Teeny tiny camcorders

Round-up reviews let you compare four related products and find out which one is best for you

Last updated: 24 Nov 2006

When you're jammed in a tight spot -- say at the bottom of a crevasse in the Swiss Alps with a broken fibula -- you're going to need a small camcorder to capture footage for the inevitable documentary about your amazing escape. The camcorders we've picked here aren't the best, nor are they the brightest. They're prized above all for their compact size and light weight.

If you want a high-quality shooter, you'll have to invest in something a bit bulkier. But when size matters above all else, you'll be glad of the svelte bodies on these tricks. So, let's take a look at our candidates.

The JVC Everio GZ-MC500 is a little harder to come by than it was a year ago, because it has been superseded by the much bulkier 505 model. Similarly, the MG20 is a little long in the tooth now, but remains one of the smallest camcorders out there. JVC's latest models seem to have mysteriously added more bulk -- no good for crevasse crawling.

The Samsung Miniket can be helmet mounted -- perfect for covering caving accidents -- and the Sony DCR-PC55 is average in all respects other than its fantastically small size. Even so, we've shot excellent footage with all these camcorders in good light, so if you want a camcorder that'll fit in your pocket, give this quartet a go.

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	JVC Everio GZ-MC500	JVC Everio GZ-MG20	Samsung Miniket VP-X100L	Sony DCR-PC55
Review date	22 Jul 05	28 Nov 05	12 Jan 06	21 Jun 05
Editors' rating	9.3	8.1	7.0	5.4
Price range	£800	£410	£470	£430
Review summary	Not only does it look like a professional camcorder, but the MC500's performance matches its appearance. Instead of the more common single CCD, the MC500 uses three separate CCDs to capture a far better clarity of colour. The biggest benefit of the MC500, however, is the size of the thing -- it's tiny Read full review	Though the MG20 sits at the entry-level of the hard-disk camcorder market, it's an impressive beast indeed. Long record times and good image quality for a single CCD camcorder make this a very tempting buy if you're looking for simplicity and convenience Read full review	It's easy to forgive the Miniket for its sub-par image quality when you're watching footage back on the TV at home. Sitting on a sofa with a hot cup of tea, re-living the moment you leapt off a BMX jump and crashed spectacuarly is a joy. We hope that the next iteration of this camcorder brings better image quality. For now, at least, the Miniket is a novelty that will supplement, but not replace your existing sports camcorder Read full review	Unless portability is your primary consideration, you can find better choices than this petite underachiever Read full review
User rating	6.0	8.0	5.0	8.0
Recording media	Hard drive	Hard drive	Other	MiniDV
Number of CCDs	3	1	1	1
Size (W x H x D)	80x55x118 mm	67x70x109 mm	59x93x29 mm	46x99x71 mm
Sensor type	CCD	CCD	CCD	CCD
Effective sensor resolution	2073600 pixels	340000 pixels	n/a	340000 pixels
Optical zoom	10 x	800 x	10 x	10 x
Digital zoom	40 x	25 x	100 x	120 x
Image stabiliser	Electronic	n/a	EIS	Electronic (Super Steady Shot)
Display size	46 mm	n/a	51 mm	76 mm
Display resolution	n/a	n/a	211000 pixels	123000 pixels
	Full specification	Full specification	Full specification	Full specification