Camcorder Accessories
The first step to getting good quality home videos is purchasing a digital camcorder. The next steps to filming your videos will include several camcorder accessories that will make using your camera easier and more enjoyable, and accessories that will transfer your film to your computer and enhance the look and sound quality, and different editing equipment.
Shooting Here, There and Everywhere
When you go out to shoot your home movies with your new digital camcorder, you'll need to bring extra blank tape or disc just in case the tape or disc in the camcorder has run out. On top of that, it's also a good idea to bring an extra battery with you also. This will come in handy while shooting outdoors, as you won't need to run inside to charge your batteries, missing out on all the fun in the process. An extra battery is also great for places that don't allow the public to use their sockets.
Since you've got that extra battery, you might as well get a battery charger, as well. When you've replaced your used battery with the spare, you can quickly charge the first one and still take a lot of footage. Battery chargers can go from $40 to $150, while batteries can cost as low as $30 and as high as $100.
Making A-Grade Movies
You could always just buy a camcorder, shoot in available light and be done. Or you could make high quality home movies with camcorder accessories such as tripods, microphones, video lights, lenses and lens filters. There are microphones that automatically correspond to a camcorder's zoom, costing only $79. A more expensive microphones will cost between $90 and $100, but the quality with these is great, and you can choose the angle degree of pick up to set it on, either 90 degrees or 120, for example.
Keep your subjects illuminated inside dark structures or outdoors at night with special video lights. A regular video light can be bought at $40, while special lights, with infrared night vision, for example, can cost between $70 to $99. Dual-level lights go for around $120, while there are special combination infrared dual-level lights and flash that cost $150.
You could also try out different lenses, such as wide angle
lenses, which are usually priced at $35 to $50 and telephoto
lens, priced at $70 to $200. Lens filters allow you to be
creative with your shots, as well as blocking excess light for
better colored shots. A lens filter kit is usually priced
between $29 and $69.
Professional independent movie directors have been advancing digital filmmaking with the use of these camcorder accessories that enhance the quality of their movies. If they're doing it, why not you?
Keep It All Together
Protect your digital camcorder and keep all your accessories together with a durable camera bag or carrying case. The bag should carry your camcorder and have special pockets for all your accessories. A good bag is padded, to prevent any accidents that may occur. Bags can be as affordable as $20, and as expensive as $120.
Of course, you won't need all these camcorder accessories all at once. But as time goes on and you're learning to really enjoy making movies with your digital camcorder, you'll find yourself wanting all these add-ons and accessories. It's really just the next step.