How Camcorders Work: Part III – Get to Know Your Video Camera Storage Media
Video camera recorder storage media currently comes in two different format types; analog and digital. In part three of our three part series on camcorders we’ll discuss the various types of analog and digital media.
Analog Format Storage Media
As mentioned in our previous articles, analog cams record video and audio signals as an analog track on video tape. Every time you copy a tape it loses picture and audio quality. The primary difference between the analog formats is the kind of video tape the camcorder uses, and its resolution.
1) Standard VHS. These are regular Video Cassette Recorder [VCR] tapes. [Most VHS cameras use these tapes]. The most obvious advantage of standard VHS is that as soon as you’ve recorded something you can watch it instantly on a VCR. VHS tapes are less expensive than tapes of other formats because of their widespread use. The give a longer recording time also. The major disadvantage of standard VHS format is the size of the tape. The large tape makes for a larger camcorder. The resolution is about 230-250 horizontal lines.
2) VHS-C. VHS-C camcorders record on the same VHS tape mentioned above but is stored in a more compact housing. VHS-C tapes play in standard VCRs when used with a specially made adaptor device. The device plays the tape through the full-size tape. The tape’s smaller size allows for a smaller camcorder but the tape size is reduced. They have a shorter running time than VHS tapes. VHS-C tape times hold about 30-45 minutes of video. In extended play mode the tape holds 60-90 minutes of footage but the picture and sound suffer quite a bit.
3) Super VHS. These are the same size as standard VHS and use the same size tape. The difference is that Super VHS records 380-400 horizontal lines instead of 230-250 lines. The higher resolution makes for a better image. Super VHS does not play in a VCR. The device must be hooked up to a television
4) Super VHS-C. This is basically the same as Super VHS just in a more compact housing with less record time.
5) 8mm. This media is small. It is about the size of an audio cassette. The resolution is about the same as standard VHS with a little better sounds quality. It holds around two hours of recording. 8mm must be attached to a
television.
6) Hi-8. Hi-8 has a higher resolution than 8mm. It has about 400 lines. Other than that, Hi-8 is the same as 8mm.
Digital Format Storage Media
Digital camcorders record information as bytes. Therefore, images and sound can be reproduced without losing quality. You can also upload video to a computer for editing or posting online. Typically, digital video has about 500 lines. This makes for a better resolution than any analog camcorder media.
1) MiniDV. This media is a compact cassette that holds around 60-90 minutes of footage. The video resolution is 500 lines. Most MiniDV camcorders are lightweight and compact and around the size of a standard paperback novel.
2) Digital8. This media is built for Sony proprietary camcorder technology. They are basically standard Hi-8mm tapes that hold up to 60 minutes of film. It can be copied with a loss in quality. Digital8 camcorder media can be uploaded to a computer for editing and online use.
3) DVD. This media is widespread in the film industry but relatively rare for use in camcorders. Instead of recording its signals to tape DVD camcorders burn the signals directly to DVD. Each recording is an individual track like songs on a CD. DVDs can hold from 30 minutes to two hours of video. Newer DVD camcorders support DVD and DVD-RAM formats. They are three quarters the size of DVD movie disks and work in most standard DVD players. DVD-RAM can be recorded over again and again.
4) Memory Card. These are solid state memory devices like Flash memory cards, memory Sticks, and SD cards. They allow for higher resolution recording and extended recording times. The data on a memory card is easily uploaded to a computer for editing and distribution.
Frankly, it doesn’t really matter what kind of recording device and media you choose. Like we mentioned earlier in the series, just two decades or so ago this technology didn’t even exist! It was exclusive to television professionals. With
a bit of practice, even low-end analog camcorders get you good footage. With a digital video camera, the quality is astounding right out of the box!
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