How do I choose a family camcorder (video camera)?
DVD camcorders are never a good choice! Since it’s a family camcorder I’ll make a couple of assumptions – you’ll want to keep the video for a long time and it needs to be fairly robust. Look for an entry level MiniDV camcorder – they record to tapes which can be kept for years and, while you can’t use them as footballs, they’re able to stand some rough treatment. Don’t get too hung up on the specs – get something that feels right, with the controls where you expect to find them, and that’s within your budget. Don’t bother about how much optical zoom a camcorder’s got – they’re all adequate, and ignore digital zoom completely. I’d avoid camcorders with touch screen controls (sticky fingers!) and look for something with a viewfinder so it’s easier to use in bright sunlight. You’ll see a lot of (usually cheap) camcorders that record to memory cards. These are great for recording a few minutes of the kids playing and then watching the results straight away – they’re not so good for the lon
