For comparison, I checked on some Canon Products at the web , since I know that it is also a good and trusted brand. I wanted a camcorder for beginners, since it is just for personal use. Canon DVD and MiniDV digital camcorders offers the best when it comes to it’s performance and features. It is said to have easy operational directions that you can follow in capturing that special moment. I find Canon’s site so user friendly because their products are viewed at once, then you just have to click the product of your choice too see it’s specifications and features. The VIXIA HF -100 is a good product to date

When buying a digital video camera, it is necessary to understand all the features that a model offers. A strong selling point of this equipment is the zoom capabilities. A novice videographer should then be familiar with the difference between optical zoom and digital zoom.
Optical zoom is the actual reach of the camera’s lens. It actually moves you closer to the object you are taking a shot of. On the other hand, digital zoom brings the shot from a wide perspective to a more focused one.
For sharper images, optical zoom capability should be taken more into account over digital zoom.

If possible, take a demo unit of the digital video camera you plan to buy outside before making a purchase. Many of the LCD screens on camcorders don’t perform well in bright sunlight, making it next to impossible to see what you’re recording. There are little visors you can get to shade the LCD screen from the sun, but that’s also one more thing to carry. If you can find a camcorder with a great LCD screen, you’ll be better served.

If you find the LCD isn’t performing up to par in bright light, the Hoodman LCD sun shade is likely your best alternative. –Jake Ludington

If you buy a digital video camera, you need a tripod to go with it. There’s no other accessory, outside of a longer life battery, that will improve your video recording experience. The key here is to get the right tripod. It’s tempting to get the off-the-shelf options at the electronics store, but they always fall short. Look for a fluid-head. Make sure the tripod extends high enough to shoot effectively - 72-inches is a good starting point, because anything less often leaves you shooting the backs of people’s heads in a crowded area. eBay offers a great selection of fluid-head tripods at competitive prices. –Jake Ludington

The current range of digital video cameras with digital still camera functionality is inferior to almost all digital still cameras. The idea of a combined camera is better in concept than it is in practice. If taking digital stills is important, get a camera designed for taking digital stills. Focus on the core video features when buying a digital video camera and think of the digital still functions as a convenient bonus if they happen to work well. If you’re dead set on getting a camera with both features, get a digital still camera with video functions - the still cameras take better video than the video cameras. –Jake Ludington

I’ve seen the CANON DC40 and I am impressed. Canon DC40 is very attractive with a functional design It was built with solid quality. The videcam is very decent daytime and surprisingly solid low-light video quality and has a broad set of semimanual photo and video controls.

However,the videocam also has its boo-boos. It has small LCD and it uses Mini SD cards rather than standard SD. It has a blinding video light and there’s no S-Video input for converting analog video to DVDs.

The important bottomline here is that the Canon DC40 definitely deserves a spot on your short list of DVD camcorders.

Getting the right features in a camera is important. It’s also vital to make sure the camera you are buying fits you. Can you hold the camera steady while shooting video? Is the video camera comfortable in your hand? Are the buttons placed in a way that makes them easy to press without jostling the camera during recording? Is the camera a size you’re comfortable taking with you, or is it too big so you’ll never use it? Will the camcorder fit in your purse or do you need a separate bag? All these are questions that help determine whether a digital video camera is a good fit for your needs. –Jake Ludington

Digital zoom is the measure of a cameras ability to magnify pixels in an image. You don’t get a close up shot with digital zoom, you get an enlarged version of the best optical zoom your camera supports, which ultimately results in grainy looking video. This is the same effect as blowing up a digital image to 500% (or more) in image preview mode on your computer. The bigger the image gets, the worse it looks. Optical zoom performance is the number that matters when choosing a digital video camera. Optical zoom measures a camera’s ability to magnify an image to give you great looking close-up shots. If zoom is important to your digital video recording needs, either spend the money on a better optical zoom or buy an after market add-on lens that further enhances your cameras optical ability. Both options will give you better looking video than turning on digital zoom. –Jake Ludington