Cameras are more than just tools for taking photos and videos—they shape the way we think of the past. The distinct look of each major camera format defines its era: The murky colors of a vintage Polaroid picture are as era-defining as the stiffly posed portraiture of the late 1800s. And there are few things that will bring you right back to the 1980s and '90s than the fuzzy, low-resolution warmth of something filmed on video tape.
I grew up with such a camcorder, a Canon ES50, which my family used for filming home movies, and I used for making my own short "films." My childhood was immortalized in this format, and in a way, their look defines how I picture the '90s. While that camcorder was sold or given away sometime over the years, my brother recently gifted me another one, and in puttering around with it, I've feel like I've been traveling through time.
While you can certainly pick up a working camcorder off eBay easily enough, you'll need to know what format that camcorder records to before getting started. If you don't buy the proper medium (i.e. tape), you won't get very far. There are a ton of camcorder formats in this world, but here are the major ones you'll likely encounter:
VHS-C: This is the same principle as VHS, only in a compact form (hence the C). In fact, because this is still VHS, you can play VHS-C tapes in a VCR, but you need an adapter to do so. (The tech behind this is actually very cool.)
8mm: These tapes are suspiciously similar in size to standard VHS-C, but with a key difference. As you might guess from the name, these are not VHS, which means you can't play them back on a VCR. You won't notice too much of a difference in quality though.
Mini DV: Again, these tapes are similar in size to other mini formats, but with a huge discrepancy: they're actually digital, not analog. Where all the previous tape standards record magnetically to tape, Mini DV records the information as bytes, the same as it would to a hard drive. That means you can reproduce Mini DV tapes without losing any detail, but you also lose some of the analog charm.
Where to buy camcorders, tapes, and accessories in 2026
Finding accessories shouldn't be a problem either, depending on the part and the camera model. I recently needed a proprietary cable to connect a family member's camcorder to a TV, and by searching the camcorder model number and the part, was able to find one for sale online fairly quickly. If you have a VHS or VHS-C camcorder, you're going to need a VCR and an adapter. The adapters are easy and cheap to pick up, while VCRs range in price. Take some time looking for a VCR: You'll want one that seems functional and clean, so as to not damage your tapes. In short, if it was popular, someone is likely selling it somewhere, which is good, because a camera without all the right accessories is just a museum piece.
And as with all retro tech, you might find what you're looking for at secondhand stores and garage sales. People might have camcorders, accessories, and tapes in their attics ready to be sold on their front lawns; similarly, Goodwill might have camcorders in the mix with their other used technology. If you are looking for something specific, stick to the internet, but if you're just looking to get started with any old equipment, the hunt can be part of the fun.
That said, it's perfectly possible, so long as you're prepared. As I mentioned above, VHS shooters will have the easiest time here, assuming all parts are in order: You can pop your VHS tapes into a VCR connected to a TV, and you're good to go. VHS-C shooters will have a similarly simple experience, but you'll need that adapter.
No matter how you connect your tapes to the TV, you may have another hurdle here. If you have an older TV, there's no problem, but newer TVs don't always have the red, white, and yellow composite ports you need. My 2017 LG TV, for example, does not. As such, I had to buy this adapter in order to connect any type of composite input to my TV—including my 8mm camcorder. As with many of the suggestions here, you'll need to find your TV's make and model to find the right adapter, but once everything's hooked up, you're good to go.
Preserving your tapes (and creating digital backups)
While that might work for some, there are two reasons I'm not a huge fan of this option. First, it isn't really an option if you frequently shoot new footage, since you'll need to continuously send these companies your tapes and wait for them to get back to you. They're really set up for families sending in all their old home videos at once, which is my second gripe: I really don't trust another company (or the mail) to handle my family's irreplaceable home videos.
A capture card (something like this) that connects your camcorder directly to your computer.
The settings you'll use will be case dependent—Storme uses Mini DV, but you'll use different settings if you're converting, say, 8mm—so I'd look into OBS forums for your specific setup.
Oh, and one final piece of advice: If your tapes have the option, make sure to flip the switch from "Rec" to "Save." That way, you won't accidentally record over any of your footage.
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