Essential Equipment for Digital Video Production

You won't be able to get started in digital video production without a camcorder. There are many different types of camcorders, and which kind you buy depends on the type of digital video productions you plan to use it for.

Whether you need a special computer for your digital video productions again depends on the complexity of your plans. Your home computer may work fine for home movies and simpler digital video productions, but if you plan on producing HD videos or long-format feature films you may need a more powerful computer.

Again, the type of video editing software you use depends on the complexity of your digital video production. Free software like iMovie and Movie Maker work great for simple, straightforward editing. If you want more editorial control, though, you'll have to look at more expensive digital video editing software.

If you want to share your digital video production with others, it's handy to be able to burn it to DVD. Most computers have DVD burners included, or you can buy an external burner.

If you're doing a lot of video editing, you'll want an external hard drive to store those large video files.

The mic on your camera will work all right for home movies, but if you are involved in professional digital video production, you'll want to buy some professional microphones for better quality sound.

A video tripod is essential for professional shooting, but even hobby videographers benefit greatly from a good video tripod. Whether you're looking for something to hold your cell phone steady, or a video tripod that can handle a heavy-duty HD camera, there's a video tripod for you.

A good video bag will protect your gear, organize your accessories, and be easy and fun to carry around.