die  Videokamera

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈviːdeoˌkaːmɛʁa/

🎬 What exactly is a 'Videokamera'?

Die Videokamera (plural: die Videokameras) is an electronic device for recording moving images (Video) and usually also sound (Ton). It is used to record films, television programs, news reports, documentaries, or private events.

There are various types of video cameras, ranging from professional studio cameras and handy camcorders to small action cameras or cameras integrated into smartphones.

⚠️ Attention: Although smartphones can often record videos today, they are generally not primarily referred to as a 'Videokamera', but rather the dedicated device is.

🧐 Grammar Insights: Declining 'die Videokamera'

The word 'Videokamera' is a feminine noun. It follows the regular declension pattern for feminine nouns in German.

Example Sentences

1. Die neue Videokamera liefert gestochen scharfe Bilder.
   (The new video camera delivers razor-sharp images.)
2. Mit dieser Videokamera kann man auch unter Wasser filmen.
   (With this video camera, you can also film underwater.)
3. Der Journalist packte schnell seine Videokamera aus.
   (The journalist quickly unpacked his video camera.)
4. Die Qualität moderner Videokameras ist beeindruckend.
   (The quality of modern video cameras is impressive.)

💡 How is 'Videokamera' used?

The term die Videokamera is used to refer to a device whose main purpose is recording videos.

• Context: People talk about Videokameras in the context of film production (Filmproduktion), journalism (Journalismus), surveillance technology (Überwachungstechnik), but also in private life (e.g., for holiday videos, family celebrations).
• Distinction: A Fotokamera or Fotoapparat (photo camera) is primarily intended for still images (Fotos), although many modern photo cameras can also record videos. A Webcam is a special type of video camera, usually permanently connected to a computer and used for video calls or streaming. The term Camcorder is often synonymous with Videokamera, but traditionally refers to a portable camera for the consumer market.
• Compounds: You often find compound words like Digital-Videokamera (digital video camera), Profi-Videokamera (professional video camera), or Überwachungs-Videokamera (surveillance video camera).

🧠 Mnemonics for 'Videokamera'

Article Mnemonic: Think of 'camera' ending in '-a'. Many technical devices ending in '-a' in German are feminine (die Kamera, die Antenne). The Videokamera follows this pattern – so it's die Videokamera. Imagine She (die) is recording the video.

Meaning Mnemonic: The word combines "Video" (from Latin videre = I see) and "Kamera" (from Greek/Latin camera = chamber). It's literally a "seeing chamber" for moving pictures – a Videokamera.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

Related, but not identical terms:

• Die Webcam: Special camera for computers/internet.
• Die Action-Kamera: Small, robust camera for sports recording.
• Die Drohne (mit Kamera): Flying device with recording function.

😄 A little Joke

Warum hat die Videokamera den Job beim Fernsehen bekommen? (Why did the video camera get the job in television?)

Weil sie immer bereit war, ins Bild zu kommen und einen guten Blickwinkel hatte! (Because it was always ready to 'get into the picture' and had a good 'angle'/'point of view'!)

✍️ Poem about the 'Videokamera'

Mit Linse klar und Sensor fein,
(With lens clear and sensor fine,)
fängt sie die Welt für uns ein.
(it captures the world for us.)
Bewegung, Lachen, auch die Träne,
(Movement, laughter, also the tear,)
hält fest die flüchtige Szene.
(holds fast the fleeting scene.)

Die Videokamera, schlau und klein,
(The video camera, clever and small,)
lässt uns Erlebtes wiederseh'n.
(lets us see experiences again.)
Ein Knopfdruck nur, die Aufnahme läuft,
(Just one button press, the recording runs,)
Erinnerung, die niemals säuft.
(memory that never drowns/gets lost.)

🧩 Who am I? A Riddle

Ich habe ein Auge, doch kann nicht seh'n wie du.
(I have an eye, but cannot see like you.)
Ich fange Momente ein, im Nu.
(I capture moments, in a flash.)
Bewegung und Ton sind mein Metier,
(Movement and sound are my field,)
damit du später sagst: "Das war schön hier!"
(so that later you say: "That was nice here!")

Was bin ich? / What am I?

Lösung/Solution: Die Videokamera

⚙️ Word Breakdown and More

The word Videokamera is a compound noun (Kompositum) made of:

• Video: Derived from the Latin verb videre, meaning "to see". Refers to the technology for recording and playback of moving images.
• Kamera: Derived from the Latin camera obscura ("dark chamber"), a precursor to the photographic camera. Denotes a device for capturing images.

Together, it describes a device for "seeing" or recording moving images.

Trivia: The first commercially successful video cameras for home use (camcorders) entered the market in the early 1980s, revolutionizing how people captured private events.