Production Glossary
Camcorder
History
A camcorder is a devise used to record both images and audio through a built-in recording unit consisting of both a video camera and video recorder. While current models can fit in the palm of the hand and are for personal use, the earliest models were over-the-shoulder professional filming gear.
Originally, camcorders used analog recording onto videotape (a removable cassette). But, the eventual switch to digital recording (stored on optical disks, flash memory, and hard disk drives) in the 1990s has given us the most popular, compact form of personal video recording that is enjoyed today. There are also tapeless camcorders, and hybrid camcorders, which utilize two different kinds of media.
Broadcast television was integral in the creation of camcorders. In order to eliminate the cumbersome, stationary cameras used in television, and free up the cameraman for more versatile work, the portable video-camera/portable VCR were developed.
1982 brought about two events that lend themselves to the rise of home camcorders: the introduction of Betacam by Sony, and JVC’s release of the VHS-C format. The VHS-C did away with the full-size cassette required in earlier VCRs, while the Betacam became the standard for professional camcorders by eliminating the cable between the video engineers and cameramen and providing better picture quality through component video.
The first camcorder available for consumer purchase, called Betamovie, was released by Sony in 1983. JVC wasted no time and released their model which used the existing VHS-C format. This model’s cassette held enough tape for 40 to 120 minutes of video, and came with an adapter to view playback on home VCRs. These early camcorders sold for approximately $1,500 retail. Sony’s Video8 model, with its metal composition video cassette, solved the problem of a short running time (lengthening it to two hours, or four hours when set on slow mode). Panasonic, in 1986, began selling VHS/S-VHS camcorders. These models, which soon had the hearts of videographers and college television studios, offered three to nine hours of recording time.
The mid 90s saw the introduction of digital camcorders with the use of DV and miniDV. The size reduction of the cassette media allowed for even smaller models of the transport assembly to be used, paving the way for the palm sized camcorders used today. These digital recorders also provided better audio and video quality over the leading analog camcorders. Currently, a bottom level camcorder can be purchased for as low as $100 in most retail stores.
Technical Overview
The camcorders main units are the lens, imager, and recorder. The mechanics of the camcorder are as follows: the lens captures and concentrates light on the imager. The imager transforms incident light in to an electrical signal. The recorder then translates the electric signal in to digital video and encrypts the signal into a savable form.
A camcorder is commonly categorized by its storage device. Analog form camcorders, those that store recordings on a video cassette, are VHS, Betamax and Video8. Hard drive, miniDV, Digital8, DVD, and flash memory camcorders all store their recordings in digital form. The digital form has allowed for video to be recorded and played back in full resolution, eliminated the fade, jitter, and color bleeding of analog, and ensured a lasting video through editing, dubbing, and recording (since analog cassette can wear out more easily).
