For instance, should you buy digital or analogue? What type of storage media do you prefer - digital tape, DVD media, hard drive or flash cards? Do you really need a large digital zoom, night vision mode, face recognition and the vast range of editing effects that seem to come as standard these days?

The essential thing to do before rushing out to the shops is to do some thorough research on the internet to find out what options you have, what you want and most importantly, what fits your pocket. The cheapest option might not necessarily be the best option and accordingly “all singing and dancing” expensive top end mini camcorders probably have features that you will never use.

The first and most surprising choice is that between analogue and digital. This will surprise a lot of people as they are probably not aware that analogue cameras are still made. However, a substantial proportion of professional cameramen prefer using analogue film cameras rather than digital cameras because of quality issues. Whereas analogue cameras record the image in an unprocessed state, digital cameras algorithmically compress the image to store more video in the space available. This compression can sometimes result in a noticeable loss of image quality. However, this will not be a problem for most amateur users who would not notice the difference in most cases. Digital min camcorders for the home user are definitely the way to go.

Secondly, you need to choose what type of media you want to record your videos on. DV tape and DVD media will provide a tried and tested method of recording your images but have limited capacity and are relatively expensive. The best choice might be to get a hard drive camera which can store typically upwards of 30GB of footage – enough for many hours of recording high quality video. This negates the need to buy media and gets round the problem of constantly checking how long you have left to record which is the case with DV or DVD media. The downside is that if the mini camcorders get damaged you may loose all your images in a hard drive crash. Hard drive cameras are also easy to use when transferring video files – just drag and drop the file onto your PC and you are then ready to use your favourite editor.

Finally, there are a huge range of features to choose from. The most popular ones for discussion here are zoom and night vision/low light level recording capabilities. You should choose a camera with a high optical zoom as opposed to a high digital zoom. Optical zoom is performed using the camera’s lenses whereas digital zoom is done by electronically zooming into the image and can pixelate very easily. For low light levels you should look for a camera that has a low lux rating. Lux is the measure of available light in the environment – the lower the figure then the darker you will be able to film in. Some min camcorders also have an inbuilt infra red lamp which enables the camera to record in complete darkness up to a range of a few yards – called 0 lux capability.

The Vanguard VGP-3202 VGP Universal Series Compact Photo/Video Hard Case Diced foam inserts. Key locks, adjustable/removable shoulder strap. Streamlined rounded corners. Aluminum construction, scratch-resistant. 12 3/8 inch W x 4 1/2 inch H x 9 5/8 inch D. Includes adjustable/removable shoulder strap

The RCA My Life Small Wonder Digital Camcorder (EZ200) Record up to 30 minutes in high-quality. Record up to 2 hours in Web Share quality. Flip-out display and USB. MicroSD? memory card slot. Still photo capture. Built-in memory manager software. Includes 1GB memory card

VistaQuest 7 MP Digital Camcorder Pink w/2.0″ Color TFT LCD Display. 5 in 1 device - DV Recorder, Digital Camera, Web Cam, MP3 Player and Voice Recorder.

The Case Logic QPB-5 Medium Camcorder Bag Holds medium camcorders and accessories Front-loading camera access Form-fitting EVA protectionCeiling pocket for cablesRear accessory compartment9 1/4 inch W x 7 1/2 inch H x 6 1/2 inch D Includes removable padded shoulder strap

Around the world, the name Canon means optical excellence, advanced image processing and superb performance. And Canon digital video camcorders are no exception.

If your choice of recording media is DVD, you’ll find a family of capable and technologically sophisticated DVD camcorders built with the Canon know how which you’ve come to expect in all our products.

The DC310 is our most affordable new DVD model and is, like the others, sleek and easy-to-operate. It also offers our exclusive Canon 41x Advanced Zoom a feature only possible with our industry-leading optical technology. It also boasts our advanced DIGIC DV II Image Processor, a powerful 680k CCD, SD card image storage capability, Quick Start and Joystick Control. Add to that the long recording time available thanks to its high capacity battery and low power consumption and you’ll see that the DC310 makes it simpler than ever to capture and share all the unforgettable moments of your life.

The Azden SGM-2X Professional Shotgun Microphone 2-barrel, 16 inch super-cardioid shotgun microphoneXLR outputSuper-cardioid or omni pickup patternsSwitchable low-cut filterFrequency response: 40Hz-20kHzUses AAA battery (not included)Includes shock mount holder and two windscreens

The DXG DXG-565VB Blue 5.0MP Ultra-Compact Digital Camcorder With 2.4” LCD Image resolution up to up to 4000 x 3000. Records MPEG4 video with sound and up to 720 x 480 resolution at 30fps . Captures images up to 12MP. 4x digital zoom. 3 7/8” W x 1 7/16” H x 1 1/2” D. Uses MMC, SD or SDHC memory cards up to 4GB. Uses 4 AAA alkaline batteries. Includes 32MB built-in memory, 4 AAA alkaline batteries, earphones, hand strap, USB and AV cables, storage case and software

Versatile 1.07 Megapixel HDD/SD Hybrid Camera with 30GB Hard Disk Drive and convenient Everio Dock for easy connection 1/6-inch 680k pixel CCD 1.07 Megapixel CCD 32x Optical Zoom/ 800x Digital Zoom

The Vanguard VGP-13S VGP Universal Series Mid-Size Photo/Video Hard Case Removable dividers and diced foam insert. Rounded, non-marking corners. Key locks. Aluminum construction, impact and scratch-resistant. 15 1/8 inch W x 6 3/8 inch H x 9 1/4 inch D. Includes adjustable/removable shoulder strap