If you have some old Mini DV tapes you’d like to watch or transfer to digital but no longer have a working camcorder you might be wondering if you can still buy a Mini DV camcorder so you can play your tapes back.
You can still buy a Mini DV Camcorder, just not from your retail electronics store. Mini DV camcorders are no longer manufactured but they can still be found for sale on used marketplaces like eBay and several other websites.
After spending dozens of hours researching we’ve identified the 11 best places you can still buy a Mini DV camcorder, and you’ll be surprised to see how many great places not only sell them but also offer a warranty.
The 11 Best Places You Can Buy a Mini DV Camcorder
eBay – our #1 choice
This is no big shock that eBay is the #1 one place to buy a Mini DV camcorder, it’s the world’s used marketplace. On the last check, there were over 4,000 Mini DV camcorders for sale on eBay. Not only does it have the widest variety of MiniDV camcorders available, but the prices also tend to be the most affordable.
Can I Still Buy a New Mini DV Camcorder? Yes!
You can buy a “new” MiniDV still on eBay. Although Mini DV camcorders haven’t been manufactured in years there are a few new/unopened camcorders for sale.
When searching eBay for new Mini DV Camcorders you need to select the condition to “new” on the left, most of what I saw wasn’t Mini DV camcorders so you may have to weed through a bunch of results, but I was able to find a few using this method.
When buying any used item, especially from sites like eBay be careful to check out if there is a return policy or even a limited warranty. It would be terrible to start transferring your tapes and have your camcorder die a few tapes into the process.
If this concerns you there are other sites that offer limited warranties we have on our list, so please keep reading.
Amazon
Amazon does sell Mini DV camcorders and is one of the best online retailers next to eBay when it comes to vintage electronics like this. There are plenty of good Mini DV camcorders still for sale on Amazon, several of which come with Prime shipping.
When searching Amazon either use our pre-filtered search for Mini DV camcorders or make sure to scroll down in the filters on the left side to Media Type and select Mini DV, otherwise you’ll see a bunch of non-camcorder items in your results.
What I found was a large selection of camcorders at reasonable prices. What I could not find was any unopened / new in the box camcorders
Facebook MarketPlace
Facebook MarketPlace is quickly taking over as the way to sell used things locally. Depending on your area you may find some Mini DV camcorders for sale, I always see a few in my area for local pickup, as well a good amount that can be shipped so give it a look.
Etsy
Etsy surprised me, I thought it was a place to find custom made goods but was excited to see how many used products are being sold there as well. I found plenty of Mini DV camcorders at reasonable prices, as well as other vintage electronics like VCRs.
Porter Electronics
Another retailer I found while researching was Porter Electronics, they also specialize in legacy video equipment like VCR, camcorders and more!
They offer a 7-day return policy and 90-day exchange warranty on all items, as well as the option to purchase an additional 1 year extended warranty.
Sounds like a great place to buy a Mini DV camcorder, especially if you really want to make sure they work and last you through your video transfer process.
Offerup (formerly LetGo)
LetGo is now part of OfferUp – another popular phone app and website for selling used stuff, so a great place to look for a used Mini DV camcorder near you.
When searching my area in New England I only found a few Mini DV camcorders for sale, not the best selection but still worth a look.
Thrift Stores
You can sometimes find VCRs, camcorders, and other legacy electronics at thrift stores. The most popular being Savers and The Salvation Army Stores can have just what you are looking for.
Craigslist
Another fantastic used marketplace, Craigslist is a great place to look for a used Mini DV camcorder. The nice thing about buying locally from places like Craigslist is you know the item you’re buying wasn’t bounced around planes and delivery trucks on the way to your house.
While searching my area I only found 1 Mini DV camcorder for sale, so its worth a try but your results will vary.
Mercari
Mercari is another online marketplace of used goods. They appear to have a descent selection of vintage electronics like Mini DV camcorders and VCRs.
I’ve personally never used the website and have no idea of the quality of the merchants. If you are interested try this link: https://www.mercari.com/search/?keyword=mini%20dv%20camcorder
Yard Sales & Flea Markets
Yard sales are a great place to find vintage electronics. Sometimes you can find a VCR or camcorder in working condition for very cheap. Keep an eye out this summer for any vintage electronics, it may be worth purchasing just to sell it online for a profit if you don’t need it
Friends and Family
This actually should be one of your first choices: reach out to friends or family in person or via social media and see if anyone has a working Mini DV camcorder that you could borrow or buy. Chances are someone you know has a working camcorder they can dust off and lend to you.
Offer to even transfer any video tapes for them once you get your camcorder connected to your computer
Where to Buy a Mini DV Camcorder Player Near Me?
You do have some great local options when searching for a MiniDV camcorder for sale.
- Yard Sales
- Thrift Stores like Savers
- CraigsList
- Facebook Marketplace
Places That Do *Not* Sell Mini DV Camcorders – Just Incase You Wanted to Check:
BestBuy, Target, and other large retail stores do not sell Mini DV camcorders either online or at the store. Even many online electronics retailers like B&H Photo Video and Adorama do not sell them anymore.
So just in case you were wondering do not bother looking at these stores for Mini DV camcorders:
- BestBuy – Electronics giant BestBuy no longer sells Mini DV camcorders in-store or on their website. Any listings you find online will be for out-of-stock items. Instead of trying BestBuy look at the other online retailers listed in this article.
- Target
- B&H Photo Video
- Adorama
- OverStock
Conclusion
You still have plenty of options when it comes to purchasing a Mini DV camcorder with eBay being your best option as far as selection..
Once you have a working camcorder please review your tapes and start transferring them to a digital format before the tapes deteriorate and can no longer be played
The transfer process is exactly the same as Digital8 tapes just with a mini DV camcorder – see How to Transfer Digital8 Tapes To Your Computer