Cheap camcorders & digital camcorder deals from leading manufacturers

Todays Star Buy Camcorder offer is a Toshiba Camileo Pro HD Camcorder for only £119 + VAT.

Star Buy camcorder Buyers Guide.

Read the helpful hints and facts below before buying your Camcorder or Digital Camcorder.

Overview
The different Formats available
8mm:
Hi-8:
Digital 8 / DV:
Night Shot
Image Stabiliser
Zoom Ratings
Automatic focus
LCD Screens
The use of a Tripod
A Memory Stick
Bluetooth Technology

The dramatic changes in camcorder technology over almost two decades since their introduction to market means that the modern home moviemaker can now produce work that is almost studio like in its quality and presentation. The size, weight and range of models has been drastically reduced and there is now a wide range of recording formats available - that said, it becomes very important for the customer to make the right choice when choosing which model to go for. Here are some valuable guides to bear in mind when choosing your Camcorder.

This is the very popular equivalent of VHS, and provides equal recording quality. Normal 8mm tapes have the same resolution as VHS, but condense more tape into a smaller package. The size weight and sheer portability make these camcorders excellent value for money and their ease of use make them perfect for the first time buyer. Connection to other devices such as VCR's and TV's is also very simple.

The Hi-8 format offers the best quality you can get without going digital and is small and lightweight. The format is a higher-quality version of 8mm, much like SVHS is a better version of VHS, and provides higher picture and sound quality. Hi-8 camcorders are more expensive than VHS or normal 8mm, but you can see and hear the difference.

For superb picture resolution that gives lifelike images and crystal clear CD quality sound, the Digital 8 / DV, the digital version of the Hi-8 / 8mm camcorder format, is an excellent choice to make. The footage you take with these cameras can be downloaded directly on to your computer and some models offer the feature to be used as a webcam via the computers USB port. All digital camcorders have a special still-photo mode, which means that they can also be used as digital cameras.

Night Shot for recording in low light conditions without a separate video light. Zero-Lux camcorder models use a built-in infrared light so you can record quality, viewable footage in complete darkness.

Image Stabiliser reduces image shake whilst recording. High quality image stabilisers such as Super Steady Shot can cope with extreme vibration, such as filming from a moving car. You get a rock-solid picture, and the camcorder smoothes your movements if you pan or tilt the camera.

Zoom Ratings are expressed in the form of '100x', meaning 100 times.This is extremely useful for filming distant objects. Ideal for wildlife, sports footage, holidays or weddings. Instantly zoom with 1 button touch. Camcorders have both optical and digital zoom for enhanced quality.

Automatic Focus enables the camera to automatically focus on whatever is in the centre of your viewfinder.

LCD Screens allow you to clearly see what you're recording in full colour, then view your results at any time with sound. You can edit footage on the camcorder using individual built-in features.
A liquid crystal Digital Display (LCD) lets you see what you are recording in a natural way. You can achieve more angled shots by tilting the camcorder one way and tilting the viewfinder another (i.e for filming at a kid's level). This feature also makes playback easier than with a small viewfinder.

The use of a Tripod makes a big difference to professionalism. Avoids wobble, and you can appear in front of the camera.

A Memory Stick offers secure storage of digital still images and e-Movies and easy transfer of data to any other Memory Stick compatible appliance (eg Home PC). Only the size of a stick of chewing gum, you can store photography, MPEG movies & computer files.

Bluetooth Technology turns your camcorder into a virtual multimedia centre. Its an international standard in wireless data transmission so you can surf the web or send M-PEG e-Movies via email from your camcorder without wires or a PC.