Camcorder

Overview

Nowadays, many devices are capable of recording videos, such as camera phones and digital cameras, but such devices are primarily used to shoot still images. A camcorder, however, often refers to a portable, self-contained device that has video capture and recording as its primary function.

The earliest camcorders were tape-based, which recorded videos in analog signals onto videotape cassettes. After the digital recording become a new standard in the 21st century, the tape were replaced with other storage media such as internal flash memory and SD card.

Components

A camcorder usually has three major components: lens, imager, and recorder. The lens is used to gather and focus light on the imager. The imager (presently usually a CMOS or CCD sensor, earlier ones are vidicon tubes) converts light into an electrical signal. In the end, the recorder converts the electric signal into video and encodes it into a storable form. Usually, the camera section that people refers to contains the optics and imager

Use

(1) Studio/production center
The camcorder used here is larger, more cumbersome, usually installed in the base or tripod to operate. Size of the lens, the focal length range, the relative aperture is also large.
Commonly used in the studio, or other location relative a fixed place, such cameras are generally used for broadcast.

(2)Portable camcorder
Small size, light weight, easy to carry, shooting with a tripod or human support available. Generally use DC battery, can also be combined through the exchange of AC power supply, and can be used for a variety of occasions, such as electronic news gathering (ENG) and electronic field production (EFP).
Such cameras can be shoulder-carried, weighing 3-10 kg, usually broadcast or business type.
Handheld camcorders, weighing 0.7-3 kg, are home-used.

Spectral Range
(1) black and white camera: monitoring subtitles and industry monitoring
(2) Color camera: the most widely used.
(3) Infrared camera: monitoring at night
(4) X-ray camera: medical use, security check