Current analog camcorders don't have video inputs, they simply shoot video and output to another device. All camcorders have at least a composite video output, but high-band analog camcorders include an S-Video output as well. Digital camcorders include FireWire jacks, allowing you to quickly and easily connect the camcorder to a computer with a FireWire card, so you can edit your footage. This is one of the biggest reasons that digital camcorders are so popular.

Audio, however, is the Achilles heel of analog camcorders, and has been for quite some time, unfortunately. The sound on analog camcorders is almost always monophonic, and most analog camcorders also lack microphone and headphone jacks, making it difficult to get good sound. This is another very compelling reason to consider a digital camcorder instead.

Clearly, camcorders in general will continue to decrease in price as time goes on. As this happens, it is likely that analog camcorders will continue to be squeezed out of manufacturer's product lines in favor of digital models, simply because there is no profit to be made on a camcorder that retails below $300. But if you need an inexpensive camcorder now, and the benefits of digital video don't strike you as necessary for your needs, it's hard to go wrong with any current analog camcorder on the market. The resolution of the video a Hi8 camcorder shoots exceeds your standard definition television anyhow. At the same time, it's worth your while to carefully consider an inexpensive digital camcorder, as a way to future-proof your investment. And with the lowest-priced brand-new Mini DV camcorders coming in at lower levels than we've ever seen before, this may be our last analog buyer's guide.

Charles Fulton is an Associate Editor for Videomaker.