Camcorder that plays Mini DV cassettes available?

James Henry · #1 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 11:07 AM

Does anyone know where I can still buy a camcorder that plays Mini DV cassettes? I'm talking here about a basic model rather than the high-end professional jobs. I know this type of camcorder is now a bit old-fashioned but the problem is that I have 25 hours worth of tapes that I didn't get around to putting on DVD or the PC. My camcorder has irreparably broken down, so I'm rather stuck. I've trawled all the major high street shops and on-line sites but none sells this type of camcorder anymore. I know there are shops that will transfer from tape to DVD but with 25 tapes that will end up costing me more than I would expect a camcorder to cost. I'm hoping to buy a new one rather than second hand so I can be confident the tape heads are in good condition.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

JH

rivieraranch · #2 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 11:55 AM

Mini DV was really a flash in the pan. I looked around in my Costco the other day and they are not selling any Mini DV camcorders. Our JVC broke; it wouldn't relinquish the tape that was then in the camera. Before that the tape heads were getting dirty and I had to buy a cleaning cassette for it. Luckily I have only 5 Mini DV tapes to contend with. You would be just as well to land a used one on ebay use it and sell it again.

Andy Lockwood · #3 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by rivieraranch

Mini DV was really a flash in the pan....

Rubbish! - And Costco isn't exactly a retailer I would go to if I was looking for a camera either.

Mini DV is still a widely available and useful format. No rubbishy compression - and no hard drive packing up with the slightest shock either.

Plenty available new, on ebay and down your local proper camera store.

TimStannard · #4 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 03:14 PM

Can only echo what Andy says - on both counts. A format that was the "standard" for consumer digital camcorders for more than 10 years and which is still standard for non-HD "prosumer" cameras is hardly flash in the pan.

And just type "Mini dv camcorder" into Google and you'll find loads. Try the JVC GR D820 £127.77 from Argos. Hardly a Rolls-Royce model, (though I'm sure it's every bit as good as my first cam which I still use) but that's not really what you're after.

James Henry · #5 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 05:15 PM

Thanks for your replies. I had checked out some on the Argos site but they were out of stock on-line and at my 4 nearest stores. I'm just surprised there aren't more people in the same boat as me - there must be a lot of people still using cassettes and not everyone backs up immediately.

JH

Marc Peters · #6 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by James Henry

I'm hoping to buy a new one rather than second hand so I can be confident the tape heads are in good condition.

I wouldn't be overly concerned with that; I would say that the majority of people hardly use their camcorder. However, a real concern would be if you've recorded in LP. If you have, i recommend buying the same 'make' of camera as there are known compatability issues on LP recorded tapes.

I wouldn't say that Mini DV was a flash in the pan. I bought my first in 1999(ish) and they only went out of favour this year. Over ten years is an age in the fast moving tech age!