What you need to know, from the kind of user you are to current technologies.
Which video format should I choose?
There are several formats available in the world of digital consumer camcorders. In general, each type of cassette or disc is made to record video using a particular standard. For example, MiniDV cassettes record video using the popular DV standard or high-definition HDV, while some discs save MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 video. The type of format used influences the design and the feature set of the camera, in addition to affecting what you can do with the video once it's shot. Many camcorders use a flash memory card in addition to the main recording media to save still shots and Web-quality video clips.
Recording media:
MiniDV |
Digital8 |
Mini DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW and DVD-RAM
Built-in hard drive |
Memory cards (SDHC, Memory Stick)
MiniDV
MiniDV cassette
Most consumer digital camcorders use MiniDV cassettes, which record DV-format video. The DV standard produces high-quality footage that is superior to video recorded by consumer analog camcorders and can deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality. Consumer and semipro camcorders that capture high-definition footage record HDV-format video on MiniDV cassettes.
Best for: Budget buyer; trendsetter; home and vacation moviemaker; independent filmmaker; business videographer.
Advantages
| Broad range of camcorders, from bargain to professional three-chip models |
| Widely supported by video-editing and -effects software |
| MiniDV decks and other hardware products widely available |
| CD-quality 12- and 16-bit PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) sound capture and audio dubbing |
| Camcorders may be connected to TV for display or to VCR for copying |
| Some camcorders provide analog-to-digital conversion for digitizing older video |
Disadvantages
| Camcorders can't play analog 8mm or Hi8 cassettes |
| Cassettes with built-in memory chip for indexing video segments are relatively expensive |
Supporting manufacturers: Canon; Hitachi; JVC; Panasonic; Samsung; Sony.
Digital8
The Digital8 format records high-quality DV-format video on analog 8mm and Hi8 cassettes as well as dedicated Digital8 tapes. Like MiniDV cameras, Digital8 models can deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality.
Best for: Budget buyer.
Advantages
| Camcorders have affordable prices relative to their feature sets |
| Allows CD-quality 12- and 16-bit PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) sound capture and audio dubbing |
| Widely supported by video-editing and -effects software |
| Compatible decks and other hardware products available |
| Camcorders can play back analog footage on 8mm and Hi8 tapes |
| Inexpensive cassettes available (although the price of high-quality tapes is very close to that of MiniDV tapes) |
| Camcorders may be connected to TV for display or to VCR for copying |
| Some camcorders provide analog-to-digital conversion for digitizing older video |
Disadvantages
| Larger cassette size requires bulkier camcorders than MiniDV |
| Analog tape recording time is cut in half when used by Digital8 camcorder (for example, a 120-minute Hi8 tape captures 60 minutes of Digital8 video) |
| Obsolescent format; small and shrinking selection of camcorders available |
| No cassettes with built-in memory chip for indexing video segments available |
Supporting manufacturers: Sony.
Mini DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW and DVD-RAM
Mini DVD-RW or
DVD-RAM
Mini-DVD camcorders record high-quality MPEG-2 footage directly to a mini DVD-R or DVD-RAM and can deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality.
Best for: Trendsetter; home and vacation moviemaker; business videographer.
Advantages
| DVD-Rs can be played in home DVD players |
| Easy searching and random access to video segments |
| Convenient and stable format for archiving |
| Selectable image-quality levels, including high-quality variable-bit-rate recording |
| Both video and still images are recorded on disc (instead of on a cassette and a memory card) |
Disadvantages
| Video recorded on DVD-R cannot be edited on a computer |
| Video on DVD-RAMs can be accessed only via a DVD-RAM drive |
| Relatively short recording times at highest-quality modes and unpredictable recording times with variable bit rate |
| Relatively expensive discs |
| Less reliable for live recording; a single bad bit can render an entire disc of video unrecognizable |
Supporting manufacturers: Canon; Hitachi; Panasonic; Samsung; Sony.
Built-in hard drive
Hitachi Microdrive
With camcorders that use built-in hard drives, you can record high-quality MPEG-2 footage and deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality.
Best for: Trendsetter; home and vacation moviemaker; business videographer.
Advantages
| Relatively compact camcorder designs |
| Easy searching and random access to video segments |
| Selectable image-quality levels, usually including high-quality variable-bit-rate recording |
| Both video and still images can be recorded on one card (instead of on a cassette and a memory card) |
| Longest recording times |
Disadvantages
| Need for separate hard drive or DVD burning for archiving |
| Unpredictable recording times with variable bit rate |
| Less support by advanced video-editing and video-effects software than for DV format |
Supporting manufacturers: Canon; JVC; Panasonic; Sony.
Memory cards (SDHC, Memory Stick)
SD card
Cameras use these types of memory to achieve an ultracompact design. Because they record highly compressed video, they're best suited for gadget lovers who want to use their footage mainly on Web sites and in e-mail. Camcorders that record MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 to memory cards may be picky about the cards you use since those encoding schemes require the ability to write to the card more quickly than most standard cards can handle.
Best for: Trendsetter
Advantages
| Allows for very compact camcorders |
| Easy searching and random access to video segments |
| Selectable image-quality levels, including high-quality variable-bit-rate recording |
| Both video and still images are recorded on disc (instead of on a cassette and a memory card) |
Disadvantages
| Relatively short recording times |
| Video is highly compressed |
Supporting manufacturers: Panasonic; Sony.
In addition, most cassette-based camcorders incorporate an SD/MMC, MicroSD or Memory Stick slot for the purpose of storing still images and MPEG-1 or MPEG-4 video clips. Camcorders save photographs in the compressed JPEG format. For e-mailing and posting on the Web, MPEG-1 and MPEG-4 formats are best. Like Webcams, some camcorders can stream video in these formats directly to the Web.
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