DVDs have become one of the main options for watching professional movies, but the discs can also create home movies of your own. When choosing a DVD camcorder, there are two main format options, standard DVD discs and mini DVD discs. These formats offer quality recording, but it is up to personal preference to select the camera that is right for you.
Size
Both disc formats have advantages and disadvantages when considering size. Physically, the standard DVD is double the size of the Mini DVD disc. This makes the camcorders smaller because less space is needed for the disc. Content-wise, the standard DVD camcorder has an advantage because those discs can hold around 4.7 gigabytes of space while a mini DVD disc only holds 1.4 gigabytes. Both formats offer dual-layer discs that can double possible recording time from two hours to four hours for standard DVDs and one hour to two hours on mini DVD discs.
Function
DVD and mini DVD cameras work pretty much the same way. A blank disc is inserted to the side of the camera and a laser lens records video data to the disc. Some DVD camcorders are actually compatible with Mini DVD discs so it features the best of both worlds. Both formats have hybrid camcorders available where extra video clips or pictures can be stored on an internal hard drive or flash media like a SD card.
Benefits
Compared with other camcorder formats like VHS-C and Mini DV, the standard DVD and mini DVD camcorders feature easier storage options. Standard DVD camcorders can play almost instantly in a DVD player and mini DVDs load faster because of their smaller size. The video quality for both is excellent as long as the location is well lighted.
Playback
Playback can be done directly on the computer or in a DVD drive on a computer or player with both camcorder formats but owners of a mini DVD camcorder need to be careful with the discs. The mini DVD discs are not compatible with DVD players or drives that "suck-in" the DVD using a motorized mechanism. This will cause the disc to get stuck and potentially damaged the drive.
Considerations
Standard DVDs are more likely to scratch because the discs themselves have a more open area. Mini DVD discs are smaller and a drop may not scratch them as much as a standard DVD. When snapping a mini DVD disc into a standard DVD case, it can be easy to crack or snap the discs so handle them with care. Treat the standard DVDs the same way you would treat a regular DVD disc. As DVDs shift over to the high definition Blu-Ray discs, it may wise to wait for Blu-Ray recordable camcorders instead of purchasing equipment that could become inferior.
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