Mini DV Camcorders

I am going to ost a selection of articles here over time:

When buying a camcorder, I have found the best and most practical is min though the other formats are: Mini DV tape, DVD, and hard disk.

Each medium has it's advantages and disadvantages. However after a lot of searching and reading forums I have found this format by far the best and devoted a blog to it.

Mini DV camcorders are the most popular, and you'll find the largest selection. However, mini DV isn't necessarily the most economical or efficient digital video recording medium. But ion my opinion it is the best overall in terms of value for money and ease of use for most tasks. However by all means do your own research.

Cost

Mini-DV tapes cost about £2.50 each. For maximum performance, tapes should only be used once.

For viewing footage directly from a mini-DV tape, you can use your camcorder, or connect it to a TV for large screen viewing. Video footage on a mini DV tape must be viewed in sequential order, so you can't jump between scenes without fast forwarding or rewinding.

Playing mini-DV tapes puts wear and tear on your camcorder, so it's best not to do this too often. Ideally, the footage should be transferred to DVD or VHS tape for playback.

Editing

Most editing systems are set up to easily edit video footage shot on mini DV.

You'll need to play the tapes through your camcorder to import the footage onto your computer. This process occurs in real time, so one hour of footage takes one hour to import.

Mini DV tapes work well for storing raw footage or completed video projects. They are small and hold up well over time as long as they are kept away from excess heat and humidity.

However always try to get the best you can afford and some good selections can be found on the main blog.

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