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Do you realize
just how much video "stuff" there is floating around today?
It's like
walking into a jungle! Believe it or not, there are laws in this jungle.
If you don't know them, you could get eaten alive.
If you are thinking of buying some new or better equipment
so you can get down to business making your movies and other video
projects, you need to be aware of these "laws" from the start. Some
of them seem to contradict others, but they actually complement each
other, and they'll help you save money while getting what you need and
want:
Especially at first,
less is more. Enthusiastic videographers sometimes
spend much more than they need to spend getting features and special
video niceties that they will never use or that will be out of date
before they learn how to use them. So, when you are just starting
out, be careful about spending too much money. You may not need "the
very best of everything" on the market! You can't grow into what
you're already too big for. Although you don't want
to overshoot your technical abilities and personal goals, remember that
you're likely going to outgrow a very basic system. Plan for that.
The system you get needs to be one that will help you grow, or that will even be
able to grow with you.
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The closest store is not
always your best friend. Shopping around is a great idea.
But don't just run down to the local store and buy the first equipment you
see. That is the worst thing you can do, if for no other reason than such
an approach puts the store and salesperson in charge of what brand you buy
and what features (you end up with what they have, not necessarily what
you want or need). Certainly, it is helpful to touch, handle, and hold the
equipment you want to buy and to see how it feels; but don't make
the assumption that sales people know what they are talking about.
Sometimes they do. But very often they are trained in moving you
from what you want to what they have. And usually you pay an extra
price for a salesperson's help, whether they know what they are doing or
not, and whether you get what you really want or not.
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The lowest price is not always
the best bargain. You'd better believe this one.
Especially when buying electronic equipment, make sure you can trust the
store or online vender you are using, and make sure you can get extended
warranties on your equipment through the manufacturers. Extended warranties
for electronic equipment are usually worth the money!
And a word of caution: Buying online is actually a very good way to
buy. But you need to watch yourself just like you do when buying from a
local store. Sometimes, you can find stores or websites that sell
your desired item for half what it sells for in most other places.
This might be a good deal. But before you buy from them, you should check
them out thoroughly! Otherwise, you could end up losing a lot, or
all, of your money, or get a broken piece of equipment that you have
trouble getting repaired. This happens all the time.
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