This page contains affiliated marketing links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link I may make a small commission at no charge to you.

Watch the video👀👇:

The Secret to Bringing Old Camcorders Back to Life

There’s something about old camcorders. The way they capture light, the grainy look—it’s no surprise they’re making a comeback. For me, I got one of these when I was young and it really was my first dip into making videos.

Over the last few months I have been on a mission to modernize a DV cam to start making some fun home videos.

Tapes and Technical Glitches

These cameras are very quickly aging. If you are looking to get back into camcorders you are likely to run into a few issues. The first will likely be that you need to purchase some new batteries. However, there is probably a seller on amazon that can get you what you need.

The bigger issue will likely be the recording system. If you do manage to get it working, you will still have to digitize it for use later.

For me - I didn't want to have to deal with this hassle. The camera I have here actually has an issue with the tape mechanism itself. It constantly pops up error codes. My fix to this was using an ImmersionRC PowerPlay DVR. This thing works well but it is too pricey for what it is. You can check it out here (Affiliate):
https://geni.us/gN9UoF2

I attached this with a cold shoe mount from DevBuild. I wanted to note that they were really nice to work with and helped me with an issue I had regarding the selection of my recording wire.

Why Tape Cameras Are Popular Again

I took this with me to Universal Orlando to capture some retro vibes and I really enjoyed using this camera. I love modern cameras but I can often get tied up with exposure, lighting, and composition. This is just a reminder that video is supposed to be fun. More a kin to the now popular 35mm point and shoot cameras. I mean checkout these stills I grabbed:

Final Thoughts

This was a fun project. I really enjoyed reviving some old tech that got me into this hobby. I love all tech from this area and this was a great way to dive back in and capture some new memories.