Welcome to our website!  You will find many sources of video cameras throughout this page.

For the average consumer, choosing a camcorder platform can be a daunting task.  Throughout the personal camcorder's relatively short history, there has never been a single universal platform.  Consumers were always forced to choose between VHS, Betamax, 8mm (Video8 and Hi8), S-VHS, miniDV, Digital8, and an ever continuing wave of new technologies.  For a variety of reasons, one of the more consistent choices has been the 8mm video camera.

Initially, 8mm cameras gained popularity because of their size.  Prior to 8mm cassettes, people could only record on VHS or Betamax, both of which were nearly twice the size of 8mm cassettes.  For this reason VHS and Betamax cameras were large cumbersome devices which were not very practical for home use.  From their inception, 8mm cameras were significantly smaller and more user friendly than any of their competitors.

In 1985 Sony released the Handycam, which was the first 8mm camcorder.  The Handycam was the first handheld camcorder.  Because of its size, it didn't require a tripod or significant upper body strength.  As such, it was the first camcorder to garner mass commercial success.

Because of their size, 8mm camcorders dominated the home video market until the invention of digital camcorders.  The only minor drawback of 8mm camcorders, which probably prevented the 8mm video camera from completely dominating the market, was that 8mm cassettes could not be played on a VCR.  Despite incompatibility issues, 8mm cameras remained the most convenient camera of the analog age.

Today, traditional 8mm cameras are disappearing in favor of miniDV digital camcorders.  However, Digital8, which is a digital camera running on an 8mm platform, is still doing well.  Digital8 cameras are a great choice for people with tons of old Hi8 tapes, because many Digital8 8mm video cameras will play any 8mm cassette.   With Digital8, the 8mm platform is still very much relevant in today’s digital age.