Analog vs. Digital
Here is a breakdown of the differences between analog and digital recording.
Keep in mind that you would always rather go Digital due to the quality of the
picture and the sound. With digital video recording you also get digital sound,
but it all depends on what you can get a hold of. Precision Camera and Video in
Austin carries about . Take a look at the section titled "Shooting Your Video"
for advice on the sound aspect of recording. You can also take a look at a good
article written about all the differences between analog
and digital camcorders by clicking here.
Analog
Analog camcorders record video and audio signals as an analog track on video
tape. This means that every time you make a copy of a tape, it loses some image
and audio quality. Analog formats lack a number of the impressive features
you'll find in digital camcorders, as described in the digital cameras section
below. The main difference between the available analog formats is what kind of
video tape the camcorder uses and the resolution. Analog formats include:
- Standard VHS:
Standard VHS cameras use the same type of video tapes as a regular VCR. One
obvious advantage of this is that after you've recorded something, you can pop
the tape out and play it on most VCRs. Because of their widespread use, VHS
tapes are a lot less expensive than the tapes used in other formats. Another
advantage is that they give you a longer recording time than the tapes used in
other formats. The chief disadvantage of standard VHS format is that the size
of the tapes necessitates a larger, more cumbersome camcorder design. They
have a resolution of about 230 to 250 horizontal lines, which is the low end
of what's now available.
- VHS-C:
VHS-C camcorders record on standard VHS tape that is housed in a more compact
cassette. You can play VHS-C cassettes in a standard VCR, but you need an
adaptor device that runs the tape through a full-size cassette. Basically,
though, VHS-C format offers the same compatibility as standard VHS format. The
smaller tape size allows for more compact designs, making VHS-C camcorders
more portable. But the reduced tape size also means VHS-C tapes have a shorter
running time than standard VHS cameras. In short play mode, the tapes can hold
30 to 45 minutes of video. They can hold 60 to 90 minutes of material if you
record in extended play mode, but this sacrifices image and sound quality
considerably.
- Super VHS:
Super VHS camcorders are about the same size as standard VHS cameras, because
they use the same size tapes. The only difference between the two formats is
that super VHS tape records an image with 380 to 400 horizontal lines, a much
higher resolution image than standard VHS tape. You cannot play super VHS
tapes on a standard VCR, but, as with all formats, the camcorder itself is a
VCR and can be hooked up directly to your television or to your VCR to dub
standard VHS copies.
- Super VHS-C:
Basically, super VHS-C is to super VHS as VHS-C is to standard VHS: It's just
a more compact version that uses a smaller size cassette.
- 8 mm:
These camcorders use small 8-millimeter tapes (about the size of an audio
cassette). The chief advantage of this format is manufacturers can produce
more compact camcorders, sometimes small enough to fit in a coat pocket. The
format offers about the same resolution as standard VHS, with slightly better
sound quality. Like standard VHS tapes, 8 mm tapes hold about two hours of
footage, but they are more expensive. To watch 8 mm tapes on your television,
you have to attach your camcorder and use it as a VCR.
- Hi-8:
Hi-8 camcorders are very similar to 8 mm camcorders, but they have a much
higher resolution (about 400 lines). Hi-8 tapes are more expensive than
ordinary 8 mm tapes.
Digital
Digital camcorders differ from analog camcorders in a few very important ways.
They record information digitally, as bytes, which means that image can be
reproduced without losing any image or audio quality. Digital video can also be
downloaded to a computer, where you can edit it or post it on the Web. Another
distinction is that digital video has a much better resolution than analog
video, typically 500 lines. There are two consumer digital formats in widespread
use:
- Digital Video (DV):
DV camcorders record on compact mini-DV cassettes, which are fairly expensive
and only hold 60 to 90 minutes of footage. The video has an impressive 500
lines of resolution, however, and can be easily transferred to a personal
computer. DV camcorders can be extremely lightweight and compact -- many are
about the size of a paperback novel. Another interesting feature is the
ability to capture still pictures, just as a digital camera does.
- Digital 8:
Digital-8 camcorders (produced by Sony exclusively) are very similar to
regular DV camcorders, but they use standard Hi-8-mm tapes, which are less
expensive. These tapes hold up to 60 minutes of footage, which can be copied
without any lose in quality. Just as with DV camcorders, you can connect
Digital-8 camcorders to your computer to download your movies for editing or
Internet use. Digital-8 cameras are generally a bit larger than DV camcorders
-- about the size of standard 8-mm models.