Consumer vs Professional video cameras

Give any four differences between consumer camcorder and professional camera.

There are broadly three kinds of video cameras from a market point of view: consumer cameras, prosumer cameras and professional cameras.

Consumer cameras or low-end are available off-the shelf in electronic stores and are priced around Rs 15,000 to 50,000 rupees. Professional cameras are high-end cameras that cost form about Rs 1 lakh upwards.

1. Size and weight:  low-end cameras are small in size and weight. Some can be carried in pouches and are hand held. High end cameras are normally big and come with a number of accessories. They are normally shoulder-mounted, or need tripods, dollies etc for mounting.

2- Settings: low-end cameras have mainly auto-settings, focus, exposure, shutter speed and audio all come with auto-settings. they are point-and -shoot cameras. In high end cameras, most parameters like focus, exposure, shutter-speed, audio etc can be set manually to suit one’s requirement.

3- Lenses: Consumer cameras come with zoom lenses, with limited range. They have digital zooms, and low depth of field. You cannot change the lenses. Professional cameras come with zoom lenses, with high zoom range and greater depth of field. One can change the lenses on a high-end camera according to the need.

4- Audio: low end cameras do not come with external microphone inputs. they have built-in microphones. They do not have separate faders to control microphone levels. High end cameras come with built-in mics as well as external microphone input connection facility. they have faders to adjust the microphone volume levels.