Video Evolution Means Traveling Camcorders No Longer Forced to Play the Role of Heavy

Time was when home video stayed home.

The early video cameras were bulky, two-piece affairs that prompted bystanders to wave in the background and ask what channel they were going to be on.

Today, however, is the era of the two-pound, one-piece camcorder that fits in a large handbag yet packs more features than some studios offered a decade ago.

With plenty of options available--tapes alone come in six formats--a vacationer should talk with a knowledgeable salesperson before buying a camcorder and heading out of town.

Gregg Burger of Samy’s Camera in Los Angeles points out that camcorders using the VHS format are the number-one sellers. That’s no surprise, considering VHS is the most popular format for home videocassette players.

But he adds that the popularity of VHS is waning. “VHS’ biggest drawback is its size and weight,” he said. “We ask customers what their use will be.”

The most highly recommended camcorders are those that capture the clearest image in the lightest and smallest package. But convenience of playback is another consideration. A bulkier, less-expensive camcorder is more likely to be compatible with the cassette player you already own.

Following are the main tape formats:

--VHS and Super VHS. Super offers 66% greater resolution. Both types of cassette run for two hours and can be played on most home VCRs.

--VHS-C and Super VHS-C. “C” stands for compact. The cassettes are less than half the size of VHS but run only 20 minutes. Both adapt easily to play on most home VCRs.

--Eight-millimeter and Hi-8. The cassettes are the same size as VHS-C but offer two-hour recording and slightly better resolution. They cannot be adapted to play on most home VCRs. However, with a simple cable, the 8-millimeter or Hi-8 camcorder can be plugged directly into a TV set for playback. (The same can be done with VHS and VHS-C camcorders.)

Newer TVs with better resolution are best for Hi-8 play. For either 8-millimeter or Hi-8 you can buy a special cassette player, but, honestly, you’re better off saving your money for vacation.

Burger’s cut-to-the-basics recommendation:

“For quality, weight and size, buy regular 8 or Hi-8. There are more than 30 camcorders to choose from, from $699 up to $2,500. Hi-8 is the best bet, with new televisions capable of showing more lines of resolution. But if your TV is old, put the extra money into accessories.”

Ah, accessories . . .

Buyers’ foremost concerns reflect the effectiveness of advertising. Auto-focus, power zooms with long ranges, high-speed shutters and super-impose capabilities are all features that customers demand.

But Burger says some questions reflect more advertising knowledge than technical familiarity. “People ask how many ‘pixels’ a camcorder will have. Or they’ll ask what is the ‘lux’ level. What they know is that the higher the pixels the better, and the lower the lux the better.”

A pixel is a “picture element,” the dots that make up the image on the screen. Lux is a measure of light intensity under very specific conditions. The more pixels, the greater the contrast and definition on the screen, while low lux numbers reflect a camera’s ability to record an image in low light.

Among the many manufacturers, both Sony and Canon offer a full line of 8-millimeter camcorders. Both make their own equipment to cover a broad price range. And both offer purse-size lightweight cameras.

Sony’s TR-5 weighs just under two pounds (all weights are quoted without battery or tape).

Canon’s equivalent E06 weighs two pounds. Both feature 6-1 zoom lenses, auto focus and auto-exposure. But expect a premium price for the miniaturization. Sony’s TR-5 sells for $999, while Canon’s EO6 costs $1,299.

The difference? Canon’s has stereo sound recording, a “FlexiGrip” viewfinder and a wireless remote controller, enabling the user to put himself in the video more creatively.

If you’re willing to lug a few more ounces, prices drop. Canon’s low-end E51 sells for $899. But it still has the remote controller, stereo sound and FlexiGrip. Sony’s version is the F33 at $799. But the Sony zooms out to a wider view without accessory lenses. The Sony weighs 2 pounds 10 ounces, the Canon 2 pounds 7 ounces.

Mid-range, both companies’ 8-millimeter camcorders get intensely creative with features. Sony’s F77 (2 pounds 10 ounces; $1,295) has an 8-1 zoom, stereo sound, programmable “exposure” (“sports” switches to a higher shutter speed to freeze the action crisply, while “portrait” softens background focus to center interest on the subject), freeze frames, slo-mo, super-impose functions (which allow you to copy a title, put it in memory and then call it up for recording when the scene matches the title), a wireless remote control and a through-the-lens auto-focus system.

Canon’s E808 (2 pounds 11 ounces; $1,449) offers a similar 8-1 zoom, FlexiGrip, remote controller, a built-in title-maker and high-speed shutters for sports video. Canon’s auto focus uses an infra-red system that reacts more quickly and is more accurate in very low light.

At the high end, numerous features make virtually anything possible. Sony offers the V101 Hi-8 (replacing the V99, which was the first Hi-8 camcorder).

Priced at $1,559, the Sony Hi-8 (2 pounds 10 ounces) produces 410,000 pixels. Four auto-exposure modes provide sport and portrait settings, as well as shutter or aperture priorities just like sophisticated 35-millimeter cameras.

Canon, not to be outdone, has just introduced a most-unusual-looking Hi-8 machine, the A1 Mk II. At $1,888, the Canon (3 pounds, 5 ounces) features 10-1 zoom, seven shutter speeds and all the rest, matching Sony’s 410,000 pixels.

But before you head for the airport, be sure to test all your equipment thoroughly.

Charge the batteries (always carry a spare), make a tape, try some titles, shoot some sports and some portraits, and shoot in the dark. Then pack extra blank tapes. Better to have too many than too few.

Now sling that two-pound-something camcorder over your shoulder, just where the snappy 35-millimeter camera used to hang, and start making pictures that move and speak.