Reviews of digital camcorders and accessories
MiniDV has dominated the camcorder market for over a decade, but that stronghold is beginning to weaken. Flash memory camcorders, hard disk camcorders, and optical media camcorders are all aiming to take MiniDV’s place as the king of the camcorder. New small and feature rich flash camcorders provide strong competition for MiniDV camcorders. Still, MiniDV is not dead yet, so which one should you buy?
Read the full story »
Flash memory camcorders use built-in flash memory or removable flash memory cards (usually SDHC) to store recorded video. They are light, portable, use less power, and have less moving parts that can break when compared to other types of camcorders.
Hard disk camcorders have a built-in hard disk for storing recorded video. The come with more out of the box storage than other types of camcorders, but they don’t allow swapping out the storage device when it’s full of video.
These camcorders use MiniDV tapes as the recording medium. They have been around for years, but are starting to give way to hard disk and flash memory camcorders. MiniDV tapes are widely available and easy to find while traveling.
We’ve reviewed a lot of flash memory camcorders, and generally we think flash camcorders are the best of breed of the digital camcorders. They are smaller, lighter, less power hungary, and more reliable, but one thing we’ve never liked about them is the limited video storage. As the recording quality has skyrocketed up to 1080p @ 60 frames per second, the amount of storage space needed to operate one of these camcorders rapidly exceeds the current size of flash memory cards. And even more disturbing is the high performance memory cards needed to record at that quality are VERY expensive. One of our editors stumbled upon the MoFoto Portable Video Storage Device, and we realized that it would be a great companion to the flash camcorders we like so much.
VIXIA HF S10 has a lot in common with its sister model, the HF S100. The only difference between the two is that HF S100 lacks a built-in memory. HF S10 is designed for people who require a professional camcorder at a reasonable price.
VIXIA HF S10 is Canon’s flagship consumer flash memory camcorder. One of its better features is the professional quality 10x HD Video lens that captures perfect pictures comparable to those taken from a professional camera. It delivers pictures that are crisp, clear, and with the least flare and …
Sony’s HDR-XR520V, selling for roughly $1500, is a good travel companion, thanks to its new added feature – the built-in GPS mapping system. Moreover, it has much more to recommend it. From sharp video quality and a 240 GB hard disk drive to a wealth of video features, the HDR-XR520V is a worthy addition to Sony’s camcorder family. The design of external controls is a gleaming indication that this camcorder appeals to the advanced tourist crowd, rather than the budget filmmaker brigade.
The Samsung SC-MX20 is an upgrade of the SC-MX10 model. Price range for this model is at $200 – $350. Like its predecessor the SC-MX10, it is also equipped with a single 1/6 inch CCD sensor with a great 34X zoom lens. Ideal for beginners with its properly streamlines menus that are strategically grouped together, intuitive manual controls and a swivel grip that is fun to use are all great qualities for this camcorder. However, this camcorder performs below par where it matters – taking videos.
Sony has opted for the hybrid approach; that’s why it didn’t choose to build any flash-memory-only standard definition camcorders. This gave birth to the SR65 and the SR85, except that the latter has a larger HDD capacity.
Given its touch screen design, the Sony DCR-SR300 suits the casual shooters, who will mostly stick with the camera’s Easy mode. If you’d prefer a hard-drive-based camcorder instead of a tape- or mini-DVD-based one, then this model is good for you.
The Sony DCR-SR65 came out in 2008 with Sony’s bid to produce camcorders that are more compact. The DCR-SR65 launched together with the other Sony hard disk based camcorders, the DCR-SR45, DCR-SR85 and the DCR-SR220. The DCR-SR65 measures 3in X 4.4in X 3in (HxDxW) and weighs about 14.1 oz.
The Camcorder Review by TheCamcorderReview.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Based on a work at TheCamcorderReview.com. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at admin@thecamcorderreview.com.
