Camcorders Buying Guide
Don't be mystified by jargon or fooled by hype. Our comprehensive Buying Guides help you choose the right products.
What you need to know, from the kind of user you are to current technologies:
WHAT KIND OF DIGITAL CAMCORDER IS BEST FOR ME?
Before you fall in love with just any old camcorder, you need to know precisely what you're looking for, lest you realise somewhere down the road that you chose the wrong machine. Ask yourself the hard questions, then match your needs to one of these user profiles. To get smart on the audio specs that matter for your user type, take a look at our section on capturing good sound with video.
Home and holiday filmmaker | Budget buyer | Trendsetter | Independent filmmaker | Business videographer
Home and holiday filmmaker
I want to shoot birthday parties, baby steps, holiday gatherings and school plays. I plan to take my camcorder on holiday, so portability is important. I don't need to do anything terribly clever, but I'd like to be able to do a little editing and add some basic effects. I'm looking for simple controls and easy output.
THE SPECS THAT MATTER
Design
Horizontal, vertical, compact, ultracompact
Lens type
10x or greater zoom controlled via switch or lens ring; electronic or optical image stabilisation
Sensor
1/6-inch or larger CCD; minimum 340,000-pixel effective (a.k.a. actual) video resolution
Minimum illumination rating
7 lux or lower
Recording format
MiniDV; Digital8; MicroMV; mini DVD-R/RW/RAM
Ports and connectors
FireWire (a.k.a. iLink or IEEE 1394); A/V; USB; S-Video; accessory shoe; microphone terminal; headphone terminal
Exposure controls
Automatic; exposure shift; programmed scene modes; backlight mode; low-light mode
Focus controls
Automatic; manual option via dial on camcorder body
Viewfinder and LCD
Colour viewfinder and 64mm (2.5-inch) or larger colour LCD
Multimedia
Memory card slot for photo capture; MPEG-1 or MPEG-4 video for Web and email
Price
£400 to £1000
Cool features to look for
Bundled video-editing software; digital effects; fader; Webcam functionality; 16:9 aspect-ratio mode for wide-screen playback; 1- or 2-megapixel photo capture; remote control; touch-screen LCD; interval recording; analogue-to-digital conversion for digitising 8mm or Hi8 video
Budget buyer
I can't afford to spend more than £250 on a camcorder, and I don't want a model that uses expensive cassettes or discs. I don't need an advanced feature set or compatibility with lots of accessories, and I don't mind a relatively bulky design either. I just want a basic camcorder that's easy to use.
THE SPECS THAT MATTER
Design
Horizontal; vertical; compact
Lens type
10x or greater zoom controlled via switch; electronic image stabilisation
Sensor
1/6-inch CCD; 290,000-pixel or greater effective (a.k.a. actual) video resolution
Minimum illumination rating
7 lux or lower
Recording format
MiniDV; Digital8
Ports and connectors
FireWire (a.k.a. iLink or IEEE 1394); A/V; S-Video; microphone terminal
Exposure controls
Automatic; exposure shift
Focus controls
Automatic
Viewfinder and LCD
Black-and-white or colour viewfinder and/or 64mm (2.5-inch) colour LCD
Price
£250 to £400
Cool features to look for
Bundled video-editing software; digital effects; fader; remote control; analogue-to-digital conversion for digitising 8mm or Hi8 video
Trendsetter
Who can put a price on coolness? Not me -- I'm a technophile and want the coolest, most cutting-edge features available. I want a slick device that will make other people look twice, and I'm willing to pay for it.
