Camcorders Are Actually Making a Comeback

All old things become cool again apparently, and tape(less) camcorders are back big time. I wanted to explore this by picking up a lot of camcorders and seeing how hard it was to convert them to tapeless and record straight to digital. Turns out it's super easy. If you're hoping to get into camcorders, now is a great time. They are cheap. There are loads of converter options, and I think we'll just keep seeing more and more and better digital capture recorders in the future (hopefully cheaper too).
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[@doct]

One unfortunate thing about those composite-video capture things is that you lose a lot in terms of video quality. I got an old 20$ laptop with firewire so I could get the footage from my Sony miniDV camera without any compression + at 50 fps (interlaced though). The footage is really good!

[@snappiness]

I've seen some good side by sides and I felt like it was good enough, I couldnt really tell the difference in a blind test. I'm sure some are worse than others though. Also probably matters more with more serious camcorders

[@CamcorderHomeVideos]

​@@snappiness Oh definitely. My Sony TRV900 (MiniDV camcorder) cost around $3,700 in 1998, and the quality is pretty insane. There isn't any sort of a sharpening filter in the camcorder like you might find on other camcorders, and the video quality is probably not too far from the best you could get out of MiniDV. The lens is sharp, and despite being a 12x zoom lens, the aperture is F/1.6 to F/2.8. With three CCD sensors, lowlight video is insane- and there isn't even a NightShot mode. To give you an idea, I can use the camera after sunset with a 1/500 shutter speed at F/2.8 with 0 gain!

[@forevernotjohn]

I was gonna comment this. I use a Canon GL2 and had a composite converter and the quality was just awful. When I use my FireWire card in my pc, I can export video at 1080p 60fps and it looks substantially better. I don’t think the convenience is worth it unless you wanna look back at footage and you don’t wanna burn the tape heads out

[@StephenStrangways]

Yeah, composite sucks. Going to at least S-Video would be a massive improvement in quality.

[@snappiness]

@@forevernotjohn what was the converter you were using, do you remember?

[@bhume7535]

I always just answer the "why bother?" question with a mixture of "Because I want to." and "it's fun". That's usually all people need to know. lol

[@rickbiessman6084]

Yeah, it's actually pretty easy to explain =) Why bother? Because it's awesome, that's why! =) =) =)

[@chris.cantwell]

What a coincidence that you post this today. I snagged a Sony DCR-TRV320 a few weeks ago at a thrift store in the hopes of using it to recover footage from a stack of Digital8 (digital Hi8) tapes I’ve had floating around for the last 20+ years. One of them happened to be footage from my honeymoon that I thought was lost long ago. After some attempts to get a FireWire pcie card, and necessary software to work on windows 10/11 I pulled an ancient 12” PowerBook from my collection and used iMovie ‘06 to ingest the footage.

[@snappiness]

@@chris.cantwell nice! These are the kinds of projects that are so satisfying when they finally work, and so frustrating along the way 😂

[@chris.cantwell]

@ Frustrating is right. I did get an opportunity to validate my obsession with and hoarding of vintage gear, so that’s a plus. And my teenage daughters got a kick out of seeing their parents as a young married couple.

[@garethmercer4666]

I have windows xp and ubuntu on a 2006 Acer laptop with built in firewire port for exactly this purpose. Really difficult to get sony dv and hdv camcorders to connect to windows 10/11.

[@janrupertalfeche8959]

I love that this is a thing. Made me dig up the old Panasonic PVGS14 that my parents bought when I was in High School and I've used when I went on a trip to Japan. Using it again is crazy nostalgic, and I think you hit the nail in the head when you talked about this tech that was used when we were younger now somehow finds its way to capture memories in the present. It's like our childhood and the memories we make now made a shortcut and connect to each other haha

[@zeusfloreus]

Great point about being nostalgic. I've been researching social media lately. One theme I hear over and over again is creating content that captures viewers emotional side. I realize this is just one layer of many to make engaging storytelling but it's such a big advantage to an audience who is all too familiar back in the day when folks ran around with these brick camcorders..haha. I'm buying one and shooting. have fun

[@IdiAminoacid]

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the battery life with MiniDV camcorders is, went on a week+ long hike and the battery was still at 60 percent after filming multiple cassettes worth of video in cold weather. Sure, i do not have any new camcorders to compare with, but none of my other video-capable cameras would last more than 2-3 days with the same amount of filming before the battery goes flat.

