The Best Camcorder Accessories For Videographers

You have the camcorder. You're ready to record, but there's a few more things you need in order to get the best videos. Here's a list of accessories that every videographer should own.

You picked out your favorite camcorder and bought it. You're staring at the new thing in your hand and videotaping everyone in the room, including Grandpa who's getting a little cranky about the whole thing. Well, don't stop there. Step up your videography lifestyle with these accessories.

First things first, let's look at wipes. Adrian Monk from the TV show Monk has one thing right; you always need handy wipes. For your camcorder, you need some type of lens cleaning system in your bag with you at all times. You can get micro-fiber cleaning cloths from companies like DigiPower Solutions for about $15.00 to $20.00. Believe me, you'll want to have these on hand for any type of grime or fingerprints that could mar your shots.

Now, think about this scenario. Daughter Judy is graduating from college. The ceremony has been going on for hours, and you've listened to the guest speaker drone on. It's finally time for the graduates to get their degrees, and, bam, you're out of battery power. You burrow through your bag, searching and searching, but, nope, you don't have that extra battery.

The lesson here is that you must always carry an extra battery for your camcorder. For between $40.00 and $60.00 bucks, it's well worth not having to explain to Judy why you missed her crossing the stage.

You should also have an on-camera light. This will illuminate any situation, and many of them come with dimmers so that you don't blind your subject. The Sunpak Readylight is perfect for this purpose and relatively cheap at between $20.00 and $50.00.

Lens filters are also required camcorder accessories. The clear filters will protect your camcorder lens from any dust or debris flying about, and the polarizing filters can add a little different quality to your videos by darkening the skies or reducing glare from water shots.

If you plan on taping your best friend's wedding, you definitely need some gaffer's tape to secure any cords or cables. At less than $20.00 per sixty-yard roll, it's a wise investment.

Other things that could make your life easier include extra connectors and cables, an external microphone and some headphones. And, now, you're finally ready to tackle any video-recording situation in which you are put.

Images