What should I look for in a digital camera/ video camera?

What sort of video camera should I look for?

• I need advice on video cameras. We recently moved because of my husband's job, and we don't have any family or friends nearby. My family really misses seeing our kids and vice versa. Up until now we have never taken videos of my kids, except occasionally through a very crappy phone camera, and none of them are worthy in quality to upload to a site like YouTube and be able to actually identify clear objects in said videos. I do regret not having any good camera footage of my kids when they were small babies, I loved watching home videos of my childhood and they are great additions to picture slideshows, especially if you are into scrap-booking and video diaries or making special home DVDs for anniversaries, milestone birthdays, or graduations and other important events. I really want to buy a decent camcorder that I could easily function and upload to send video updates of the kids to my family back home. I am looking for something reasonably priced and preferably small and easy to take with me anywhere if I want to, like the park or something like that. I obviously do not have much experience with filming so the easier it is to work the better! I am a big fan of things that are self-explanatory in how they function! Any recommendations on what sort of video camera I should be looking for? Also, I would love some tips on easy ways to edit video footage and add some fun special effects, like background music, or scrapbook style scenes, just some fun simple stuff I can use to create fun clips with my kids and make it look special. Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help!!!

• Answer:

  It sounds like you would be interested in a mid-range consumer level camcorder. Something nicer than a "flip" camera, but you don't really need the extra features (and cost) that comes from a pro camera. As for editing, many cameras come with their own video editing software that will let you add effects, borders, transitions, and all that fun stuff. Most cameras today also make it easy for you to upload to Youtube once again with software. There are a lot of cameras out there that can do what you want, it really depends on how much you want to spend. Have a look at the link below for a quick review of the top camcorders - several of these would be ideal for you.