[@sanderj8784]

I love how these cameras are indeed making a comeback. In fact, I believe we are still very early in this trend. I personally used my fathers old (2000) JVC camcorder to make a three-day wedding documentary of my best friends last summer. The result was a 1-hour tape of the entire weekend, teleporting us back to the 2000s; I loved the result. One of the nicest results (to me) was that the footage was only shared with my friends a week later, which means that the footage was not shared during the wedding, for instance on Instagram. It was fascinating to see how that 'felt' different, and made you relive the moment in an entirely different way. I can't wait for some manufacturer to re-release these camera's, yet with more modern features like SD-card recording for instance.

[@smalldeekgeorge]

Here in Serbia we have Buvljak it's physical market for selling everything similar to garage sale! You can find this old big camcorders from $15 to $40 😀

[@ohmwai]

I think this is your most concise and straight to the point video yet. Nicely done. Happy snappin and happpy holidays.

[@BOTGRINDER]

Im so glad i hung onto my power play from my analog fpv days.

[@Mentorrailfanning]

I’ve been collecting camcorders for a long time and I don’t film with them at all, I collect all the funky looking ones and the unique ones, I love the weird formats like I have an open reel camcorder and I also have Betamax and some other ones

[@Benjamin-1992]

It doesn't have to be a tape camcorder, just any oldish cam with a CCD sensor.

[@Alex-wd4zg]

You can also find a mid 2000s camcorder that records onto an HDD AND SD card. I purchased a Vixia HG21 last year and its the perfect balance of picture quality and nostalgia.

[@rzimbauer]

HDD and standard-def SD cameras is the right answer. The Sony SR and SX series also do this.

[@inTagalog-yt2lf]

I haven't started my film photography yet and here I am watching this.

[@markec123]

I love my sony cx405. It's not tape but it's everything that a person needs in a camcorder. We love making family videos on it.

[@DanielLoveReel]

Thanks for sharing. I like the perspective about how a certain look is associated with important childhood memories. That will probably be iphone video for our kids.

[@banana_necessary]

I have a few newer Canon and Panasonic camcorders that record onto SD card. I kind of wish there was a way to change the aspect ratio to 4:3 in camera but the crazy long optical zoom, stabilisation, ease of use (pull out the screen and they are good to go) and the ease of editing the files on a last gen iPad mini makes them a great tool for capturing memories while on vacation.

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

That was super well said....those daily mundane experiences will definitely be treasured memories. Very well worth the time and money spent to drive that point home! tHanks for a great video!

[@ImissSaganCarl]

Excellent video. Watching this video made me change my mind about selling any of my 5 camcorders.

[@RJCichocki]

Bought my grail camcorder the Sony PC-1 in mint condition as seen in American Beauty. Ive been searching for years for a working model at a decent price. Came with box and all accessories. Battery was dead but bought a new 3rd party generic as well as a 3 pack of new MiniDV tapes. I use a RCA to USB capture cable with the boxed AV cables and import/record via OBS.

[@PumaM90]

What was the cost of this package deal you got?

[@RJCichocki]

@@PumaM90 $123.99 Buy it now back in September 2024. A steal at the time.

[@MTCycling]

Footage back then gives you a different vibes. There something to it that a modern day camera does not have.

