The camcorder - What a Journey!

Well the camcorder may look quite humble now, but we don't need to look to far beyond the past 5-10 years or so to see the huge advantages made since the 80's and 90's. In fact, even in the last 5 years we've seen significant change, from
tape-based storage to disc and even flash memory based storage. From the bulky, weighty 80's carbuncles to elegant, light and pocket-sized gadgets, the camcorder has come a very long way!

What are Camcorders?

Let's recap on our subject matter - what is a camcorder? Simply put, it's a compact electronic device designed to record
video images with accompanying audio within a single self-contained unit. Today’s domestic camcorders developed rapidly
from the first units designed for television broadcast purposes. But as with many areas of technology, miniaturization meant
that we, the general public, could have affordable access to home video recorders (i.e. VHS and Beta units) and portable video recorders.

Camcorder Lift-off

Camcorders quickly became the must-have item from the early eighties, with users quickly recognising the huge benefits of
tape-based recording compared to 8mm film; not least in need needing to develop yards of film before viewing! Initial sales of the Sony Camcorder were slow, but then sales grew rapidly, even stealing sales from stills cameras as consumers indulged themselves in recording the moving image. Naturally, analogue camcorders were seen more and more on travellers shoulders as they embarked on vacation. We all grew used to the flood of high quality camcorder products from Japanese manufacturers such as JVC, Sharp, Panasonic, Hitachi and Canon - just to name a few!

The Basics

Any camcorder comprises basically 3 elements; the lens, imager and storage medium. The lens acts as the eye, receiving the
light and focussing it onto the imager. The imager then takes that light and converts it into an electrical signal which the
recorder uses to convert into a video signal. That signal is then transferred to the storage medium for later editing and viewing.

It's worth noting how the capability of the standard camcorder battery has changed in powering these elements and allowing much greater user freedom in camcorder use. Once heavy and bulky, modern batteries are much lighter and smaller with much greater stamina than their predecessors.

Keeping the Memories Alive

The camcorder has found a myriad of uses including recording; holidays, scientific experiments, sporting events and of
course, weddings! Photos are great, and of course have a special quality all of their own. But like comparing radio to
television, moving video images are very powerful and informative and help in a very meaningful way to keep those precious memories very much alive.