Hard Drive Camcorders

A hard drive camcorder is also called a hard disk drive camcorder; thus you will also see them referenced as HDD camcorders. Don't confuse these with HD camcorders; meaning High Definition camcorders. But remember an HD camcorder can ALSO be an HDD model!

Hard drive camcorders can store more movies with ease. A 30GB model can record up to 21 hours of video without needing to download a thing while a 60GB model may well handle 40 hours without the need for other storage media. Many of these devices may also have a card slot for expanding memory even further with removable memory/SD cards.

The convenience, ease, and time savings is significant for those who enjoy filming.

These devices are generally at the upper end of the market as far as the initial purchase price, generally from $400 to $1400 without any discounts or sales.

However, in the long run, a savings can be realized as there are no tapes or discs to buy and media cards aren't even a necessity. Over time, this can all add up.

A hard drive camcorder allows you to easily find, delete, and rearrange footage without rewinding or fast forwarding. Using a thumbnail grid even dubbing is a simple task.

If you like to improve upon your original films or get creative, an HDD camcorder is the device to have.

For those who have accidentally filmed over a previous video, a these video cameras can solve your problems. These cameras begin filming where you left off, every time.

They also solve the problem of traveling with your camcorder and being unable to film because you forgot your removable media. Not a problem, the camcorder itself has all the memory it needs to record at any time.

Not really. As stated before, the original purchase price on the average hard drive camcorder is a bit higher than on mini DV camcorders but the savings of not buying tapes can help to even out the difference.

Of course, with any hard drive it is possible for the drive to fail or to be damaged. However these devices have some very effective protection built-in. From suspension systems to sensors that power the camera off as it falls; damage isn't likely.

Photo Credits
Introduction: Wesley Fryer.