[@chrisf5475]

I dug mine out before Xmas to back up some tapes… (finding the right cables and dongles for my Mac was fun)… but after that I 0:41 realised how much I miss it. There’s something really nice about the interlaced footage… and you can’t beat the smoothness of the manual zoom (vs a phone for example)… yes you can get more modern video cameras better than phones, but for a bit of retro fun these is amazing.

[@Uhfgood]

I have an old camcorder, circa 1998 -- it's a bit older than that, but it's still old 🙂 Fun fact about "Victor" it was originally the Japanese subsidiary of the US Victor Talking Machine Company, which manufactured and sold phonograph players (RCA bought out Victor) -- When WWII came around JVC decided to decouple from the parent company. Retaining the Victor and "His Master's Voice" trademark for use in Japan.

[@rexypoooo]

I have gone from owning no camcorders to now seven sitting on the shelf in two weeks! It is a bit addicting to hunt for all these cameras that I once dreamed of but could never afford growing up. I am also doing the DVR route, until my cleaning tape arrive from Japan, but what I found is that DV was sort of the "bad digital" you had mentioned in another video, and I found that VHS-C and Hi8 yield for a much more lofi result!

[@cameralabs]

I still have the two camcorders I used for filming my first reviews here on KZbin 18 years ago! Back then there was no other way, and I hated having to play the tapes into my PC over firewire in real-time! My first was a Sony Mini DV, so standard def, and my second a Canon HV30, which used the same tapes but in the HDV format which squeezed almost HD quality (1440x1080). I really need to rebuild an era-appropriate PC with FW to capture some of my old HDV tapes from the mid 2000's...!

[@Blue-Tiger-u7s]

I went down this rabbit hole a few years ago, ending up with a few VHS camcorders, a genuine Sony Betacam ENG and a series of Newvicon and Saticon camcorders. Your best choice is to record on the video out to a capture device. It's better quality and avoids all the problems with the tape drive. A lot of camcorders were stored for decades in plastic cases....as long as they kept moisture out they worked, but once it got in, however, the camcorder would look okay but have some pretty horrible mold spores building up. I replaced a few belts before I gave up on it, they were never meant/expected to be used for 20-30 years. Pro camcorders like the Betacam still have batteries and accessories for them, and you can see why they were valued; the video quality isn't half bad today. Newvicons and Saticons were gas tubes rather than CCD's, and would take a moment to warm up with some unique effects. Both had the star trail effect for point lights that was unique to 70's video, and if pointed at too bright a light, even reflected sunlight, it could kill the tube. Newvicons were actually terrible with purple colored skies and muddled brownish casts on green vegetation--a problem I think of the NTSC color gamut. Saticons were better but still not perfect. A few were unit camcorders--tape and capture device in one unit. Most were separate, the recorder head feeding to the tape unit by cables. So unless you had a tape drive with good batteries it was tracking down an AC power supply. You could use an inverter to feed the AC unit, along with a capture device, then carry it all in a backpack, but it gets silly. In the end you will always have a low resolution video that needs to be scaled up, and the artifacts that were considered flaws back then are features now. I eventually realized I had sunk a fair amount of money into basically junk, and gave it all away. Adding effects in post to a modern video is a far better approach, the trouble is most people overdo it or put in things that never were, like flickering back and forth between a test color pattern. Look at the music by "The Weeknd" for "I Feel It Coming" to get see analog effects done right. Not exactly like an old tape camcorder but close enough to pass.

[@toqertv]

This is why I can't find any more miniDV cams at decent prices. I don't even see them in thrift stores. About 2004, I set one up on a tripod, just recording my grandmother, her sister, and her brother in law talking after Easter dinner. Drinking coffee, eating cake, and just being in the moment. I just tossed that tape in a drawer. 20 years later my grandma's the only one left. She's got dementia and is bedridden. I guess I could send the tape off, but honestly I just want to do it myself. Can't find a DV cam for any less than $100, no matter what the model, and many times untested and missing cables/battery.

