Camcorder Reviews

As samples, we've selected 6 digital video camcorders in 6 different price categories and have reviewed them.  Mostly these are Sony camcorders.  Below, we have included some important information that you should know before purchasing any camcorder.  We are NOT suggesting that you only consider one of these camcorders;  these are listed merely as examples of how to evaluate them in keeping with what you want to accomplish -- and of course, your budget. 

Before You Buy a Camcorder:

Path of Least Resistance?

Any camcorder will work for you.  Whatever you have or can get will be just fine if you don't want to spend much money and don't care that much about quality and durability. You can purchase a low-cost video camcorder for around $300, and you'll get what is known as an analog camcorder.  Just keep in mind that this is already out-dated technology -- that's why it's so cheap.  And make no mistake about it:  what you save in money you'll pay for in quality and long-term durability. 

Remember this:  the pictures you take now will be the ones you still have twenty, thirty, and forty years from now.  How good will they be then?  Here's a simple fact:  analog video quality degrades remarkably during editing and over time. 

Bargain Hunters Beware:  It is always a good idea to try to save money on any purchase.  But when it comes to high-priced items like video equipment where you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars, you want to be careful.  The cheapest price is not always the best bargain.  (See notes in Video Jungle).  Trust and peace-of-mind are significant issues when it comes to these types of purchases.

This is just one of the reasons why we do not recommend that people take the path of least resistance when it comes to a video camcorder.  It may seem wasteful to spend more than the minimum for "a camera." But think about it.  Are you really wanting a "camera," or are you wanting the ability to capture and hold a memory?  If all you want is a camera, then go to the drug store and pick up a throw-away camera. But if you want to do something special for your children, extended family, and friends, then invest in something that will produce not only good looking pictures and video, but ones that will last. 

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First Things First:

If you want to make high quality recordings that last, then we strongly suggest you pay attention to certain important factors when choosing a video camcorder. 

1. Digital is the only way to go.  This will give you superior quality video which will hold up during editing and over time.  

2. Manual white balance is a must for color stability and quality (despite what sales people and literature will often tell you about how great auto white-balance is.)  Actually, the more manual features you have on your camcorder the better.  Remember, "auto" anything means you have no control over it.

3. 3-chip camcorders are better than 1:  This is not essential, but may be well worth the extra money. Some very fine camcorders have only one computer imaging chip, but all of the great ones have three.  3-chip video cameras are more expensive, but the quality is more than noticeable. 

These are just a few of the important things you should pay attention to when considering options.  See the reading resources below for more info. 

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What You Should Know about Brand-Names:

In the camcorder industry, there is a difference in brand.  We highly recommend that you stay with well-recognized name brands:  like Sony, Panasonic, Canon, JVC, and Sharp.  Sony camcorders have a reputation for consistent quality, cutting edge technology, and overall usability -- but they are also pricy. 

Panasonic, Canon, and JVC all have good equipment, too.  Generally, we are less enthusiastic about chain-store brand camcorders. They're usually cheaper, and you might just get what you pay for.  Once again, any camcorder will work better than nothing.  Even an old, beat up, cheap one is better than nothing!  BUT . . . if you're getting a new one, stick with a brand name.

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What You Should Know about "New":

We all like new things.  But we also like saving money.  And if you want the best of both worlds, we highly recommend factory refurbished equipment.  It's like having new things with a not-new price.  And sometimes they're better than new because they've been re-inspected by the manufacturer and repackaged.  And they still have factory warranties. 

Now, don't compare this with a used car.  A used car is vacuumed and washed and given a tune up -- maybe.  But that is not what happens to electronic equipment.  Electronic products are returned to the manufacturer for a variety of reasons, many of which are not related to an item's ability to function properly. The following are examples of products considered refurbished:

• Most major retail superstores offer a 30-day money back guarantee on their products and there are those consumers that just simply take advantage of that. These items are returned to the manufacturer, inspected and repackaged like new.

• Items where the box was damaged in shipment which are returned to the manufacturer.

