What is an Intelligent Accessory Shoe and Active Interface Shoe and are they compatible with all cameras?

An Intelligent Accessory Shoe can be found on some older camcorders and is used to connect external lights and microphones. An example of what the Intelligent Accessory Shoe connecter looks like:

NOTE: Older accessories that require the Intelligent Accessory Shoe to attach to the camcorder, are not compatible with newer camcorders equipped with the Active Interface Shoe connection.

An Active Interface Shoe can be found in newer camcorders and is used to connect external lights and microphones. An example of what the Active Interface Shoe connecter looks like:

NOTE: New accessories that use the Active Interface Shoe to attach to the camcorder, are not compatible with older camcorders equipped with the Intelligent Accessory Shoe connection.

To find out what accessories are available for your camera, check the manuals and specifications. Manuals are posted on your model support page.