What is a good HD camcorder for YouTube?

HD Camcorder, Auto-Focus, Good Quality (For YouTube), under $350?

• Hi, I make beauty videos on YouTube and my mini camcorder just isn't cutting anymore lol. I'm looking for a preferably HD camcorder (If not, really good quality), with Auto-Focus. Must have pretty good optical zoom. Digital doesn't matter. My have Digital Dolby mic with auto-zoom sound or whatever it's called. And I'd like it to be under $350. Any suggestions?

• Answer:

  http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm Highest quality video camcorders out there are MiniDV tape camcorders. A $250 Canon ZR 960 shot videos that only a $3500 HD camcorder could match, on a good day. A bonus, this Canon has a MIC port, you can have outstanding audio at any distance with the proper audio Microphones and mixers. You need to rethink the auto focus, especially for your beauty videos. If you ever show products your using and hold them up between you and the camcorder or close to the camcorder, your camcorder, using auto focus will try to focus on the thing your holding up and put you out of focus, making for bad video. Learn to use manual focus, thus not having to worry about where any thing in the video frame is, it will be in focus. Be it 2 inches fro the lens or 30 feet, it can all be in focus at the same time. Great if your showing stuff off and holding them close to the lens as you do so. Focus tip - set camcorder on a tripod or firm surface. Set your camcorder to manual Mode,turn your camcorder on. Find something far away (I use a Post it Note, on far wall, above a light switch, You could maybe use a car a license plate, parked a block away, if your outdoors) then zoom in on this object, all the way. Focus your camcorder on this object. Now return you camcorder to normal zoom, show the big picture. Now, if you do not turn the camcorder off or touch the focus controls, it will be in focus from the distance away your focus object was to the camcorder lens, at any zoom ( say your focus object was 15 feet, everything up to 15 feet will be in focus, anything beyond that 15 feet is not.) Need more help, contact me.