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Today you record to some little chip, and then plug it into your computer to do your editing.
It seems that your kids can do in their sleep what it takes you hours to figure out.
There are still a few camera formats on the market, but the only ones you should consider buying are SD, flash memory and hard drive.
The reason there are such great deals on blu-ray and mini DV cameras is because they are being phased out of the market.
You want to get a camera that you can edit easily from; all digital formats mentioned above meet that criterion.
Once you have your camera, its time to start shooting! Follow these simple rules of video composition to make your home movies better.
Rule of thirds - you may remember this from photography, but it is just as important in film.
The human eye is drawn not to the center of a frame, but to the intersecting points of the imaginary tic-tac-toe board drawn on it.
Place action along the lines or, even better, at one of the 4 intersecting points.
Proper lighting - Though cameras keep getting better and better, it is important that you work with the light you have available to you.
If you are indoors, close window shades and rely on the room lights.
No matter where you are, be sure to white balance your camera at the beginning of your recording and each time you change location.
Steady hands are vital...
no one wants to watch a shaky soccer match.
If you are not moving around a lot, use a tripod.
If you do need to move, put the camera on your shoulder instead of out in front of you.
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