[@paulie3095]

I bought and old canon mv camcorder from 2005 for about 15 dollars mini dv , and too my surprise after using it for some time with tape i noticed a small little latch , it was and sd card slot 😅, the old timey sd, i bought one that was compatible for testing (1GB) and it works flawlessly and gives the same image quality and y2k aesthetic as the minidv , its seems to me that as we left the tape era and eased into the digital some of those later models incorporated both formats , so if you're on the look for the minidv look without having to mod one to accept sd , i believe it to be a good option also , they can be tricky to find and there doesnt seem to be much information online ,my model is the canon mv830 mini dv , love the channel 😀

[@incohesiveglue]

This is exactly why I picked up a Pentax MX-4, I got one with battery, charger, and wide angle adapter for $100 and it's the perfect early 2000s camcorder video aesthetic

[@Rozbujnik_Rumcajs]

Ive done this to my panasonic nv-gs90. I used cheapo mini dvr without screen. I did for it 3d printed shelf so it was mounted cleanly on camcorder body. Also I soldered custom av cable. To power it I designed 3d printed battery case and build it with li-ion cells from disposable vape pens founded in trash. To charge it I used 2s li-ion charging board with usb-c input. Mine camcorder have separate dc socket (I bet it was standard at the time) so there is also option to power it with newer powerbank with right adapter cable. It was really fun project.

[@Foremi]

I get very similar feelings seeing photos and videos from very early camera phones because that’s what all my friends and family had from early flip phones my parents had when I was real young, to my first phones to the early smart phone cameras, they all had fairly similar “look” for about 15years probably before smartphone cameras really started getting good.

[@YerUnclePhil]

Nice job! A little factoid. When you record to the SD card, there is a possible issue. Some cameras with output video for a short time. They'll be in a standby mode for 5 minutes and shut off. You can only work around it by recording to tape simultaneously.

[@gregorycosta1043]

I was born in 1985, and fortunately, many important moments from my childhood were captured on VHS. In 1992, my dad purchased a shoulder-mounted Sharp camcorder for $2,000. By 2001, we downgraded to a handheld JVC camcorder, which had less vibrant colors, a smaller sensor that struggled in low light, and muffled sound without an external microphone. I'm a nostalgic person-I still shoot film, print photos, write letters, listen to CDs, and drive a Grand Marquis. That said, even as a teen, I found home movies on VHS a bit melancholic. The footage, even from recent events, often evokes memories of time slipping away. Currently, I use an HD Canon camcorder from 2011, and I have no desire to return to the JVC.

[@GrimYak]

We are at the same point similar to the time of CDs and streaming but people wanted vinyl.

[@michaelbell75]

Except that vinyl is pure analog. This is not. Zero point in this.

[@theodorekorehonen]

You completely missed the point if you think millenials got into vinyl because it was "pure analog" - a quality even audiophiles can't distinguish when subjected to a double blinded test

[@debranchelowtone]

@@michaelbell75 Vinyl is not pure analog at all. Most comes from digital masters, and since 40 years at least there is a digital step in the vinyl cutting lathe that allows to space the groove evenly. So this is just digital signal converted to analog.

[@michaelbell75]

@@debranchelowtone well the only modern vinyl I own are from bands who still reecord analog and 90% of my vinyl collection is pre 80s, and most are original pressings, so it is pure analog.

[@paulmcwilliams8641]

I had a JVC cassette recorder in the 70's and found out that JVC stood for Victor Corporation of Japan. I believe they rearranged the letter order so it rolled off the tongue better.

[@rtyt2007]

Mini DVD is a cool format and allows you to put the discs into any old dvd drive to get the footage. That gives you a perfect replication of the original file and you don’t have to bother with buying capture cards

[@the_black_douglas9041]

I’m making a doco about an independent record label whose heyday was when these cams were big. I think it might be excellent to get b-cam on one of these to link the look of the clean and sharp contemporary interviews back to the camcorder past.

