Hi,

I have been put in charge of recommending a digital video camera for work and knowing less than nothing about them I thought I would ask for some advice.

We need a camera that can be used to take footage through out the year and then edited together once a year and shown through a projector.

Are there any features I should be looking for since this will not just be used to post on the internet or more importantly is there anything that should be avoided at all costs.

Thanks

Easy to use, hard disk drive

Hi there. If you're only showing footage once a year on a projector, there's no reason to get anything too expensive. A standard-definition camcorder will be fine, and is also easier to edit with on older computers.

Try to get a camcorder model with a friendly user-interface. Most Sony camcorders have a big 'Easy' button that takes care of exposure, focus and other settings for you. This will ensure everyone at work can use the camcorder regardless of experience level.

It's also a good idea to get a model that comes with an inbuilt hard drive. That way, you don't have to worry about buying and storing tapes - instead, all the footage stays inside the camcorder. (Although it's a good idea to make backups now and then.)

Check out our review of the Sony DCR-SR47, a user-friendly standard-def camcorder with 60GB of storage:

http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/review/digital_video/sony/dcr-sr47/278666