How to Record an Event Over a VHS or VHS‐C Camcorder

Co-authored by Christopher Batchelor

Last Updated: January 12, 2026

Though the media types changed since they were first invented and used, using a VHS or VHS-C camcorder was designed for the earliest recordings of some events. If you found a camcorder and want to know now how to use it (or simply have forgotten how to use it to record), this article will teach (or reteach) you these steps to make your event seem like a masterpiece.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Pre-Production

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1
Gather the Things You'll Need. A tape matching the media type your camcorder records to is required, along with the camcorder assembled and ready, and you!
2
Ensure your media is blank, or otherwise recordable.
- Unless you bought lots of the media type before the media was bought out and left store shelves barren, avoid media tapes that have already been recorded on, or the knock-out removed or tampered with.
- Use media that recently had wholeheartedly had it's packaging destroyed and trashed. Plastic packaging around the entire media and box is easiest and shouldn't be questioned.
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3
Insert the blank media/tape into the camcorder. You'll need to eject the tape tray before inserting your media. Each camcorder has different buttons marked "Eject", but keep in mind that "Eject" and "Stop" are two different functions of these older camcorders.
- Ensure your media is the type your camcorder can handle. There are a lot of other media choices besides VHS and VHS-C that look similar but can only be handled by devices that record on them.
  - There's the VHS tape, which is 7.4" x 4.1" x 1.0", but that comes close to the Sony Betamax of 6.1" x 3.8" x 1.0".
- There's also the VHS-C tape, which is 3.6" x 2.3" 0.8" that comes close to the Hi8 tapes of 3.7" x 2.5" x 0.6".
  - VHS-C tapes had a converter VHS tape that was sold separately - called the VHS PlayPak. Once recorded, they could be placed into this tape and played back in an average VCR.
    - Avoid jamming a VHS-C tape into a standard VCR. They aren't designed to be played in those.
    - Also, ensure that your PlayPak has a fresh battery, or it won't be able to "stretch" the video to its viewing width on a TV.
- Be careful of the media you buy and load because these tapes can only be handled by camcorders that can handle these types of media. The media they take should be mentioned on your camcorder and on your product's box. If you don't get the right one, the camcorder will reject using the tape, or the tape won't fit and won't be designed to be used with your camcorder.
- Recognize that in VHS and VHS-C camcorder days, two of the big names were RCA and Panasonic brands.
  - Camcorders holding VHS and VHS-C media included JVC, Hitachi, Magnavox, Sharp, Quasar, GE, Zenith, Mitsubishi (and that's not the car brand), Canon, and Minolta. If your device isn't mentioned, don't be discouraged.
- VHS and VHS-C tapes have two windows at the top of their tapes, while some VHS-C tapes have only one. These are the most common camcorder tape styles from back in those days.
- Most Betamax tapes have one window on their top, and one window on their left side.
- Hi8 tapes have no windows on top, but there's a trap door on their bottoms.
- Each tape had a door on its back that flipped up while holding a little lever on its sides. However, touching the tape inside that door marred the tape's quality and destroyed the exposed film.
- If there's already a tape in the camcorder, leave it there, unless you want to change over and use fresh media.
4
Close up your camcorder's tape tray once inserted and ready. Gently push on the tape tray until it no longer moves. Some tape trays may even "click" when they are fully closed.
5
Install fresh batteries. Follow the camcorder directions for proper installation. Make sure they have been charged.
- For VHS camcorders, ensure the camcorder itself is charged (if necessary). Some needed to be separately charged, while others wouldn't need to be, and were dependent on the camcorder's company specifications and requirements.
6
Turn on the camcorder. Each camcorder is different. You may find either a button or a rocker switch that turns the camera on and off, and you will need to do that.
- Some camcorders detect new media and may turn themselves on after closing the tape tray. If your camcorder came with that feature, you'll be partially ready.
7
Get the camcorder ready, especially with VHS ones. With VHS camcorders, you'll need to get the eyepiece and viewfinder ready, which will require two individual piece turns; one bringing the eyepiece out, and the other to turn in the direction of view.
- VHS camcorders were sold based on your dominant hand. If you were right-handed, it would only work with right-handers; if you were left-handed, market sellers often told recorders they'd adapt but would have no other fixes. They won't ever cross to allow multi-handers or those who can change hands.
- VHS-C camcorders need less work, and can be controlled by your non-dominant hand. You'll swing open the viewfinder screen's door, where you'll view your subject and movie production. However, some may have additional viewfinders like its VHS predecessors.
8
Open the lens cap. Most lens caps have edges at the top and bottom that you can "pick" off the cap, and to show the event, this must be undone.
- Sometimes pulling off a lens cap was trickier and required a little more force, or it would be stuck, and you'd have to pry it off with other household old wives' tale methods.
9
Insert your hand into the wrist strap. Place your fingers between your pointer and pinky into the strap, and make sure your pointer to ring curl gently over onto the zoom and record buttons, which should comfortably rest just near the wrist strap and where the camcorder is held.
- Some devices only allow recorders to place their pointer to the ring fingers in the strap, and you should follow accordingly.
- Your thumb should naturally curl underneath the camcorder to support it, but don't rely on this by itself or the camera may fall and shatter - cracking the lens and becoming unusable until they've been fixed.
  - In these days, most fixers are charging high prices, higher than just fixing them, and are pushing those using these now-obsolete media to switch out for newer style camcorders that won't record on these types of media anymore.
10
Learn the actions of the Zoom switch. Oftentimes, the switch button furthest from your (controlled by your ring finger) will be the zoom in button, bringing it closer to the subject, and the zoom out button (controlled by your pointer finger) will be closest to you, widening the scene, leaving your middle finger to record and pause the recording.
11
Place the camcorder on your shoulder, especially with VHS camcorders. Ensure the viewfinder eye piece can be seen in one of your eyes.
- It was always instructed by sellers to ensure recorders never used eyeglasses when recording, though some may have found it easy to record with them on, with or without trouble. Most had dials or sliders to match internal lenses and user lenses together to build their prescription into the camera.
- Camcorders resting on shoulders should be placed so they are even and make what's being recorded seem level (or almost level).
- Most camcorders could be placed on special camcorder tripods. However, these were to be used only for some actions more than others, but were found to be bulky and cumbersome to set up, and were eventually phased out.
12
Aim the camera at your subject. Make sure what you see in the viewscreen or viewfinder shows what's about to be recorded.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Producing

