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Chapter 9 Shooting Semi-Pro Videos 95

You can find mid-level camcorders from all major manufacturers, including Canon,
JVC, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony. Most of these camcorders record to either hard
disk drive or flash memory, and offer high definition widescreen recording in either
720p or 1080p formats.

Camcorders at this level typically include a large (20X or so) zoom lens, decent-
sized CMOS image sensor, image stabilization, and a big LCD display for viewing
what you’re recording. Look for a model that includes an input for an external
microphone; some have this, some don’t.

Semi-Pro Camcorders

Most consumer-level camcorders are small enough to hold in the palm of your
hand. But if you want the best possible picture quality, or have an itch to be an
independent filmmaker, you have to move to a larger model. These camcorders,
called semi-pro or prosumer models, are often big enough to require a shoulder rest.
As you can see in Figure 9.3, these units look, feel, and perform just like the type of
camcorder you see TV news crews or independent filmmakers lugging around.

Figure 9.3 Sony’s HDR-AX2000 Handycam semi-pro camcorder.

Many prosumer camcorders let you use interchangeable lenses for more shooting
versatility and shoot in the 16:9 widescreen HD format. More important, they come
with a bevy of automatic recording modes and manual adjustments that enable you
to custom-tailor your movies to a variety of shooting styles and situations. Their
picture quality is second to none, especially under difficult lighting conditions.