Hard-drive camcorders and flash-memory camcorders are both tapeless and completely digital. There are many similarities between these two types of camcorders, but also many differences. Each has pros and cons, so do your research on what type is best for you before making a purchase.
History
Although digital camcorders have been around since the 1990s, hard-drive and flash-memory-based camcorders did not become publicly available until the early 2000s.
Unlike tape-based digital camcorders, these tapeless formats use a fully digital CMOS imager chip, rather than the analog CCD that was still present in tape-based camcorders. There are multiple tapeless camcorders, including those with optical drives, hard drives and flash memory.
Most consumers' hard-drive and flash memory camcorders encode video in the MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 format, and many can also capture still photos (just as a traditional digital camera) in the JPEG format. Most use a USB connection to interface with a computer, although there are higher-lever professional models capable of high-definition video that include FireWire and/or HDMI interfaces.
Size
Most flash-memory and hard-drive camcorders are fairly close in size and portability. Both of these types of camcorders are great for traveling without having to worry about heavy equipment or tons of extra tapes to record on.
Getting more specific: hard-drive camcorders may be slightly larger than most flash-memory camcorders, given the larger size and bulk, but there are both more compact hard-drive camcorders and larger flash camcorders that stand out from the crowd.
Depending on how you will be using your camcorder, you may want to consider the durability of the different media types over the slight differences there may be between size and weight. The hard-drive inside of hard-drive camcorders has moving parts, and although the camcorders have some shock protection for the drive, they are not completely shock-resistant. A drop while the hard drive is spinning could render it useless, and the drives are also sensitive to atmospheric pressure. Most hard-drive camcorder will not operate above a 10,000-foot elevation. Flash media, conversely, has no moving parts (and therefore is shock-resistant) and can withstand a wider range of pressure.
Storage Space
The amount of storage space you need is an important consideration when deciding between a flash memory and hard-drive camcorder.
Hard-drive camcorders come with varying amounts of storage space, ranging from 30-gigabyte to 60-gigabyte, and even some with 120-gigabyte or more. This is great for users who plan to do a lot of recording, as the typical 30-gigabyte, hard-drive camcorder can store around six to seven hours of high-quality footage and 10 to 15 hours or more when using a lower recording quality. When you run out of room, however, you must either delete files or have a PC nearby to connect the camcorder to via its USB cable in order to clear up space for more recording. Often, this also requires that the AC adapter be plugged into the camera.
With a flash memory camcorder, on the other hand, you can simply remove a full memory card and insert another empty one when necessary. Given the physical size and price of SD (Secure Digital) cards (or Memory Sticks for Sony camcorders), you can stock up on flash memory and eliminate the need to copy video to a PC hard drive when your media is full. SD cards range in size from 1 gigabyte to 32 gigabytes, so you essentially choose how much space you will have to record on, depending on the size and quantity of memory cards you own.
Flash-based camcorders can also be an advantage for people who wish to quickly share photos with friends and family. With most computers and printers that have built-in memory card readers, users can easily slide the memory card into a PC or printer and upload clips straight to social networks or video-sharing sites such as YouTube.
Video Quality
When it comes to video quality, most flash-based camcorders and hard-drive camcorders are comparable in performance. Tara Wisniewski, an audio/video writer for electronics specialist Crutchfield, says, "They tend to perform on par with today's DVD camcorders, although some high-definition models are ranked even higher."
Both types of camcorders record in a compressed MPEG (MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4) format to conserve space on the storage medium and for quick compatibility with computers. Most tape-based digital camcorders record in the DVD or HDV format on tapes (content is transferred over FireWire or USB to a computer), which can result in files exceeding 10 gigabytes for less than an hour of raw footage.
Despite the compression, there are hard-drive and flash camcorders capable of recording up to 1080p HD quality video. For most consumers, who will not be doing frame-specific video editing, the video quality of these tapeless camcorders is more than sufficient.
Considerations
Depending on your budget, you may also want to consider price when making the decision between a hard-drive camcorder and a flash-memory camcorder. Hard-drive camcorders are priced higher than most flash camcorders due to the added expense of a hard drive. When you purchase flash media separately from the camcorder, flash camcorders are usually less expensive.
Shop around for the best price from a reliable retailer, as prices can vary from store to store. At some retailers (or direct from the manufacturer), you may even be able to find refurbished units at an even lower price. Be aware, however, that the warranty for refurbished camcorders is often markedly shorter than that of a new camcorder.
If you cannot choose between a flash-memory or hard-drive camcorder, or if you want the best of both worlds, some manufacturers also offer hybrid camcorders that have a built-in hard drive but also provide a memory card slot for additional space.
Tags: flash memory, hard-drive camcorder, flash camcorders, hard drive, hard-drive camcorders, memory card
