iMovie ’08: Camcorder Support

Tape-based Camcorder Support

iMovie supports most Mini DV tape-based camcorders that use a FireWire cable (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) which support DV (standard definition) or HDV (high definition) formats.

Tapeless Camcorder Support

iMovie also supports many tapeless camcorders that record to Flash Memory, Hard Drive (HDD), and DVD media. These random access devices use a USB 2.0 cable and include camcorders that support MPEG-2 (standard definition) and AVCHD (high definition) formats.

Note: Some iMovie ’08 compatible random access devices have both a USB and FireWire port. These camcorders must only be connected using the USB port.

Due to the wide range of media types and the different ways manufacturers store video on these media types, not all tapeless camcorders are supported. Apple has tested the products listed on this table. iMovie may not fully support other similar camcorders. Compatible iMovie features include device recognition when the device is connected to a Mac, display of import control for the specific device, and import of the video to iMovie for viewing and editing. 

Note: AVCHD support requires an Intel-based Core Duo Mac or better.

Other Tapeless Device Support

Other types of tapeless video devices—such as digital still cameras, video phones and other hybrid devices—import their video clips into iPhoto if they are compatible with iPhoto. Some of those iPhoto-compatible formats can be accessed directly from the iMovie library, including video in MPEG-2 (standard definition), MPEG-4 (standard and high definition), and other formats.

MPEG-1 formatted movies from Sony Digital Still Cameras (DSCs) use iMovie's Random Access Device (RAD) import window.

Known Compatibility Issues

• DVD camcorders may cause the DVD Player to open. If this occurs, simply quit DVD Player.
• Video devices in the tables above that have additional compatibility information are linked to these details.

Disclaimer

This information reflects many of the video devices we have inspected for use with iMovie. It may continue to evolve and expand as we test additional devices. We have attempted to ensure this list is accurate at the time of publication. Due to the wide range of devices that vary widely in their capabilities—and the many different ways manufacturers implement and may change implementations—you should use this information only as a general guide. The accuracy of this information is not guaranteed by Apple; and users of this list must assume responsibility for purchase decisions.