There are many differences between digital camcorders and hi def camcorders . Traditionally Hi Def camcorders have been used for professional applications, but today hi def is more common and less expensive than it was in the pretty recent past.  Of course you will most likely pay more for a hi def camcorder, but not much more than a high quality standard definition camcorder.

What the heck is HD all about?

Hi definition offers a higher resolution than standard definition.SD video produces a resolution of 640 x 480.  Translated, That means 480 horizontal and 640 vertical.  Wide screen resolution of 16:9 has become very popular as of late and has a  resolution of 720 x 480 which is slightly larger.

720p and 1080i are two of the hi def formats that are offered in non professional camcorders right now.

1280 x 720 is the resolution produced by the 720p camcorders. The “p” in 720p represents progressive. Progressive means that the entire image is refreshed 30 times per second.  Because of this, captured motion tends to be smoother and is ideal for filming sports or fast moving objects.  The drawback is that the resolution is lower. 1080i, describes camcorders creating a resolution of 1920 x 1080.  The difference, the “i” or interlaced, means that the only half the image is refreshed  30 times per second.

Media and Format Defined:

It is easy to get confused when discussing the difference between media and format.  The rule of thumb is that media refers to the actual medium on which the video is stored and format refers to the compression that is used by the camcorder.  It is pretty rare to find a hi def camcorder that uses more than one format, but many use multiple media sources.  To make it worse, terms can be sometimes used interchangeably.  Great huh?!

Let’s talk about the most common types of media:

Hard Disk Drive – Act like the hard drive on your computer with storage up to 120 gigabytes.  The problem is you must be vigilant to back up and or store your footage on a separate hard drive or disc.  Tape – as in MiniDV. These are great when it comes time to edit, with the footage maintaining its original quality.

DVD – uses a dvd disc to record on.  This convenient because most of us are familiar with the use of discs to capture and store media.  Remember, if you film onto the disc using hi def you will not be able to play the disc in a regular dvd player, a blu-ray will be required.

Flash Memory – Flash memory hi def camcorders use a removable media card.

So, should you wait to purchase a hi def camcorder, or is now the perfect time?

Since hi def looks to become the standard format, it would be a good idea to start checking them out. You will be glad you did, especially if you have a large HD TV.  Capturing memories and events in HD now will be of great benefit in the future.  No one knows what exactly will replace HD in the future, but it looks as it will be at least several years.  So get your hands on a hi def camcorder, you won’t be sorry you made the switch.