[@onqimages4443]

I own some old camcorders & analog to digital converters & even can live stream from old cameras but I recently bought the 40mm T1.8 1.33 Auto focus Anamorphic lens from Sirui & somehow it gave my ZV-E10 II a perfect home video look almost like looking into the past but at a much higher quality.

[@thebighairboy]

Something I would add to this is that one shouldn't even try to digitize it necessarily. The tapes I still have of our family still work with minimal degradation. At the very least I would keep both digital and analog copies of footage. Breaking out physical media to reminisce hits different.

[@dayzpast]

Great topic, it’s interesting how the old technology is making a gradual comeback

[@funey9541]

Also, there was a brief period of time where some camcorders used DVD's and still had the same look.

[@eric.ross.art1]

NOT me looking at 8mm camcorders on another screen... XD

[@TiberiuCorbu]

I ditched the damn phone for taking videos for camcorders and action cams because the form factor, the battery life and the lack of phisical buttons that are a must in non stationary ocasions.

[@VesuviusAntaria]

The nice thing is that some camcorders let you write it back to tape after you edit it. And if not, then that could be done with video recorders. The disadvantage of converting digitally is always that your media storage can damage. I have often had that hard disk, usb sticks that break. And then everything is gone for good. While with tapes in most cases it will continue to work for a long time.

[@SuperNicktendo]

I have a Canon Elura 100. It will record video to the SD card but at terrible quality. I'll record on mini DV then plug it in to my Retrotink 4k and capture the footage that way. My capture card can only do 1080p so the tink will take the footage and upscale it to 1080. The DV footage is really good and you are right it invokes that nostalgia that you can't really get by applying filters to modern footage

[@otdosa]

cool stuff. the look hits different.

[@bytesabre]

used to use an old camcorder to record FPV drone footage, which didn’t work well as the camera stopped recording every time the signal got bad. Got a PowerPlay because it’s designed to keep going no matter how bad the composite signal is, and now the ironic thing has happened where I can now use the powerplay on the camcorder

[@rickbiessman6084]

Man, when this trend started popping up, I didn't get t, but it's really grown on me since! I might need to get a tape camcorder too... at least to see how I like shooting with it. I just wish there was a way to shoot 16mm film without it eating upyour savings and being extremely involved to work with.

[@martinbernath]

My brother used to record on our old family camcorder by plugging the video out through some sort of a capture card that plugged into his phones usb port, then he changed the input source in his phone camera app to the camcorder output similarly like you would with a webcam and recorded videos straight into his phone. He was doing this like 5 years ago, i never understood why. But he had it setup pretty nice, you could even livestream the footage or use it for video calls.

[@nicknorthcutt7680]

That's so sick!! Mist be so much easier to get older footage now!

[@RichardJPasini]

Thank you for sharing this information with us, it is greatly appreciated. I make a lot of my videos with Sony handy cams they may be old but they still produce good videos, but this is my own opinion.

[@larrygallagher6359]

I like this. Didn't know it was possible. I have an old camcorder (kind of old myself) so I'll be checking this out. Thanks!

[@lachlanoliwa7121]

This is insanely cool! I've been collecting and digitizing Panasonic vhsc camcorders since they are so easy to find here in Canada. I do have a question about this if anyone has experience with these capture cards. I'm assuming this means that you lose out on the film artifacts and quirks from digitizing physical film. Double-edged sword to me I would think. I love the light leaks, video cutting out a little with every step, just the charm that the physical medium gives you. "Unlimited film" sounds great, but what makes the limited supply you have special is that you choose what you film carefully so as to not waste it and stay in the moment with your family!

