Common mini-dv camera features:

-Image Stabilizer
A built in image stabilization system corrects camera shake - caused by an unsteady hand, for example. This image stabilization system makes for smoother and steadier video even with hand-held shots, at full telephoto, and shots taken from a moving car, for example.

-Zoom Lens

• Optical Zoom
  Most of the better cameras have optical zoom lens. A 22x means an image can be made to appear 22 times closer than the eye can see. It is a ratio of 22 to 1.
  This is accomplished by a set of moving lenses held within the lens housing. NOTE: The more (closer) you zoom in the more "shake" can be seen in a video. Also, you don't bring the sound any closer, you still record the sound close to you.
• Digital Zoom
  Digital zoom significantly expands the telephoto magnification of the subject, bringing it extremely close. This ONLY makes the image larger, not sharper, by making the pixels larger. This will give you a "chunkier" look with poor resolution. Be careful and don't give up quality to make an object large.

-Auto Setting
The camera will set the iris exposure (the amount of light coming in) and other settings when on Auto

-Program Setting
The user sets the exposure and other settings. Doing this allow the user to get better quality video. For example, you can set the white balance .Cameras let you set the White Balance of a scene. Setting the White Balance allows the camera to adjust for the light situation you are filming in. Learn how to do this and remember to check the White Balance settings before shooting every scene.

-Manual Focus
If the camera is on Auto, focus will be done automatically by the camera. There are settings that allow you to focus the camera manually for special filming situations.

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Care and use of a DV camera:

• Don't expose the camera to the elements. Never leave it unprotected in the sun or around dirt or dust. NEVER point the viewfinder into the sun. Never get the camera wet or moist.
• Carry the camera with you, don't leave it laying around.
• When putting it down, try to place it upright.
• Use the lens cap. This keeps light off of the CCDs (charged-coupled devices) and of course protects the surface of the expensive zoom lens.
• Keep the camera in the OFF position when not shooting.
• Don't turn the camera off and on a lot, this eats up battery life.
• Zooming in and out a lot will use up the battery.
• Using the flip out LCD (liquid crystal display) instead of the top viewfinder will use more battery power.

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Light from an object is focused by the lens. The light is then split into R-G-B (red, green and blue) pictures by the beam splitter. The beams are received by the Charge Coupled Device (CCD). The CCD converts the split light into electric energy (RGB video signal) and sent to an amplifier. Here the signal is strengthened and sent to a processing unit. The processing unit converts the signal back to a viewable picture.

CCDs come in 1/3", 1/2" and 2/3" sizes. These are referred to as Video Camera Formats. The larger the size, the better the quality of the video image. Consumer cameras use 1/3" single CCD arrangements.

White Balance

White Balance - If the camera is on Auto the WB will get set as best the camera is able to. It is best to set your own WB every time you film. If the setting is NOT on auto the results are:

If WB is set to inside not re-setting the WB when outside results in whites having a bluish tinge.
If WB is set to outside not re-setting the WB when inside results in whites having an orange tinge.