MiniDV

MiniDV was a digital video cassette format widely used in consumer and professional camcorders from the mid-1990s through the early 2010s. The tapes measured 2.6 × 1.9 × 0.5 inches and contained 1/4-inch-wide magnetic tape. A standard MiniDV cassette could hold up to 80 minutes of video in standard mode or 60 minutes in high-quality mode, storing approximately 11 gigabytes of data.

The compact size of MiniDV tapes led manufacturers to create smaller, portable camcorders. While earlier video cameras were heavy and bulky, MiniDV camcorders were small enough to hold in one hand. Their portable size made recording sports and other events easier, increasing their popularity in the consumer market.

Unlike analog formats such as VHS-C and Hi-8, MiniDV recorded video digitally, allowing for higher image quality and lossless transfers. Users could import video directly to a computer via FireWire (IEEE 1394) and edit it with software like iMovie (Mac) or Windows Movie Maker (Windows). What was previously a time-consuming task that required an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) became as simple as connecting a cable and clicking "Import." As a result, home video editing surged in the early 2000s.

Today, most consumer recording devices use tapeless recording formats like SD cards and solid-state drives. While modern users rarely record onto MiniDV tapes, some still digitize MiniDV footage to preserve old recordings. FireWire ports are rare on modern computers, so an HDMI connection may be required for playback, and Thunderbolt or USB adapters may be required for importing and conversion.