Videotape - Future of Tape

Future of Tape

The latest trend in consumer camcorders shows the switch from tape-based camcorders to tapeless camcorder solutions, like built-in hard disk drives, optical discs and solid-state memory. In particular, Canon has not introduced a completely new HDV consumer camcorder for a third year in a row, confining itself to minor modifications to the 2007 model. Sony and Panasonic have removed their consumer tape-based camcorders from the North American market completely. In professional video recording settings, such as broadcast television, videotape was still heavily used in the mid- to late 2000s, but tapeless formats like DVCPRO P2, XDCAM and AVCHD, are gaining broader acceptance.