AVCHD, which stands for Advanced Video Codec High Definition, refers to a high definition video format for camcorders. The AVCHD format is owned by Sony and Panasonic and is not publicly available. Some examples of manufacturers which use AVCHD for their video cameras include, Sony, Canon, Panasonic, and JVC. This type of format makes use of the most effective video codecs that have been developed.

AVCHD takes advantage of MPEG-4/H.26 video compression, which is efficient in significantly reducing the sizes of video data. With this, AVCHD can be considered as the most suitable for consumer shooters because they will be able to store longer videos in the same quantity of storage space without compromising the quality. The files in this video format are saved as either .m2ts or .MTS file extensions. This varies based on the brand of the camera and whether the customer is copying files to a PC or a Mac. When it comes to the contents of the video files, there is no difference between the two file extensions.

Most camcorders which make use of AVCHD comes with a software that will enable video shooters to import the video in its original format. This feature can be used in performing simple video playbacks. There are also other softwares that can enable users to convert the video into other formats.

A new variant of this video format is released in 2009 and is called the AVCHD Lite. This variant can support a resolution of 1280×720 progressive. Moreover, because AVCHD Lite makes use of a more simple video compression algorithm compared to the original version of AVCHD, it is also much easier to employ on low end hardware. The first company which made use of this is Panasonic, which added it to their high end digital cameras that are point and shoot style.