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I can recall, with utter accuracy, the exact date when digital video cameras became readily available to the general public-it was precisely the day when I finally understood the ins and outs of analog cameras. Just when you begin to feel up-to-date, technology stands you up at the door. So, in order that you don't fall behind the times, here are some helpful hints on digital video cameras:

One of the first things I demanded to know when digital video cameras began to get popular was: how are they different? See, I have this sneaking suspicion that new "technologically advanced" products are nothing more than old merchandise in a shiny new dress. I am, of course, ordinarily wrong-and digital video cameras were certainly no exception to this. Comparing old fashioned video cameras to digital ones is akin to comparing CD's to tapes-in other words, digital video cameras rely on coded information (in the form of 1's and 0's) rather than analog data. By employing digital coding, information captured on your digital video camera can be universally swapped with your similarly coded computer-meaning that videos can easily be sent to friends, posted on the internet, or edited on computer programs like Final Cut, Avid, iMovies, and Adobe Premier.

The next thing I clamored to know is: how hard will it be to use one of these things? The answer to this question completely depends on your purchase. Obviously, there exist bevies of digital video cameras intent on vexing and perplexing their users with billions of buttons and options (filters, not-so-special effects, and linear, in-camera editing hardware). Conversely, there additionally exist digital video cameras that are, at once, simple, easy to use, and affordable. Canon's ZR-65MC and ZR-60 are compact, sleek, simple, and relatively inexpensive (squeaking under $500). Sony's DCR-TRV350 and DCR-TRV250 run the gamut in customers from professional to neophyte with shoals of features that are user-friendly and a great value. Panasonic counters with the PV-DV103 and PV-DV203, both of which are great digital video cameras for beginners as well as Samsung's entry level camera (SCD-33).

The myriad of options available on most lines of digital video cameras tend to boggle the mind and glaze the eyes. The word "codec" might be tossed around at the camera store (as in: this digital video camera has codec hardware). What does this mean? Codec is simply the means by which the video stream (images you've captured with your digital video camera) is either compressed or decompressed. Sometimes, the camera itself compresses information (hardware codec) and sometimes the computer to which you are transfer said video compresses the stream (software codec). Either option is viable and, ordinarily, equally affordable. In most cases, computers operating at or over 300 megahertz will be able to continuously play your video stream (meaning that it compresses at the speed of play), making the codec software versus hardware debate a moot one.

In the end, purchasing digital video cameras comes down to finding an affordable model that you feel completely comfortable operating. Fancy gadgetry means diddlysquat if you are unable to navigate and negotiate through the obstacles it presents-in other words, who cares how many filters or lighting options you can access if you can't easily access them? The good news is that prices on digital video cameras are constantly descending into the realm of affordability and, at precisely the same time, the technology is becoming more universal and user-friendly. Just be careful-as soon as I fully understand the nuances of digital video cameras (any day now), they're going to spring some new-fangled creation on us; something even more complicated.