DVD technology has truly revolutionized the way we watch movies at home and it is now revolutionizing the way we make home-movies. DVD camcorders have begun replacing older technologies that utilized analog or even digital tapes. By burning and storing video and audio information directly onto a DVD, consumers can now rapidly upload their footage into a computer to be edited, or even view it directly via a standard DVD player.

The embrace of digital technology has been so widespread that every major manufacturer in the world has rushed to release a DVD camcorder. Not only do these cameras offer digital pictures and sound, but they also provide a flexibility and versatility never before obtainable with a consumer camcorder. Nevertheless, not all DVD camcorders are built with similar strengths.

Whether it's a Sony, Hitachi or Panasonic DVD camcorder, they all have one thing in common: they record on miniDVD-RWs. These re-writable DVDs are exactly the same as standard DVDs, except that they are only three inches wide. In addition to video, most of these camcorders also offer the ability to take still photographs as well. Finally, most DVD camcorders are built for maximum ease-of-use and are therefore ergonomically designed. This makes them compact and easy to carry, but sacrifices a certain amount of video quality.

DVD camcorders are truly designed for individuals who place convenience above all else. In terms of footage quality, most models provide good results, although this is entirely dependent on the CCD within the camera. Regardless, with a DVD camcorder, you avoid struggling with complicated wiring to simply watch the footage you've shot. Simply eject the DVD and place it into your home player for instant viewing.