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1
Begin recording. Press the record button with your middle finger on the hand inside the wrist strap.
- It may take a few seconds to find what you need, especially for first-time recorders.
2
Remain on the subject, or step back and get a larger viewing area to see the bigger picture.
3
Pause/stop the recording once your action has completed. Often, the same button that starts recording also stops it.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Post Production

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1
Eject the tape. Look around the device for various ejection methods.
- Sometimes, there was a sliding switch on the top of the device above the tape door.
- Other times, they were near the hand strap or on a side panel near your palm.
- Still other times, they were on the camcorder's body, hidden away by the LCD screen.
- Lastly, look at the Stop button. Watch for small underlines, or its eject symbol. One press is for stopping the tape, and another is/was for ejecting it.
2
Take care of your media. Depending on your type of media, you'll have to save it by either removing the safety tab (VHS) or sliding the Save/Protect switch (VHS-C), all to save your media from being recorded over.
3
Rewind your media. You could've used a High Speed Rewinder that were separate machine to rewind the tape to the beginning, to avoid wear and tear on camcorder motors.
- You could also place it into a VCR (if it's in its PlayPak, or if it's in VHS format) and rewind it there. However, vouch for spending a little more for the rewinder to avoid using VCRs and putting extra weight on the heads.
4
Review your footage. Play through the footage through your viewfinder or flip-out screen to check that audio and video recordings were produced correctly before leaving the location.
5
Label the media. Use the enclosed (most often) adhesive paper label on the tape's spine.
- Moons ago, if you didn't label the tape immediately after ejecting, it might've gotten lost in a stack of eternal "unknown" tapes.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Troubleshooting

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1
Watch your date/time stamp. Some camcorders held small coin batteries (like CR-2025) in a compartment. But if that battery was dead, the video display might flash 0:00 or a date from the 1980s (or similar when the device was manufactured). If you plan to use the camera now, you'll need to reset its menu to correct its date in its memory.
2
Watch the Standby toggle switch. Make sure they are set to Camera mode, rather than VCR or Player. If they are set to either of those, their record button won't depress and work.
3
Watch for tape problems. Check the reels for loose tape, which may nest in the camera and get eaten by the camcorder. Use a pencil to turn the white hubs inside the tape until the film is snug.
4
Check for DEW warnings if you move quickly between two locations. If you move from colder areas to hot, humid areas, you may see "DEW flash on the viewfinder - stop immediately and let the moisture evaporate from the camcorder.
5
Watch for tracking issues. When recording, always record 10 seconds of nothing before the event, when reusing an old tape for the camcorder heads to align with the tape's magnetic path.