Tips for Shooting Video

Sony recently held a digital photography family day to teach people how to take better videos. The mini-convention showcased an array of products, but it was the new Sony camcorders—seven of which now record in HD—that really caught my attention.

High-definition looks great, but it can be even more unforgiving than low-resolution when you're a novice at shooting video. But Sony supplied me with a few essential tips to keep in mind as you go for the video memories. Check them out; they're sure to improve your movie-making.

• Keep your camcorder charged and bring extra batteries along.
• Always shoot a few seconds before and after the action you're shooting to make certain that you don't miss anything.
• Imagine that your camcorder is a cup of hot coffee. You'll hold it steadier.
• Use a tripod to steady your camera or use a camera with image stabilization. (It's called SteadyCam on the Sony camcorders.)
• Zoom in to compose your shot, but avoid zooming in while recording.
• Keep the sun behind you while you're shooting.
• Place your camera at eye level with your subject (especially when shooting kids and pets).
• Avoid a cluttered background when framing your picture.
• Take photos with your subject off center to make it a more interesting composition.
• Avoid unwanted shadows by keeping your subject away from any walls.
• Ask your subjects to look at your shoulder and use built-in red eye reduction on cameras to eliminate red eye.
• Hold your breath before pressing the shutter for a more stable image.

To really ace the technique, read Rick Broida's tips on Lifehacker and Izzy Video for some video podcasts.

Those of you looking to make the move into high-definition video will be interested in Sony's new camera. At only 15 ounces, the Handycam HDR-CX7 is one of the smallest and lightest camcorders on the market. It records and saves to a memory stick, using the controversial AVCHD, a format that saves HD video. According to Sony, you can record nearly three hours of full HD 1080 video on an 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media card.

I like memory sticks because they're easy to work with, but Sony's other HD camcorder, the HDR-SR7, records on a built-in 60GB hard disk, which holds even more video.

All of the new Sony HD camcorders have 2.7-nch LCD preview screens, a capable sensor, Zeiss optics, and little extras like Nightshot Plus, an infrared mode for capturing images taken in dark places. The cameras also support HDMI so you can connect the camera to your HDTV and watch the family movies before the guests leave. At $1,200 and $1,400 respectively, the HDR-CX7 and the HDR-SR7 are not cheap; it's that gorgeous HD picture you're paying for, after all.