A camcorder is a portmanteau word made by combining
'Camera' and 'recorder'. Thus, a digital camcorder is a portable television camera
and videocassette recorder using digital technology instead of analog. Digital technology yields a better video rendering than does analog. It is an electronic device for recording
video images and audio onto a storage device. It contains both camera
and recorder in one unit. The camcorders generally contain digital
cameras. The camera portion does not usually have as high a level of resolution as does a separate digital camera. A camcorder having dvd facility is dvd
camcorder. A camcorder is powered via a camcorder battery, however most come with a power pack using wall power.
Sony introduced the first camcorder in 1983, followed by Kodak in 1984. The first camcorders combined the video-camera with an existing full-size VHS/Betamax recorder. There was a technology war of sorts between the beta max oriented manufacturers ond those using VHS technology. VHS won the war but it is generally acknowledged that beta max resulted in a higher quality video. These camcorders were large devices that required a sturdy tripod or strong shoulders to support the camera's bulk and keep it steady. The majority of these were designed for right-handed operation.
Sony introduced the first HandyCam camcorder in 1984. The HandyCam could be held and operated entirely within the palm of the operator's hand, made possible by the 8mm video format.
The lens, imager, and recorder are the three major components of a camcorder. The lens gathers and focuses light on the imager. The imager (usually a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS sensor IC on modern camcorders; earlier examples often used vidicon tubes) converts incident light into an electrical (video) signal. Finally, the recorder encodes the video signal into a storable form. The optics and imager are commonly referred to as the camera section.
The recent times are witnessing a great revolution in the camcorders. The camcorders with ultra modern technology are in the market. The mainstream consumer market favors ease of use, portable cheap camcorders and discount camcorders.
There are a great number
of websites offering info on camcorders, cheap camcorders and
discount camcorders. There are numerous online sources offering camcorder
articles & blogs, camcorder reviews, digital camcorder reviews. It is a good idea to review the latest on camcorders before setting out to buy. Remember there is homework to be done first. I have written an article about the homework you should do prior to buying a digital camcorder. You will be able to view the article on the digital camcorder buying guide page.