Accessories for your digital video camera

If you have a digital video camera or you know someone who has, you might be interested in the different accessories available.Not only will using accessories make your experience with your video camera more enjoyable but accessories also make great gifts.The available accessories are specific to every camera so before shopping for accessories you will need to find out the name brand (for example, Sony) and the type of camera (for example, DCR-DVD408).Once you know the type of camera, you can find the different camera accessories on the web.

The camera case-Camera cases are the first line of defense in protecting the camera from dirt and moisture and impact.Camera cases are designed to fit the specific camera and hold them safe with no or little movement.There are hard cases, which are sturdier and more expensive, and soft cases, which are lighter and cheaper.Features that might be important on a camera case are an adjustable handle and compartments where a spare battery or memory card can be stored.

The camera bag-camera bags are over the shoulder carrying cases that hold the camera and other accessories.As you begin to collect different lenses or lighting systems for your camera, having a camera bag will become more important.Even if you don't yet have a lot of accessories, go ahead and get a large bag with plenty of room because it is quite likely that the longer you have your digital video camera the more "toys" you will get to use with it.

Lenses-there are any number of lenses available for your camera.Let your intended use direct your lens buying.If you are going to be videoing wildlife or sporting events, you might want a telephoto lens.A telephoto lens lets you zoom in and get close up shots of subjects that are far away.If you are going to be filming a lot of scenery, you might want to consider a wide-angle lens to get more of the scene into your frame.

Filters-filters effect the way that light is used by your camera.Just like there are a number of different lenses, there are also a number of different filters.For example, a UV filter absorbs UV light and makes outdoor pictures clear.A UV filter also protects the lens from the UV light.Think of sunscreen for your camera.There are other filters for other situations.The FLD filter removes all the weird colors that can come from artificial light.Using these filters resulst in life like pictures without using a flash.

Replacement Batteries-the batteries that come stock with most cameras will only last for an hour or two of recording time.Because of the short life of the batteries, it is a great idea to have an extra battery so while one is charging up the other one can be being used.There are also extended life batteries that can run a recorder for up to four hours.

Lights-a really great accessory for someone getting more involved in video making is a camera mounted light.These lights act like key lights in a studio lighting system by focusing the light on the subject.Lights typically come with there own batteries so they don't drain the life of the cameras batteries.

Tripod-a tripod is invaluable if you want to take video of yourself, or unmanned videos of events where two cameras will be used.They are useful to get good, smooth videos, especially if you don't have a really steady hand.Video tripods work the same way as camera tripods do and they often come with their own handy carrying cases.