[@rdog77]

Definitely not doing tapeless. Using my personal camcorder Canon ZR200. It's pretty easy to use I don't do micro SD cards. However I still have a modern-ish computer (i9 9900K/RX-6800TX) that I've added a FireWire connection to. The trick is to have windows movie maker installed. That makes it all work. I use handbrake to bring the video into something more modern format from DV. It also allows me to upscale a bit and still have that vintage look. I still remember the old video formats and have digital files that go back 20+ years. I even convert old VHS tapes to modern video formats with upscaling for viewing on modern televisions. Don't ask me about my 2009 Mac Pro 5,1 that’s still running today just for this. I love seeing all this coming back!

[@nicknorthcutt7680]

I love the sony vx1000. So many good memories from that camera.

[@rzimbauer]

Before dropping $150 on an ImmersionRC, remember that any Android smartphone, Windows, Mac, Linux, or iPad (not iPhone) can use a $5 OTG adapter and a $50 capture card with S-Video to record higher quality than this directly to your smartphone. There's a few different apps including USB Camera Pro. Firewire will transfer original quality but that requires 1) an intel computer 9th gen or older or mac m1/2/3, and 2) a firewire pcie card (not USB), a built in port on a 2000s era computer, or $200 worth of Apple thunderbolt 3 to 2 and 2 to firewire adapters. Or a DTE box but that's also a different beast. Also, thanks for the Wasabi code!

[@KenneyCmusic]

More people are making content now, and having a dedicated device for something can be a more productive option! Less distraction, ads, tracking etc.

[@GringoLoco]

Wasn't it the case the later miniDV cassettes were capable of full HD recording and had minimal to no compression, offering better video bitrates than the first sd cards, because the early sd cards had pretty slow write speeds, back in the early 2000s.

[@Elisha_the_bald_headed_prophet]

The battery can usually be charged on the camcordeer itself when attached, no need to buy a separate charger.

[@marvinsuarezstudios]

I feel one of the reasons aside from asthetics is that when i record on my phone, space is always a hinderance. When i watch older videos shot on tape, i notice i just keep recording for 30min-1 hour..where with my phone i record under a minute. Also, tapes area easier to archive if you use tapes. As far as SD cards, i feel it’s easier to organize one entire un edited event which was recorded not stop.

[@calvinengel3830]

I’ve been using a $15 composite to HDMI adapter to record from my Panasonic DVX-100b into my Atomos Ninja V+. Already had the Ninja for my other cameras and it’s been great to have the bigger display and capture a wide variety of footage. Some clients want that DV look.

[@AnotherOtherMan]

You can also go the slightly easier route for a similar vibe with early non-tape camcorders. I've got one from a friend that has micro-HDMI out, though sadly that output doesn't work due to the connector being... well... micro-HDMI.

[@AndrewLaSane]

Didn't expect to see Luigi Mangione in this video @0:24

[@FLY1NF1SH]

He was just trying to get footage of the real killer, free my guy

[@streetskier]

I shoot just straight to tape and use QuickTime to import footage on an older Mac with Firewire. Looks a lot better than the little converter boxes. There are a bunch of SD cameras that shot to SD card are cheaper than those converters.

[@borderlands6606]

Slightly off topic, I recently watched a video on how cheap cameras like the original Canon C100 are today. Especially if you shop around for batteries. For anyone content with full HD - and who isn't on most viewing platforms - old pro and semi-pro digital camcorders make a lot of sense. On topic, Sony's full size DV tape camcorders have a lot of control for enthusiastic video makers.

[@debranchelowtone]

5:16 this AV port is composite, you get better quality with the S-video port; but even better if you record digitally to tape.

[@dimscrawl4910]

Thanks for doing your part for uhh Ebay scalpers

These crazes can be useful. I have recently sold my Fujifilm X-E1 that I had bought used in 2015 for 300 EUR, for 250 EUR. Basically, sold my camera and 27mm pancake for only 80 euros less than I paid and got a used X-E3. And I remember when cameras like mine were lingering in the ads for about 100 EUR for months without selling. It just took nostalgia for the X trans sensor and a few KZbin videos to spark the revival, and the prices went through the roof.

