Smart & Connected Life Travel Tech 66 66 people found this article helpful Guide to Wi-Fi Camcorders and Video Cameras Can camcorders cut the cord? by Greg Scoblete Writer Gregory Scoblete is a former Lifewire writer covering video and consumer electronics. His work has appeared in Consumer's Digest, Digital Photographer, and other publications. our editorial process LinkedIn Greg Scoblete Updated on July 31, 2020 Tweet Share Email Travel Tech Digital Cameras & Photography Tips for Mobile Photography Wi-Fi increasingly appears as a standard feature in modern camcorders. It's been incorporated into both conventional and pocket camcorders. WI-FI vs. Bluetooth in Camcorders What Wi-Fi Camcorders Can Do Using Wi-Fi, a camcorder transfers video—even high definition video—to a computer that's on a wireless network. In some cases, a Wi-Fi camcorder appears as a device on a network, which means you can stream the video from the camcorder to a monitor, TV, or media player to watch it without having to connect the camcorder directly to a viewing device. To enjoy this feature, your camcorder must work with the DLNA specification. Wi-Fi Camcorder Drawbacks Although Wi-Fi camcorders cut the cord, they do present several downsides. Transferring videos by Wi-Fi to a PC takes considerably longer than it does to transfer those videos using a USB cable. Wi-Fi is a fairly big drain on your camcorder's battery, so you have to either have a fully charged battery before you start your transfer or connect the camcorder to a power outlet before you start. All things being equal, a camcorder with some form of built-in wireless capability is usually going to be more expensive than a similarly equipped model without. Is Wi-Fi the Next Big Thing? Wi-Fi might not be hugely popular in a camcorder, simply because HD video files are so large and time-consuming to transfer over a wireless network. Faster Wi-Fi technology (802.11ac) helps on that front, but not all mainstream consumers have 802.11ac Wi-Fi networks in their homes. That said, a fair number of pocket camcorder manufacturers have added wireless technology to their products. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit