Disc-based camcorders

DVD is far and away the most convenient format for recording and playing back video, simply because of the ubiquity of DVD players in our homes. When we want to instantly watch the video we have just shot, or show footage to friends and family without the need for transferring files to a computer and tinkering with them, nothing beats the simplicity of DVD.

DVD achieved meteroric success -- DVD camcorders were an innovation just two years ago -- because of the format's distinct advantage over tape. Optical media, like CDs and DVDs, allow for random access, so we can skip instantly to the desired track or chapter without tedious winding of the tape. Most disc-based camcorders now offer basic in-camera editing so chapter markers can be added to your own footage, bringing the convenience of random access to home video.

The disadvantages of optical media include a susceptibility to scratches and physical damage -- even when the disc is in the player -- due to the moving parts involved. Dropping a disc-based camcorder can cause damage to both the disc and the camcorder. Moving parts also create a time lag as information is written and read to discs.

Physical removable media places a physical limitation on camcorder size; even camcorders recording to mini-8cm discs can't compete on size and weight with hard drive or flash media-based models. Sony seems to have abandoned the DVD format somewhat since the days of the DCR-DVD405.

Recently, DVD has been superceded by the higher-capacity Blu-ray disc format. Blu-ray is not yet as ubiquitous as DVD, probably because consumers have been waiting for the result of the format war with HD DVD. Because of this the only manufacturer to venture into the camcorder market with Blu-ray discs is Hitachi.

With Blu-ray triumphant over HD DVD, and high definition regarded by many as the future of video and broadcast, the way is now clear for more Blu-ray camcorders. Here we meet the Hitachi DZ-BD70E.

However, the question now arises whether optical media in general has been bumped off its high horse by other memory formats. The SDHC memory card now boasts a maximum capacity of 32GB. While this still isn't a patch on Blu-ray's capacity, it's still an awful lot of HD footage in a substantially smaller and more widely-compatible form factor. Some argue in turn that all removable physical media is a blind alley, and the hard drive -- combined with high-speed and even wireless or remote file transfer -- is the way of the future.

That point is still a way off, and anyone seeking convenience will still find disc-based camcorders a worthwhile investment. Still, it's helpful to remember that optical media isn't as indestructible as Tomorrow's World would have had us believe. DVDs can last as long as 15 years, but rewritable discs will endure less -- especially if regularly re-written -- so cool dry conditions and hard drive backup are recommended. One way around this is the hybrid camcorder, which allows footage to be copied from disc to hard drive, like the Hitachi DZ-HS500.

Of course, it isn't just video that can be played back on your television through the magic of DVD. The Canon DC50 has the advantage of a 5-megapixel sensor, which means it's also useful as a stills camera and can create slideshows of your snapshots.