Camcorder - Record VHS Home Video app review: bringing old-school back 2021

Introduction

Do you remember the good old days where you and the family would record all your special memories with a VHS recorder/camcorder? How would you like to relive those times with an old school video camera app?

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The Camcorder VHS recorder app can be used on your iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone and instantly transforms them into an old school video record. Of course with that said, you have the benefits of using your mobile device which is lighter, easier, and has a lot more space than those typical camcorders did.

For a limited time only, this app is being offered for free, so this is the perfect time to download it and give it a try. The app is making a lot of waves with users who are loving what this app has to offer. Let's dive deeper into this app to see if it's one of the best movie maker apps for your creative needs. 

A Nod to the Good Old Days

The Camcorder app is essentially a nod to the good old days back in the 80’s and 90’s when large VHS camcorders were all the rave.

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At the time, the technology was new, exciting, and opened up the doors for everyday people to have a way to capture all their favorite memories on video. Suddenly, owning a video camera became commonplace.

And it wasn't just for families, everyone got in on the fun as they captured a milestone birthday, a wedding, a big anniversary party, moving into a new home, holidays, and so much more.

Fast forward about 20 to 30 years and times have changed in that we are no longer lugging around VHS camcorders, but that hasn't taken away our desire to capture moments on film.

Now, we turn to our mobile devices as the solution. What the Camcorder app does is take the most convenient aspects of today’s technology and packages it with the feeling and nostalgia associated with the classic VHS camcorder.

As developers explain, the whole goal of this app is to "record anything boring and will look awesome". Now even those moments that don’t seem so exciting and interesting will suddenly look different through the lens of this app.

A big part of what makes this app so appealing is the fact it launches so quickly too. There is no fumbling around trying to get your camera to open, setting it to record, and getting it started only to discover you've missed that moment. This one launches instantly so you can begin filming right away.

The app has been developed by Shots Mobile, Inc. who also has another offering in the iTunes store. The Shots App is a different concept that is built around humor.

With this app you'll be able to share shots privately or in your timeline that are meant to be hilarious and fun. You can tell that the developer has a preference and speciality where their apps are concerned, and that’s with film and photography.

The User Experience

While the Camcorder app has been designed to be user friendly from the start, I think in some senses too many steps have been skipped over. As soon as you launch the app you are in record mode, just tap on the red button to get started.

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You are given a few buttons on either side of the screen, but there is no tutorial to explain what they do. It requires a bit of trial and error in order to familiarize yourself with the tools.

The most useful ones are the ability to switch between the front and rear camera, which not every app allows, and the fact you can zoom in. You can turn the flash on or off, and either create a new video and then save it to your photo album.

Besides that, there really isn’t any other tools/features. If you’re looking to do some editing, adding in filters, text, and music, this isn’t the app for you. This is meant to simply capture a video quickly and easily without added bells and whistles.

In that sense, I found it a bit of a letdown. Yes this app is free, but even still there are other offerings that are free, are easy to use, and yet offer all kinds of added tools and features.

I like the option of being able to make use of the tools and feel like a real videographer. It gives you the ability to create more professional looking videos.

I think when it comes down to it, the big draw of this app is the fact it launches right away in video mode. Other than that it’s hard to find many unique or stand-out features with this one. The user interface also feels a bit dated and far from modern.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• The app launches right away so you can begin filming
• Start recording with the tap of one button
• You can zoom in and out
• You can switch between the rear and front camera
• Turn the flash on and off
• Save the video to your Photo Album
• There is no need to have editing experience, as this one is just point and shoot technology
• You can add the date and one filter
• It's ideal for capturing selfie videos
• The app is a free download

Cons

• The app is extremely basic with no added tools or features
• You can’t perform any editing on your videos
• The user interface feels dated and not very modern
• It’s hard to find aspects of the app that make it unique and stand out

The Final Verdict

While the Camcorder app for your iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone is all about taking you back in time and making it feel like you are filming a video on an old-school camcorder, this doesn't end up being its biggest draw.

In fact, that retro feel doesn't always translate. Instead this app is about giving users a quick way to launch a video recorder so you don’t miss a moment of the action. As long as you’re okay going without added tools and features, this one can act as a simple solution.