Modern technology has made camcorders easy to use, but they still rely on an operator to pick the shots. Taking a few moments to learn the techniques to shoot better home video will result in more great memories being preserved. It only takes a few simple steps to shoot better home video, and have more fun doing it.
Instructions
1. Read the camcorder's operation manual. It is not fun, but it is necessary. This will not only teach basic operation but also establish the capabilities of the device. A key to good video is not trying to force a camcorder to something it simply is not designed to do.
2. Position the camcorder so that there are not bright lights (such as a sunset) behind the subjects. Keeping bright lights behind or to the sides of the camcorder will make it easier to shoot better home video.
3. Remember that focus sets to a specific distance. If subjects are moving toward or away from the camcorder, the autofocus may not be able to adjust quickly enough. Either zoom with movement to attempt to keep the focus or manually adjust with the focus ring.
4. Switch image stabilization features off if the camcorder is going to move. Most image stabilizers are designed to account for zoom adjustments but movement to either side (panning) will lead to choppy video.
5. Use a tripod as much as possible. A decent tripod, not necessarily expensive but sturdy enough to steadily hold a camcorder, will make a bigger difference to video quality than any image stabilization feature.
6. Listen to the sound being recorded through a pair of headphones (even cheap ones will allow the monitoring of what the camcorder is actually recording). If adequate sound adjustments cannot be made through the camcorder, consider purchasing an external microphone (a "shotgun" microphone) that can be mounted on the camcorder.
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