HISTORYOF+THE+CAMCORDER

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=A brief history of the camcorder= Most of the information on this page was found at the Bay Area Video Coalition.

Video cameras were originally designed for televison, were very large, and were connected to separate recorders in separate rooms. As technology advanced, portable video cameras emerged. Although these camcorders still required a separate video recorder to record information, over time they became smaller and more portable. Because a separate video recorder had to be carried around, shooting was typically a two person job – the camera person and a video engineer. In 1982 Sony released the first professional camcorder, called Betacam, which became the standard for professional camcorders. After the invention of the Betacam, camera operators became responsible for operating both the camera and the recording unit, which increased their responsibility, but also their freedom. In 1983 Sony released Betamovie for consumers. This was the first device to combine the camera and the recorder. It was large and was typically held on one’s shoulder. Within a few years, two new tape formats were introduced: VHS-C and 8-mm. In the late 1990’s, Mini DV tape was introduced, bringing the camcorder into the digital age. The video and audio quality recorded on digital camcorders was better than the quality recorded on analog camcorders. Also, because information is recorded digitally, there is no loss of quality when video is transferred or copied. Another advantage to the digital camcorder is that you can connect it directly to a computer and transfer the digital information from camera to computer.

Making good video requires a picture that looks sharp, and has good exposure and accurate color.
 * Camcorder Technical Skills **

**Focus **
Putting your picture in focus means creating a clear picture. Often, the entire frame will be in focus, whereas at times, only part of the frame will be in focus, and the rest will be blurry. To focus, decide which person or object you want to make sure is portrayed clearly. Zoom in as close as you can to the subject, focus by adjusting the focus ring, and zoom out to your frame.

**Exposure **
Exposure refers to the total amount of light allowed to enter the lens. To set the exposure, first check the auto exposure setting to see what the camera wants. Then, switch the exposure to manual and use the zebra setting and iris dial to make sure your subject is exposed properly and the lights and darks are accurate. The manual exposure setting is better because the exposure won’t fluctuate (manual locks it in place), and you can make your own adjustments as the light changes. Not all cameras allow you to adjust the exposure so you will need to work on lighting your subject properly to get around this problem.

**White Balance **
When you white balance, you tell the camera what your eye sees as white. This is to compensate for the fact that different light sources emit different colors of light. White balance should be set manually. To set the white balance, find the icon that looks like a square between two triangles. Next, set the white balance by filling the screen with a white piece of paper, and pressing and holding the set button (often the scrolling selector). Again not all cameras allow for this. Read the manual that came with your camcorder and see what the directions say about white balance.