This time around, the electronic industry has seen a boom like never before. Especially for the photography enthusiasts who are always in search of newer and better models of cameras and camcorders, this year has been a booming time. Be in stand alone cameras or the cameras that decorate the contemporary mobile phones, they all have undergone a sea change, and for the better. Technology never regresses, and the progress we have seen in this field is unprecedented.
Coming to the comparison between camcorders and digital cameras, one thing is for sure. No one can comment on the usability or effectiveness of one over the other. Both have their own pros and cons and it depends on the user's preference as to which one he chooses. Talking of camcorder here, let's first define this device. Wikipedia defines a camcorder as a portable electronic device for recording video images and audio onto an internal storage device. It contains both a video camera and a videocassette recorder in one unit, in contrast to the old times where they would be two separate units. Also, in contrast to the earliest camcorders manufactured by companies such as Sony, JVC and Kodak, since 1990s, recording videos digitally have become a norm.
A digital camera on the other hand is defined as an electronic device used to capture and store photographs digitally. This is in direct contrast to using photographic film as in the old time cameras, or recording images in an analog format to magnetic tape like many video cameras. The multifunctional digital cameras of today can take photographs, as well as record sound and video. In the markets the world over, the conventional 35 mm film counterparts have been left far behind their modern avatars.
Along with the technical performance, manufacturers also focus on the ease of use, portability and price- the factors that drive the consumer markets today. Hence, be it a camcorder or a digital camera, it's your usability and preference that should affect the buying decision more than anything else.
