Capacity
A hard drive camcorder has the largest storage capacity for continuous recording of any video camera. An internal hard disk drive stores more hours of video without having to re-load than Mini-DV, DVD or flash emory formats. Plus, most hard disk camcorders have a high-capacity SD card slot if additional memory is needed.
Quality
Hard drive camcorders can support up to full high-definition recording at 1080i resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels). The large storage capacity of a hard disk drive video camera best supports HD video, as the best quality format takes up the most amount of memory space.
Playback
Playback of your recorded video is easy on a hard drive camcorder. Switch the mode dial on the camera to the "playback" or "review" setting, and watch each clip separately directly on your camera's LCD screen.
Size
Hard drive camcorders are generally a compact and lightweight design factor. These cameras pack well into a backpack or hip-pack and can be carried by hand for an extended time period without fatigue.
Cost
A hard drive camcorder costs more than entry-level Mini-DV or DVD media video cameras and less than a flash-memory or "solid-state-memory" format camera.
Article Written By Seth C. Burgess
Seth C. Burgess has been an outdoor writer for Trails.com since May 2009. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in information technology and a Master of Business Administration degree, both from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y.