THE SPECS THAT MATTER
Design
Horizontal; vertical; compact; ultracompact; combo
Lens type
10x or greater zoom controlled via switch or lens ring; electronic or optical image stabilisation
Sensor
1/4-inch or 1/3-inch CCD; minimum 690,000-pixel effective (a.k.a. actual) video resolution; 1- or 2-megapixel effective still-image resolution
Minimum illumination rating
2 to 7 lux (lower is better)
Recording format
MiniDV; MicroMV; mini DVD-R/RW/RAM
Ports and connectors
FireWire (a.k.a. iLink or IEEE 1394); A/V; USB; S-Video; accessory shoe; microphone terminal; headphone terminal
Exposure controls
Automatic; exposure shift; programmed scene modes; spot metering; low-light infrared mode; built-in video light; pop-up flash for stills
Focus controls
Automatic; manual option via dial on camcorder body or ring on lens; spot focus
Viewfinder and LCD
Colour viewfinder and 76mm (3-inch) or larger colour LCD
Multimedia
Memory card slot that supports high-capacity media (SD or Memory Stick Pro) for photo capture; MPEG-1 or MPEG-4 video for Web and email
Price
£400 to £1200
Cool features to look for
Bluetooth and networking features for wireless on-camera Web and email access; digital effects; fader; Webcam functionality; 16:9 aspect-ratio mode for wide-screen playback; remote control; touch-screen LCD; interval recording; analogue-to-digital conversion for digitising 8mm or Hi8 video; laser-assisted autofocus; compatibility with portable printer for photos
Independent filmmaker
I'm planning a documentary or a creative video, and I want a camcorder that will give me the advanced controls I need for shooting. I want excellent image quality, and I need output in a format that is best for editing and applying effects. I can do without consumer-oriented bells and whistles, but I need compatibility with sound and lighting accessories -- I want to shoot like a pro.
THE SPECS THAT MATTER
Design
Horizontal with side-loading cassette
Lens type
Fixed lens with 10x or greater zoom or interchangeable lens system; zoom control via lens ring and switch; optical image stabilisation
Sensor
Three 1/6-inch or larger CCDs (1/4- or 1/3-inch recommended); minimum 250,000-pixel effective (a.k.a. actual) video resolution per sensor
Minimum illumination rating
2 to 7 lux (lower is better)
Recording format
MiniDV
Ports and connectors
FireWire (a.k.a. iLink or IEEE 1394); A/V; S-Video; LANC; accessory shoe; microphone terminal; headphone terminal with volume control; XLR ports or optional XLR adaptor
Exposure controls
Automatic; exposure shift; manual aperture and shutter settings; selectable gain settings; zebra stripes to aid exposure adjustment
Focus controls
Automatic; manual focus ring on lens and automatic override button
Viewfinder and LCD
Colour or black-and-white viewfinder and 63mm (2.5-inch) or larger colour LCD
Price
£1000 to £3000
Cool features to look for
Progressive scan sensor; selectable frame rates (24P, 30P, 60i); SMPTE colour bars; cam-driven zoom and focus rings; onscreen focus reference numbers; selectable gamma curves, black point and zebra stripe pedestal; manual saturation and sharpness adjustment; 16:9 aspect-ratio mode for wide-screen playback; interval recording; customisable settings
Business videographer
Since my business depends on the quality of my video, I need a camcorder that won't let me (and my company) down. I want to shoot at the office for important meetings and presentations, as well as at other locations such as properties and onsite events. I want plenty of useful features at my fingertips, but since I'm not a professional videographer, I need intuitive controls.
THE SPECS THAT MATTER
Design
Horizontal; vertical; compact; side-loading cassette preferred
Lens type
10x or greater zoom controlled via lens ring and switch; electronic or optical image stabilisation
Sensor
Three 1/6-inch or larger CCDs; minimum 250,000-pixel effective (a.k.a. actual) video resolution per sensor or one 1/4- or 1/3-inch CCD; minimum 690,000-pixel effective (a.k.a. actual) video resolution
Minimum illumination rating
2 to 7 lux (lower is better)
Recording format
MiniDV; mini DVD-R/RW/RAM
Ports and connectors
FireWire (a.k.a. iLink or IEEE 1394); A/V; S-Video; accessory shoe; microphone terminal; headphone terminal
Exposure controls
Automatic; exposure shift; programmed scene modes; backlight mode; selectable gain settings; zebra stripes to aid exposure adjustment
Focus controls
Automatic; manual focus ring on lens
Viewfinder and LCD
Colour viewfinder and 64mm (2.5-inch) or larger colour LCD
Multimedia
Memory card slot for photo capture; MPEG-1 or MPEG-4 video for Web and email
Price
£600 to £2000
Cool features to look for
Bluetooth and networking features for wireless on-camera Web and email access; digital effects; fader; spot metering/focusing; videoconferencing functionality; 16:9 aspect-ratio mode for wide-screen playback; remote control; touch-screen LCD
More... from CNET.co.uk and the Internet
