Additional Features: A Glossary

Many camcorders come with a number of additional features designed to provide a smooth and effortless shooting process. Chances are, no one camcorder includes all the features listed below. The key is finding a model with the features you’ll use for your own type of videography.

Auto Slow Shutter Function

Ensures perfect exposure in low light by lowering your shutter speed. This will cause some interesting motion effects as well.

AVCHD

A new format for hard disk recording which makes use of a special compression formula that retains excellent colour, detail and crisp audio – and requires less storage.

Built-in Flash

Permits shooting of digital still images in dim areas

Built-in Lens Cover

Opens and closes automatically with Power switch - no worries about danglin or lost lens covers.

Built-in Video Light

A while LED allows for video recording in low-light conditions.

Cable-Free Operation

Found on DVD camcorders which require no connections for video playback, as the DVD can be placed in most DVD players for instant viewing of footage.

Colour Viewfinder

Allows user to preview and compose scene without using LCD, extending battery life.

Digital Photo

Allows you to take digital still images separately from video - usually at a much lower resolution that most dedicated digital still cameras provide.

Easy Mode

Simple, all-automatic mode ideal for people new to video, much like "Auto" setting on point and shoot still cameras.

Edit With Disk Navigator

Allows editing of scenes “in camera”, such as deleting or re-arranging order

Enchanced Battery Life

Advanced form of battery allowing more time between charges

Exposure Lock

Allows video shooter to zoom in and lock exposure settings then re-compose

Fader Effects

Built-in video transitions feature allowing blending of sceneswith black, mosaic, monotone or white fades.

Firewire/IEEE1394 DV Terminal

A high-speed connection between camcorder and computer, permitting rapid transfer of video footage.

Hard Disk Drive (Smart Protection)

Safety feature: If camcorder is dropped, the power to the hard drive is turned off and video is recorded to a buffer.

Help Mode

Built-in explanation fo camera controls on LCD monitor using icons.

Image Stabilization

Highly useful feature, allows smoother shooting when panning, zooming, moving, or recording without tripod.

Joystick

One controller easily governs a number of functions such as Playback, Exposure Lock, Exposure Compensation and more

Level and Grid Markers

One controller easily governs a number of functions such as Playback, Exposure Lock, Exposure Compensation and more.

Manual Focus

Marker grid is overlaid in viewfinder, helping more professional composition

Metering Modes

User can choose between such modes as Evaluative, Center-weighted, Average, and Spot depending on lighting situation

Motion JPEG Mode

A high-compression recording mode, often used to place video clips on the web or allowing them to be shared by e-mail.

MPEG2 Engine

A form of video compression that renders fast, complex motions with exceptional precision.

Multi-format capability

A feature built into some DVD camcorders, allowing recording and playing of DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R DL, and DVD-R discs.

NightShot Plus

Special infrared system allowing capture of natural-looking video when shooting in low light

On Screen Zoom

Additional Zoom and Record controls on the LCD frame permit more flexibility when holding the camcorder in odd positions.

Picture Motion Browser

Software that allows user to easily browse, edit and manipulate still images and video recorded on camcorder or saved on computer.

Program AE Mode

Artificial Intelligence Auto Focus

A computer-aided program that ensures sharp images even when subject is off-centre or in low light

Progressive Photo

Progressive scan approach that provides sharper detail in still photography in video

Scene Modes

Automatic, accurate exposure in a variety of situations such as Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset

Image Effects

Series of options on rendering of images, such as Vivid, Neutral, Low-Sharpening, and Skin Detail

Pure Colour Engine

A special image processing circuit available on 3CCD HD camcorders, designed to improve picture quality.

Quick Start

Allows camcorder to leap from stand-by to record mode in less than a second, helping ensure videographer does not miss a shot, and extending battery life.