Shoot First

C amcorders might be the sleekest technology available. An increasing number of filmmakers use digital camcorders to shoot their films. We know the backstory of the camcorder in Blair Witch Project. But established filmmakers are adopting digital video technology as well. Spike Lee used nearly a dozen different Mini Digital Video camcorders to film Bamboozled. So maybe ail that separates you from Spike is about $1000.

The best news about camcorders is that the format wars are over and MiniDV is the victor. The image produced on MiniDV is as crisp as that on a DVD--and twice as good as on VHS. Plus, the other camcorder formats are analog. That means each time you drag your 8mm or VHS-C footage through a copying or editing process, picture clarity and color depth are degraded in the translation. But not a pixel is lost when DV is digitally edited on a PC and laid back onto digital tape. Even if you eventually dub your edited DV production to VHS, you'll still end up with a better-looking production because your original images were immaculate.

These days even the most basic DV camcorder has more features than many analog camcorders offer. Standard DV models include a two-inch to four-inch (text concluded on page 122) color LCD screen, still photo capability and 200x-plus zoom. To clean up your project, DV camcorders come equipped with electronic, digital or optical image stabilization and preprogrammed modes and effects (such as black-and-white, wide-screen and night vision). Most important, these cameras include FireWire or i.Link. connections that allow you to control the camcorder while it is linked to your PC during editing.

Go Small

One of the things that makes MiniDV camcorders so cool is their size. Most are smaller and lighter than their analog predecessors.

JVC's GR Dvp3U ($1700) comes in a rectangular case the size of a pair of Plam Pilots, and weighs 12 ounces. It's a high-resolution image sensor that produces what JVC calls "high band" digital video as well as digital still images. The DVP3Us innards contain definitive computer-based audiovisual technology: MP3 audio effects and the ability to record Internet-friendly MPEG4 video, which can be attached to e-mails. You can load MP3 files and the MPEG4 video, as well as digital stills, via the DVP3U s USB port and 8 MB SD flash memory card.

If you're simply looking for something to use on summer vacation, there are MiniDV models for less than $1000 that don't skimp on features. One of the best Canon ZR30 MC ($1000). This small, 19-ounce camera has all the standard equipment--a 2.5-inch LCD. electronic image stabilization. 10x optical and 200x digital zoom and an 8 MB MultiMediaCard that can store approximately 60 images.

What good is zooming in on a subject across the room if you can't hear what she's saying? The Sharp VL-WD650U (about S1050) helps eliminate the problem with a zoom microphone that acts in conjunction with the 26x optical 780x digital zoom lens. The more you zoom in on a subject, the better the subject's audio sounds. The VL-WD650U's other features include a three-inch LCD screen, a night vision mode and an 8 MB Smart Media card that holds about 65 images.

Progressive Reform

It you want something more professional--and you're willing to spend $2000 plus--there are a variety of models with high-quality image sensors (called three-CCD or progressive scan). Sony's DCR-VX2000 offers broadcast-quality images and progressive-scan recording to produce 530 lines of horizontal resolution. It also captures still pictures and MPEG videos, stored on tape or on the Sony Memory Stick flash memory card (included). Material is downloadable through a USB port.

The Next Generation

As DVD players populate living rooms, it's logical that the next wave of camcorders be DVD-based. To date, there are two: the Hitachi DZ-MV100A ($2000) and the Panasonic VDR-M10 ($2500). Both use a dual-sided three-inch/2.8 GB DVD-RAM disc that can store up to two hours of digital video. To play the discs you'll need either a DVD-RAM--equipped PC or Panasonic's DMR-E10 ($4000). the only non--PC based DVD-RAM recording deck.

Where and How to buy on page 162