinnest, most responsive smartphones in the world, it also uses less power and has a longer battery life.
Integrated Social Networking Capabilities
This phone integrates your email, social networking and phone contacts into one address book -- and combines your Google Calendar and social networking calendars. Also, you can instantly post your status and upload pics to Facebook, MySpace and Twitter with the Feeds & Updates app, as well as instantly see recent posts from friends and family on your home screen thanks to Buddies Now.
Stream, Record and Store Video
The powerful 1GHz Hummingbird processor and surround-sound stereo quality ensure fast and vibrant videos and graphics, while the 16 gigs of built-in memory and is expandable up to another 32GB, so you can store loads of videos and MP3s. There's a 3.5mm ear jack so you can use your regular headphones. Direct your own flicks with the 5.0MP camera and camcorder with autofocus and HD video recording (720p), and then stream it to your DLNA-enabled HDTV.
Faster Texting with Swype®
There is simply no faster way to text, and there is the 2010 Guinness World Record to prove it. The virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype technology lets you input text lightning-fast without lifting a finger. Follow all the back-and-forth text conversations with threaded messaging. Partial to instant, photo and video messaging are all available too. While you're at it, stay on top of work email via Exchange.
Access the Internet with a Full HTML browser
Explore what the Internet has to offer in full-color glory at blazing speeds. The full HTML browser lets you experience the Web just like you do on a desktop. Unlike your desktop, the WiFi-enabled Captivate gives you total mastery over the web page with advanced touchscreen capabilities such as Pinch-to-Zoom, drag & drop and Vertical & Horizontal swiping. Whether you're accessing location-based services or uploading pics to Facebook, you're doing it on the nation's fastest 3G network.
Sync and Share Digital Content with AllShareâ¢
Transform the way you enjoy the HD video and pictures taken with your mobile device. You can wirelessly stream your movies, music and photos to your DLNA Certified® TV, PC or home theater. With AllShare⢠itâs easy to enjoy all of your content across DLNA Certified® devices.
Eco-Friendly
The Samsung Reclaim is the first mobile phone in the U.S. built using âBio-Plasticâ materials extracted from corn. This Bio-plastic material is 100% biodegradable. The Bio-Plastic materials make up 40% of the phoneâs casing.
Galaxy S with Android 2.1 OS
Do you want the whole world in your hands? How about the whole universe? Tens of thousands of apps populate Android Market -- everything from popular games to productivity tools to constellation maps. Powered by the latest Android platform (and upgradeable to 2.2), this phone fully integrates with Google Mobile Services. You're now at one with your Gmail account, Google Maps, YouTube videos and more.
Super AMOLED 4" Touchscreen
Your world just got brighter and you don't even need shades. Experience HD-quality video recording that's clearly detailed, extraordinarily vivid and astonishingly colorful on the brilliant 4-inch Super AMOLED screen. Movies, games and websites all come to life even in broad daylight thanks to an anti-reflective screen. One of the thinnest, most responsive smartphones in the world, it also uses less power and has a longer battery life.
Integrated Social Networking Capabilities
This phone integrates your email, social networking and phone contacts into one address book -- and combines your Google Calendar and social networking calendars. Also, you can instantly post your status and upload pics to Facebook, MySpace and Twitter with the Feeds & Updates app, as well as instantly see recent posts from friends and family on your home screen thanks to Buddies Now.
Stream, Record and Store Video
The powerful 1GHz Hummingbird processor and surround-sound stereo quality ensure fast and vibrant videos and graphics, while the 16 gigs of built-in memory and is expandable up to another 32GB, so you can store loads of videos and MP3s. There's a 3.5mm ear jack so you can use your regular headphones. Direct your own flicks with the 5.0MP camera and camcorder with autofocus and HD video recording (720p), and then stream it to your DLNA-enabled HDTV.
Faster Texting with Swype®
There is simply no faster way to text, and there is the 2010 Guinness World Record to prove it. The virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype technology lets you input text lightning-fast without lifting a finger. Follow all the back-and-forth text conversations with threaded messaging. Partial to instant, photo and video messaging are all available too. While you're at it, stay on top of work email via Exchange.
Access the Internet with a Full HTML browser
Explore what the Internet has to offer in full-color glory at blazing speeds. The full HTML browser lets you experience the Web just like you do on a desktop. Unlike your desktop, the WiFi-enabled Captivate gives you total mastery over the web page with advanced touchscreen capabilities such as Pinch-to-Zoom, drag & drop and Vertical & Horizontal swiping. Whether you're accessing location-based services or uploading pics to Facebook, you're doing it on the nation's fastest 3G network.
Sync and Share Digital Content with AllShareâ¢
Transform the way you enjoy the HD video and pictures taken with your mobile device. You can wirelessly stream your movies, music and photos to your DLNA Certified® TV, PC or home theater. With AllShare⢠itâs easy to enjoy all of your content across DLNA Certified® devices.
Eco-Friendly
The Samsung Reclaim is the first mobile phone in the U.S. built using âBio-Plasticâ materials extracted from corn. This Bio-plastic material is 100% biodegradable. The Bio-Plastic materials make up 40% of the phoneâs casing.
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