[@thefieldsofdawn]

A composite to USB adapter would also work when plugged into an iPhone or iPad in webcam mode! Great way to skip the PC transfer too

[@RobsNeighbor]

Great video! I am shooting my next creation on VHS camcorders I still have. Thank you!

[@sdhute]

Soon they will be coming for our DSLRs

[@the_grand_tourer]

Really interesting, I just got my hands on a free Sony HVR-Z1E HDCAM, thought of buying an external recorder but was thinking of Atomos Ninja type devices which are expensive for an experiment like this ... but those cheap small recorder / screen devices have me considering it again. Yes, after years of assembling a rig around a DSLR/Mirrorless body core, the camcorder form factor with everything just there and ready seems so refreshing ! XLR audio, quick ND access, zoom (hate zooms in shot tho).

[@Denvr2]

Its a better option to get a $25 mini fpv dvr recorder module! You won't have to deal with the bulky screen strapped to the camcorder and it completely streamlines the setup!🙌🏼

[@JoshLiechty]

Interesting timing on this - until a few weeks ago, I was using a Canon HV20 that I bought back in college, connected to an HDMI to USB adapter as a webcam. Frankly, it had better video quality than any USB webcam I've tried. Unfortunately, years of being powered on 24/7 took their toll, and after a recent power outage, it wouldn't power back on. RIP. Anyway, that's the only caveat I can contribute: don't leave your vintage camcorder powered on constantly, or it might not last - though I don't anticipate most people will run into that specific issue, LOL.

[@ZachTomlinson72]

Dude! This is awesome!

[@gaxiola1701]

I feel like tapeless recording is the way to go for new content. About 4 years ago I was trying to capture 20+ year old miniDV tapes over FireWire and found my latest camcorder was having problems with the audio. I sent it in for service but that only marginally improved it. I got a second miniDV camcorder and there were still audio problems and drop outs. I don't know if it's because of head alignment differences from my original Sony DCR-PC1 or if something happened to the tape media over time. It's a cautionary tale to not sit on old media as you get newer hardware. They might not work when you try to play it.

[@markattardo]

It's always fun seeing old tech being used today. Have you tried any of the early digital camcorders? You have me curious about how different the look is.

[@BrunoBaronet]

I'm glad I held on to my stack of Blackmagic Intensity capture cards! I might be able to get some coin out of them.

[@JayBoyModz]

Sick Haunter Gameboy

[@knyshov]

Meanwhile… CINEMA cameras are now dirt cheap. I bought a Sony NEX-FS100 with the 18-200 lens for $450. The lens is worth that much by itself. I can buy an FS700 with the 18-200 powerzoom lens, which is 4K capable for less than $900. That is likely the next toy on my list. I just prefer E-mount for my lenses. I like FireWire/iLink camcorders for tapeless applications. I still have a Sony VX2000 (it could be a PD150 as well) somewhere. FireWire will give you highest fidelity. :) VX2000 is a distant predecessor of cinema cameras. It had a 3CCD sensor, FireWire, built-in ND, and other professional features. When I find my VX2000 in storage, I won’t be keeping it. My FS100 is far more capable. I’ll let someone else enjoy it.

[@sophustranquillitastv4468]

I think the later model of DV standard video camcorder that use internal hard drive or memory card instead of tape will give you similar result but it will not have a mess of ripping your video from tape. These digital camcorders may not have to use TV Tuner or Capture Card to take video from them like camcorders before digital era (VHSC and Video8 format) but the process is not really just drag and drop. When I tried to get video out from camera into file the first time I don't want to deal with them again.

