Choosing a Camcorder

When buying a camcorder there are several factors that must be considered.


Type of Format: Formats are based on the type of tape that the camcorder uses, and the method of recording the information. The key distinctions among them are their compatibility with a VCR, maximum recording time, and picture resolution (measured in horizontal lines).

: VHS camcorders make it possible for you to immediately watch the tape on your home VCR, not worrying about adapters or wires. A standard T-120 VHS tape has a recording time of 2 hrs, and the resolution is 250 lines.

This camcorder uses VHS tapes that are smaller than the standard size, and can be played in your home VCR by putting it in an adapter. The maximum recording time is 40 minutes, and the resolution is the same as regular size VHS tapes at 250 lines.

S-VHS tapes can only be played by attaching the camcorder to your VCR or by using an S-VHS VCR, as they are not compatible with standard VCRs. The camcorder has a maximum recording time of 2 hours. The S stands for super, as the resolution jumps from the VHS standard of 250 lines to around 400 lines.

8mm
8mm camcorders are more compact than VHS. The tapes are incompatible with home VCRs and you have to wire the camcorder to your television to watch them. 8mm can record for up to 2 hours, and they have a resolution of 270 lines.

HI-8
Hi-8 camcorders use 8mm tapes, and have to be played back by hooking up the camcorder to the television. The tapes have a maximum recording time of 2 hours. Hi-8 is about the same resolution as S-VHS, around 400 lines.

These camcorders record images digitally, and use small tapes compared to VHS. The tapes must be played back through the camcorder your TV. Their maximum recording time is up to 2 hours. Digital camcorders have the highest resolution of all the camcorders, starting at 500 lines.

The digital8 format also records images digitally, and use regular 8MM cassettes. These tapes are incompatible with the standard VHS VCR and require you to play them through the camcorder onto your TV. The camcorder can record up to 1 hour of digital information, and has a resolution of up to 500 lines.

This format started showing up in mid 2003. It is mostly used in camcorders because of it's small size, about 1/2 the dimensions of a Mini DV tape. The Micro MV system offers high resolution recorders small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It records digitally onto a tiny tape with files small enough to be transferred to a PC within minutes. It also has the ability to record video that can be played directly over the internet.


Image Stabilization: This feature steadies the video, so that the shakiness with hand-held camcorders is almost eliminated. Manufacturers have different terms for this feature, such as Electronic Image Stabilizer (EIS) or Steady Shot.

Horizontal Resolution: Basically, the higher the resolution, the sharper the picture. Resolution ranges from 250 lines for standard VHS quality to over 500 lines for digital quality.

LCD Monitor: The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor can be used as a viewfinder or a playback screen. It comes in a range of sizes, and is often put on a swivel, so that it can be turned around for different viewing angles.

Batteries: All camcorders use rechargeable batteries. The type of battery can make a big difference in how long you can record and play back a tape. The InfoLithium battery is currently the best one on the market since it tells you exactly how much power is remaining and it also does not suffer from the dreaded "memory effect" that some other types have.


Color Viewfinder: This is a great feature, especially for those who don't have an LCD monitor. A color viewfinder allows you to check the balance of colors, and see whether the settings need any adjustment. In most cases you can play your recording back through the viewfinder.

Optical Zoom: This allows the viewer to focus in on far away objects with the touch of a button. An optical zoom rated at16X means that the camcorder can magnify the image up to 16 times larger than normal. There are two types of zoom, optical and digital. All cameras have optical zooms and most have digital. An optical zoom uses the actual lens to magnify the image, whereas a digital zoom uses computer imaging to magnify the image. Although, digital zooms can go much farther than optical (up to 400X), they do sacrifice quality at any setting above 50X.

Size: Camcorders have gotten progressively more compact, and today's models are the smallest yet. In general, VHS camcorders are the largest and heaviest, with the S-VHS a bit smaller. The VHS-C is much more compact, but generally not as lightweight as the 8mm or Hi-8 camcorders. Digitals are the smallest ones on the market; in fact some of them are even small enough to fit in a pocket.


Price: VHS, VHS-C and 8mm formats generally have lower prices than SVHS, Hi-8 and Digital formats. However, as a model becomes older its price drops, and more and more manufacturers are making high resolution camcorders and selling them at lower prices.

Home | On-Line Video Supply Store | Video Tape Duplication

DVD Transfers | Foreign Conversion | Disc Duplication | Who We Are

Video Glossary | Information Center & Links

Please view our Privacy Policy and Legal Notices