If you're in the market for a digital camcorder, it's prudent that you arm yourself with a few tips before you buy otherwise you might end up with some thing that does not suit your needs. Below are a few guide lines that will help you along the way.

Take a Look at the LCD screen in daylight, if at all possible

Because certain LCD screens have the tendency to fade out in bright sunlight, you need to ensure that you can use the screen under those conditions. If this is not possible then just use the view finder as this will also prolong your battery life.

Lay emphasis on the lns's optical zoom ratio rather than the digital zoom ratio

Optical zoom actually delivers a closer view of the image as opposed to digital zoom which merely makes the image larger through the view finder. It's important to ensure that the camcorder has a minimum of 10X optical zoom.

Buying an additional high capacity battery will ensure longer recording times

One of the most frustrating thing is running out of battery power in the middle of recording an important event. As most camcorders come a battery that only last for an hour or so it will be a worthwhile investment to buy an additional longer-lasting battery.

Better audio results can be achieved with front mounted microphones

For the best audio it is better to buy a front mounted camcorder. The microphone has the tendency to capture the voice of the person using the camcorder rather than the event being recorded when the microphone is mounted on the top of the camcorder.

Buy an external microphone for the best sound

Factor in an extra $50 to $100 for an external microphone if the camcorder you're interested in buying has the ability to connect an external microphone as this will give you the best sound possible.

Play and familiarize your self with the camcorder's controls and features before you purchase

Ocassionally the smallest camcorders can be difficult to use, particularly if you have large hands. A bigger model may work better for you if it is more comfortable to handle.

Exposure controls and low-light options are to be examined

Quite a few camcorders allow you to control certain functions and modes like adjusting apperture settings to permit more lights to enter, low light options to enable you to shoot in dark environments using infrared light or long shutter mode. These are manual features available on certain digital camcorders even though all camcorders come with fully automatic mode.

Look for wide-screen shooting and know your format

Recording with a wide screen model will allow you to view your recording without the black bars at the top and buttom if you have a high definition TV. You also need to know the format the camcorder records in. Mini-DVD disc or MiniDV tapes are the most common formats with majority of digital camcorders. Mini-DVD discs are often more difficult to come by than MiniDV as MiniDV is the most widely available format.