[@chazable]

I've always loved camcorders, started messing around with them when I was young making short films, I wanted to move to something that I could change lenses on and remember being disappointed that mirrorless stills cameras were pretty much the only offering, ended up getting the original Sony A7S which I was happy with, except I still find myself missing the ergonomics of a camcorder, even to this day no one is making a decent interchangeable lens camcorder that doesn't break the bank! Apart from a few exceptions like the JVC GY-LS300, and the old Sony "NEX-VGXX" line-up, I would love for Sony to release a next generation VG900 Full Frame Prosumer Interchangeable Lens Camcorder, the amazing technology they have in the Alpha series line crammed into a camcorder that doesn't cost thousands like the FX6.... I would be soooo happy

[@DrifterAtHeart-Woocash]

Shout out from Valencia. Love your style and content

[@johndoe-kw7xj]

for 20$ you can get a dvi recorder mainly used for fpv goggles. It is way cheaper and smaller for a fraction of the price.

[@donhonk]

I like my digital 8 sony camera, I have a Windows XP computer that I've maintained so I just capture the file over firewire and go from there. Pretty fun stuff.

[@debranchelowtone]

It is possible to get Firewire on modern computers.

[@samzphotos23]

Emotions! Yes, agreed!

[@mrwoodandmrtin]

The Zoom... The way the viewfinder lets you see what's going on in bright sunlight. If only they had the 4k quality. and were a bit less bulky... and the batteries lasted longer.

[@Aldo.flores]

They’re a bunch of portable DVR’s, many of them cheap but also low quality, it’s best to invest in something better avoiding paying twice (one for the cheap one and another for the better), this kind for FPV video recording are on the middle range of price (yes they’re are more expressive ones) and have great recording quality and works with almost any home camera, also you can make a custom cable soldering any input like composite video to a 2.5mm jack. By the way, to avoid that annoying issue of connect it only to the middle section, you can simply put an O ring on the plug, and you can simply plug it to the bottom and would make the connection you need

[@MoneyMatters2077]

A good argument could be" I choose the camera+sensor as a starting point to get to the end result/look quicker, so it saves time" . This goes for all camera btw. If you want your stuff to look like everyone else's then use what they use...,

[@KABOBkabob]

If anything the camcorder retro wave is on the way out. They surged about 2 years ago and the fad is past its peak. Many people are still into them though!

[@bilkon]

Some of the very early cheapo off-brand standard def camcorders that records to SD cards has a similar video aesthetic. More portable and less cumbersome to handle and transfer for editing. If you want the ultimate in quirky tape camcorders it has to be the Sony Micro-MV tape system, a marvel in engineering！

[@brigganthewolf1461]

I use a Panasonic D-snap SV-AV100 camcorder to capture video footage from the AV out of my handycams. It has an AV in and is the very first camcorder that records directly to SD cards (though chances are you'll need the proprietary Panasonic "high speed" SD card to record in MPEG-2 - but I got incredibly lucky with my unit so I can record MPEG-2 to regular

[@firstletterofthealphabet7308]

Oh well. So much for my plans to buy a tube-corder for cheap just for the fun of it.

[@stevecoatesdotnet]

I like my old tape camcorders, but when I wanted one to be "tapeless" due to a dodgy mechanism that I couldn't repair properly, I just went out and bought a memory card camcorder instead :).

[@onirrapdivad]

Looks fun

[@zaprodk]

JVC = Japan Victor Company.

[@obsequious_obsolescence]

Its the new black and white film. you can find older smart phones that take micro SD cards and record from line in way cheaper than those boxes. Newer Motorola phones still take micro SD as well as OnePlus nord

[@C.I...]

I think a big reason people are gravitating towards these cameras is the global shutter capture method they use. Who'd have thought it looks good for a device whose purpose is to capture movement to faithfully capture movement instead of smearing it? Crash zooms and fast pans are great.

[@sykocase247]

As someone who has always used them...i never knew they "went away" 🤷‍♂️

[@eastkingstonnh]

Strange to record externally and still expect that interlaced look since many of the external recorders record in progressive . It will have an impact on the look to some extent.

[@stevemuzak8526]

My problem with this new old technology obsession : People only focus about the looks not about content.