Cameras are by for the most important piece of equipment you will have at your disposal.

You will need to look at the specifications of the camera, be it digital, stills or a camcorder.

You will need to look at the sensor in the product's specification, use only a CCD camera (charge coupled device) as these are the most sensitive and accurate at colour reproduction, also they tend to be more expensive to buy.

CMOS sensors are used in cheap web cameras and mini video cameras, they use less power and the spectral range and the clarity is very bad, see (CCD vs CMOS )

Be very wary of the ultra small camera's as they also employ CMOS chips and you will be very disappointed with the results

Test your camera for bad spots (pixels)

Cover the lens with a black object so light can not spill into the lens, take a photo.

Downlaod the picture onto your pc.

Enlarge it. (once or twice)

Study the pixelization

If you have patterns of pixels or light pixelated areas, your camera could give bad pictures. Some cameras have a pixel map option, use this if you have it, it is only needed once in a blue moon, as the camera gets older the sensors on the CCD get damaged, this is known as pixel drop-out. If you buy a second hand camera inspect it for all functionality and do the pixel test, if it suffers from any defect, walk away get some thing that works 100%.

This is a sample of the cameras we use

3.2 megapixels
3x optical zoom

The Fuji A330 is a great combination of style, ease of use and affordability. With 3.2 million pixels, high quality Fujinon 3x optical zoom lens and one-touch operation this camera is ideal for anyone starting in digital photography.

 

12 megapixels, recorded
(6.3 megapixels, effective)
6x optical zoom

The Fuji S7000 Zoom camera offers a serious digital alternative to a film SLR. A compact and ergonomic tool for professional photographers, the FinePix S7000 Zoom also represents an irresistible package for the ambitiously minded newcomer to digital photography.

If you have a talent for photography and like to use your camera manually, the FinePix S7000 Zoom's manual modes give you creative control over aperture, focusing, shutter speed and flash. If you stop at nothing in pursuit of quality, the FinePix S7000 Zoom's RAW mode stores images exactly as they were recorded, pixel by pixel.

3.2 megapixels
2.5x digital zoom

With the 3.2 megapixel Olympus C160, Olympus proves that quality results can come at a refreshing price. This entry-level model integrates a bright f2.8 lens and smart picture taking functions for incredible shots with point-and-shoot ease. Four scene programmes are also on hand so you can capture a wide range of subjects.

With its compact size, the C-160 is ideal for everyday use, whether on the go in daily life, at parties or on vacation. Four scene programs (Portrait, Self Portrait, Night Scene, Landscape) make it easy to obtain beautiful results in a variety of shooting situations.

 

We use this type of camcorder as the Night shot is excellent and has a longer range than other cameras, some of the more expensive and smaller cameras have a very limited IR. (infra red)range approx. 5-8 ft this one is approx. 15-25 Ft. have used for a few years and have picked up quite a lot of anomalies I also use an Ir. Sony illuminator that extends the range of the Ir. to approx. 100ft

You can get good digital video quality with Sony DCR-TRV140e Digital8 Handycam Camcorder. The DCR-TRV140e is loaded with top notch features at an affordable price including a 2.5 inch color LCD and black and white viewfinder, 20x optical, 560x digital zoom, image stabilization, NightShot mode and digital faders and effects and more. It has a USB port for connecting to your pc and can be used as a webcam. The image quality is just good under perfect lighting conditions. The battery life is short and unfortunately, you cant play your old analogue Hi8 videos because it has no analog inputs and no backward compatibility with 8mm. Overall, one of the advantage is the very low price and you can get even with your money.

The subject here is the performance factor! The super compact DCR-TRV19 MiniDV Handycam camcorder offers a powerful combination of digital video, digital audio and USB Streaming at an amazing value. Features include 1/4" 680K pixel Advanced HAD CCD, Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar Lens and 10x Optical/120x Digital Zoom. Convenient on-screen Touch Panel helps you navigate through the menu system right on screen. Small, compact, lightweight with the latest in features and benefits. To do this sort of work you need night Shot as most if not all the work is done in compleat or near dark.