| There has been such rapid changes and | | | | just more advanced, better quality versions |
| improvements in the field of camcorders over | | | | of an 8mm camcorder that produces the very |
| the last ten years or so that it may be | | | | best picture and sound that you can get this |
| confusing when you start looking to buy one | | | | side of digital itself. |
| today. There are a handful of competing | | | | |
| formats that you should be aware of and know | | | | * Digital camcorders - These are currently |
| what they mean before you buy. So here is a | | | | the most expensive camcorders available but |
| digital camcorders review on what you should | | | | they are also becoming surprisingly more |
| know before you buy: | | | | affordable too as time goes on. They record |
| | | | video images in digital format which allows |
| * First of all the old bulky VHS camcorders | | | | them to be much more vivid and sharp, and the |
| of yesteryear are gone. They have given way | | | | sound is vastly improved over the old analog |
| to much improved versions that are lighter, | | | | camcorders. Because everything is recorded |
| smaller and produce much better video. | | | | digitally there is no loss of detail when |
| However, you can still use VHS tapes for | | | | copies are made and this is a big advantage |
| playback if you choose a VHS-C type of | | | | for some. Of course digital files themselves |
| camcorder. This is an analog camcorder that | | | | would take up huge amounts of disk space, so |
| records to tape that can be used in a VCR but | | | | most digital camcorders still record to tape |
| the tape itself is small and compact to | | | | for the extra storage space capacity that |
| eliminate the big bulk of the old VHS | | | | tapes offer. The miniDV category of digital |
| camcorders, Once you record the video, you | | | | camcorders is extremely small and records to |
| just place it into an adapter that lets you | | | | tapes that are even smaller than 8mm, while |
| pop it into the VCR just as you would with | | | | still recording hours worth of video at a |
| any movie and view your video. Although they | | | | time. |
| are small and compact, these are some of the | | | | |
| most inexpensive camcorders that are | | | | So many people think that all camcorders they |
| available today and can be had for just a | | | | find are now digital camcorders, but as this |
| couple hundred dollars at many places both | | | | digital camcorders review indicates, you can |
| online and offline. | | | | still run across a lot of analog camcorders |
| | | | out there as well, and they are usually |
| * 8mm camcorders also record to tape but the | | | | easily spotted by their lower price. If they |
| tapes are even smaller than those used by | | | | will do the job for you, that may be all you |
| VHS-C camcorders. The disadvantage is that | | | | need. But if you want the best audio and |
| you can not play them through the VCR, but | | | | video possible consider either the miniDV or |
| you can connect the camcorder straight to the | | | | the 8mm digital camcorder instead. |
| TV and play it that way. Hi8 camcorders are | | | | |