If you’re looking for a new camcorder you’ve got some options on media type. By that we mean “how does your video get stored”, or what does it get stored on? You’ve got four main options these days, DVD, flash memory, tape, and hard drive camcorders. Each offer their own distinct advantages and disadvantages, lets take a look at two with removable media, the tape camcorder and the camcorder with flash memory.
The predominant tape camcorder available today is the MiniDV model. The tapes are basically miniature VCR tapes, and they sell for roughly $2 for a one hour tape, there are also 80 minute tapes that can hold up to 2 hours of video. The tapes are relatively inexpensive and can produce one of the highest quality video of all consumer camcorders. In fact they’re used for many independent film makers. To play back your video you’ll need to play it from your camera hooked into your TV, or download it to your computer. As with all tape media when uploading your times will be as long as your recording. That means a 1 hour tape will take 1 hour to upload.
The uploading times is one of the biggest disadvantages of tape media but, the high quality video is one of the big advantages.
Flash memory camcorders use a memory card similar to a thumb drive. The card can be built in or removable. Because the storage capacity of these cards aren’t as high as a hard drive the video must be compressed. That means the quality won’t be as good as with a tape model. The big advantage is that a flash card can hold 8 hours or more depending on card size. Don’t think that just because the video is compressed that the quality isn’t good. The Canon Vixia is one of the full HD flash memory camcorders out there and one of the best. Another advantage is that upload times are much quicker, in the the order of seconds or minutes because you’re basically transferring a computer file.
If the highest quality video possible is what you’re looking for than a MiniDV camcorder is what you should look for. If ease of use is important to you then the flash camcorder is what you should look at. At this time the price for each is close, but the flash camcorders are a little more expensive.
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