Use Your Tools

After all, would you buy a car and then not drive it in the dark or the rain because you don't know how to turn on the lights or the wipers? Okay, so it's not exactly apples to apples, but you get the point. Very few consumers end up with a bare-bones camcorder. My guess is that they purposely select a model that is packed with features. So, if you convince yourself that you really need that stuff, then why don't you use it after you get it home? The simple answer is that most people haven't a clue how to use most of what's available to them. Why? It's because they haven't used the most important tool in their bag, and the owner's manual won't do a bit of good if it's never read. Believe me, it really is the most important tool at your disposal.

Almost as much time, effort, and planning went in to the printing of the owner's manual as went in to the design of some of the circuitry. But for some reason, users don't seem to appreciate the hard work. Sure, it's boring. It's also poorly worded sometimes, it's not always clear, and it can even make your head spin. One thing's for sure, though, you'll never understand it if you don't read it. You've got to at least give it a sporting chance.

I do have one suggestion for easier comprehension. Read the basic procedures or "getting started" section first, and then put the manual away for a while. Before you can really digest the complex instructions you need a thorough understanding of the basics. The only way you'll ever get that is to use the camcorder and get familiar with how it works. It's sort of like driving a car. Once you learn to drive it's fairly easy. But it's much easier when you're in a car that you're used to driving. If you borrow a car, or get a new one, it takes a while to really get comfortable with it. And until you settle in, you're not likely to do much other than keep it safely in the road. Believe it or not, using a camera is very similar. You're not likely to advance beyond the basic operation until you achieved a certain level of comfort while using it. There is only one way to achieve that feeling. Take it out of the bag and roll tape. Shoot anything and everything. Don't worry about wasting tape. There's plenty more of it on the store shelves, and you can always reuse it. Besides, it's relatively inexpensive, and you never know when you'll capture a priceless memory. You might even catch a side-splitting act of stupidity that will nab the big bucks on America's Funniest Home Videos. Take my word for it. A blank tape never won the grand prize.

Aside from learning to use the camcorder and its features, you'll also get better at the physical act of shooting. Once you've begun to feel more comfortable then pull out the manual and tackle the tough parts. You'll be surprised at how much easier it appears to be. With the exception of a few trivial offerings, most of the features included on modern camcorders actually serve a very useful function. Learning how to use them properly will help make your home video experience much more enjoyable. You'll also see better results in the final product. I feel certain that once you've experienced the benefits of using features like back light compensation and manual focus, you'll realize how beneficial they can be.