Camcorder Accessories

Most camcorders normally come with just the one battery and the new owner soon discovers they are half way through videoing little Jimmys birthday party when the little battery icon starts blinking in the viewfinder.

A couple of minutes later, the camcorder goes dead! You continue to point the camcorder at everyone of course and keep smiling. You don't want any tears. All the time staring at a black hole where the viewfinder used to be.

You can charge the battery of course, but that will take hours. You could plug in the mains adapter, but then you can only video the action that's happening a couple of feet from the nearest mains socket.

No, one or two extra spare batteries is the perfect solution. Pop out the old and in with the new. Little Jimmy hasn't even had time to blow the candles out and you've not missed out on any special memories.

You can also buy batteries for camcorders that let you record for longer. Most regular camcorder batteries last for 1-2 hours in normal conditions, but the larger batteries will run for 3-4 hours.

They are a little bulkier than the regular ones, but worth it for the extra video time and confidence they give you.

Now if you find yourself getting a little more serious about making your movies, there are two essential camcorder accessories that you are going to need. A microphone and a tripod.

The difference these can both make to the final video is huge, but not everyone wants the hassle of lugging around extra bits and pieces with them.

The sound quality from the camcorders on-board microphone is fine if you are stood right next to it. It is omni-directional, which means it will pick up everything else making a noise around you as well.

Move more than a few feet away and you'll be competing with everything else around you making a noise.

This where a separate microphone comes into it's own. Clip it on and connect it to the camcorder and your voice will come through loud and clear. It really does make a big difference.

The same goes for the tripod. Even if your camcorder has an 'anti-shake' feature, as soon as you start using the zoom feature, the video will look like you're stood in a bowl of jelly.

A cheap, lightweight camcorder tripod will make your video look rock steady, even on maximum zoom. The trouble is it is a bulky bit of kit and even the lightest ones are awkward to carry around with you.

But if you want clear smooth shots without the merest trace of camcorder wobble, then you need to get yourself a tripod. You can always let the kids carry it anyway.

The one thing that can make the difference between a good video and bad one is light. Now that can mean just making sure the brightest source of natural light is NOT behind your subjects, or they will be left in the shadow.

I've lost count of how many videos and pictures I've seen of people with their back to a window as thats nice and light right? Their faces are always lost if shadow as the camcorder is concentrating on all the light behind them.

Most camcorders have a backlight compensation function which allows you to add extra light to the main subject, but it's much better and easier to get the light right in the first place.

And the easiest way to do that is to have an artificial light on your subjects. You can buy lights that attach to your camcorder if you have the right connections. The trouble with these types of lights is they don't give out much light and they drain the battery on your camcorder very fast.

Alternatively, you can get lights that are powered separately and are much brighter. You can even buy bulbs for them that simulate natural daylight and give great results.

All these camcorder accessories will result in much better looking videos, but they all have to be carried and apart from the microphone, can be a little bulky.

If you are doing most of your video work from home, then it isn't a problem. But not everyone wants to lug all this stuff on holiday with them.

An often overlooked camcorder accessory is the camcorder case or camcorder bag. I know most camcorders come with a soft bag to put everything in, but I recommend getting a hard case if you travel with your camcorder a lot.

Camcorders are quite delicate machines and a soft camcorder case offers little in the way of protection. A camcorder case made from aluminum is the best option.

Go to the Camcorder Tips page to learn some simple video techniques that will help you make better movies and the Cheapest Camcorders page will help you get the very best deal on your next camcorder.

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