BEFORE you start doing anything you need to assemble the requisite equipment and that means camera and grabber as a basic minimum. But what kind of camcorder do you actually need? To the uninitiated the choice between VHS-C and 8mm makes little sense, so here's my thoughts on the matter.
VHS-C is the same format as the standard video recorder, but in a compact case - thus the C tag. The advantage of VHS-C is that with an adaptor tape you can play those camcorder tapes on your VCR and into the TV. Great you'd think, but not so compared to 8mm tape which was developed from the old cinecamera standard.
8mm tapes cannot be played directly on your VCR. That's the bad news. The good news is that most camcorders come with bits of cable which let you connect the output of the camcorder - either composite video and/or SVHS - directly to the TV anyway. The real advantage of 8mm tape is that it is both cheaper than VHS-C and you get more of it, so that a 8mm 60 minute tape will cost less than a VHS-C 45 minute tape.
Okay, easy enough so far, but this is where SVHS-C and Hi8 come into the picture. These are both high resolution versions of the formats mentioned, and by literally doubling the horizontal resolution from 200 to 400 pixels, achieve near-broadcast quality. Also, Hi8 is marginally better quality than SVHS-C, but only a trained eye would spot the difference.
Needless to say extra quality costs extra cash. A standard camcorder will typically set you back £400-£800, while a hi-res one will cost £700-£1100. If you can afford a hi-res camcorder then by all means get one. If you can't, don't worry, a standard one will be fine. If you don't already have a camcorder, can't afford to buy one - and many good electrical stores offer interest free repayments - then ask around. Most people know someone with a bit of kit - see if you can borrow it or get them in on the action as a cameraman.
