If you are selecting a new camcorder, one of the most important decisions to make is the type of storage media that will record your recordings. Selecting a recording media early in the process will significantly reduce the total number of camcorders you need to consider, this will make later feature-based decisions easier. Let's review the types of storage media out there as well the types of user/usage each media is best suited for.



== Tape Camcorders ==

Despite being the oldest form of storage medium for camcorders, tape results in the best grade recordings for consumer camcorders. When using tape as a recording medium, the image is subjected to the least amount of compression so your recordings maintain the highest possible image quality. In addition to providing best images, tape-based camcorders are usually more cost effective than camcorders that make use of other storage mediums.

On the negative side, tapes are constrained in how much can be recorded to somewhere in the area of 60 - 90 minutes. But the recording tapes are fairly inexpensive to get, so carrying backups is typically not much of an issue. Another issue with tape-based camcorders is that to move your movie onto a DVD (which is the desired format for sharing with others), you first need to upload from your camcorder to your computer. The uploading transfer takes place in real time. So if you are going to upload a 90-minute movie to your computer, it'll really take 90 minutes. You also can't carry out any sort of editing (other than backing over the tape and recording anew); all of the editing has to take place on your computer.

Tape-based camcorders are mostly intended for two types of users: the person on a budget, and people who want higher quality recordings.

== Hard-Drive Camcorders ==

Camcorders that use hard disk drives (HDDs) usually offer the longest possible recording times. With typical amounts of compression, you can often get up to 10 hours of recording time on an HDD camcorder. With camcorder using a hard disk, you never need to buy additional tapes. On some HDD camcorder models you can edit your video footage directly on your camcorder. And when it is time to upload your recordings to your computer, the upload rate is substantially higher than when transferring movies from a tape-based camcorder.

The main problem with camcorders with HDDs is that the recorded images are typically very compressed and this results in poorer image quality. HDDs themselves are also relatively high on power consumption and can be more easily ruined by environmental extremes or drops (as can any camcorder itself). But if you ruin a tape-based camcorder, while the camcorder may be dead, you can still extract your film. In the case of an HDD-based camcorder, if the camcorder is damaged, you will probably not be able to get your existing recordings off the camcorder.

HDD camcorders are extremely versatile and they are chiefly intended for the home user.

== DVD camcorders ==

Camcorders that record directly on a DVD as their recording media are a good alternative for those who want a recording format that is widely playable and for folks without a computer. There's nothing easier than filming a movie on your camcorder and putting the result directly into the DVD player at Grandma's house.

The main negative for DVD camcorders is the length of recording and the image quality. The amount of recording time obtainable will depend on the type of compression used, but at the best recording quality options, you can expect to get only get 20 - 30 minutes per DVD. If you lessen the quality of the compression you can achieve increased recording times, but then your recording quality is reduced.

DVD camcorders are a good alternative for those who have no computer since there is no need to upload the video from of the camera; it comes off instantly on the DVD. If you have a computer, and it's a model that you do not think is appropriate to the increased demands of video transfer and editing, this may also be a good option for you.

== Flash Camcorders ==

As advances continue to be made in the field of flash memory, flash-based camcorders are becoming increasingly frequent. Solid-state flash takes up very little space and is comparatively low-power, so camcorders with flash memory as a storage medium are often lighter and smaller than other camcorder models. Flash based camcorders also tend to be more rugged and are able to soak up abuse such as drops. As with other non-DVD models, flash-based camcorders require that their videos transferred to a computer so that the recording can be recorded onto a DVD, but the download is usually quite quick for most models.

As with other camcorders that do not store on tape, there may be trade-offs around recording quality and compression. Also, based on the size of the flash memory available, there may issues around the amount of the recording time.

If you are searching for the lightest and smallest camcorder available, a flash-based camcorder is probably your best option.