Video Camcorder Tape Format

Camcorders Tape Format

Early consumer camcorders used full-size VHS or Betamax tapes. Later models switched to more compact formats like 8 mm video format (later replaced by Hi8Digital8) and VHS-C (later replaced by Super VHS-C) tape.

From L to R: Digital Betacam,DVCPro, MiniDV

Presently, MiniDV is the most popular format for tape-based consumer camcorders, providing near-broadcast quality video and sophisticated nonlinear editing capability on consumer equipment; however, though intended as a digital successor to VHS, MiniDV VCRs are not widely available outside professional circles.

Sony introduced a new camcorder cassette format with MicroMV, but consumer interest was low due to the proprietary nature of the format and limited support for anything but low-end Windows video editors, and Sony shipped the last MicroMV unit in 2005.

For high definition, the most promising system seems to be HDV, which uses MiniDV media to store a roughly broadcast-quality HDTV data stream.

The latest trend in consumer camcorders is to switch from tape-based to tapeless solutions, like built-in HDDs, optical disks and solid-state media.