• The item was returned to the manufacturer because of a slight defect. The defective part is replaced by the manufacturer, tested and then repackaged just like new.

• The item was returned because of a minor cosmetic blemish on the casing that was corrected.

• Demonstration units are also considered factory refurbished. These units are inspected, tested and repackaged.

• The box was simply opened. That’s it!

• Brand new overstocked items are also labeled factory refurbished.

When an electronic product is returned, it is shipped to the factory, where it is inspected thoroughly, restored to original specification (if needed), tested and repackaged for resale. Such items are no longer sold as "new", but can only be sold as renovated or refurbished. 

And what do you get?  A near new item for up to 70% savings.  It is really worth a look.  That's why we carry some on this site.

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What You Should Know about "Digital":

1. Make sure "digital" refers to digital recording format.  Just because a manufacturer uses the word "digital" may be misleading.  In fact, some well-known manufacturers use the term even when advertising regular VHS (analog) camcorders.  They'll talk about digital strobe, digital still, digital zoom, or digital wipe, and leave unsuspecting customers with the impression they are getting a digital camcorder.  In this case, all "digital" means is that the camera performs some digital operations; but it has nothing to do with recording format. What you want is a camcorder that records in the industry standard MiniDV Digital format. 

2. Get the industry standard digital recording format:  As just mentioned, the industry standard format is MiniDV.  Sony has come up with a hybrid called  Ditigal8.  This hybrid is intended to bridge the gap for users of the old video8 or Hi8 analog formats.  Unless you need this bridge, we recommend that you don't get the hybrid.  Go with the industry standard MiniDV.  If you are really interested in this topic, go to a web search engine (like Google) and type in "MiniDV vs. Digital8" and then enjoy yourself.  But what you'll find is that, while both formats are theoretically the same quality (w/500 lines of resolution, etc. etc.), MiniDV has several abiding advantages.  If you have the old video8 or Hi8 cameras and want to keep that continuity in a new camera, then click here for our Digital8 recommendations.  Otherwise, we recommend that you stick with MiniDV.  Unless clearly stated otherwise, all the reviews on this site are of MiniDV formats.

3. Pixel strength makes a big difference in digital quality:  We've all heard the word pixel, but what is it?  Basically, it is the smallest electronic element that makes up a digital picture. Theoretically, at least, the more pixels per digital image, the clearer and sharper the picture looks.  More pixels, higher quality.  Simple!  For example, here are two actual camcorders highlighted by our reviews:

Now, which digital camcorder would you rather have?  They are both digital, and both will give you decent video pictures.  But the second is clearly the better choice for high quality video and still pictures. However, even the second does not come close to the high quality offered in current digital still cameras, some of which work at 6,000,000 pixels per picture!

NOTE:  Now, we must come clean and tell you that we have oversimplified things here to make a point. Fact is, there are other considerations besides pixel strength that affect and determine video quality, such as how the video imaging chip or chips deal with color or low light, what kind of image stabilization is employed, and more.  If you are really into this and want to learn all you can, we suggest you read David Ruether's Comparing the Sony Mini-DV Camcorder Imaging Types, at http://www.ferrario.com/ruether/camcorder--comparison.htm and the several articles linked to it.  This is a very helpful set of articles and technical enough to scratch anybody's itch for more information.  We will occasionally quote from these articles in our own more general reviews. Clicking on the link opens a new window.  GDC

Hopefully, you get the point.  Not all digital camcorders are created equal. Just because the advertising literature says "digital" doesn't necessarily mean anything. Three important benchmarks to look for are MiniDV, pixel strength, and whether it is a 1 or 3-chip camera. There are a list of other things you want to look for as well.  In each of our reviews we have established a minimum list of things to check.  Each review has the same checklist for ease of comparison.  Please keep in mind we are reviewing for non-specialists and for the uses they may be making of the equipment.

If you haven't read The Jungle yet, you should do so now (it is very brief). And because there are other considerations as well, we highly recommend you do a bit of reading before you spend money and time on a camcorder.  Following are some suggestions.

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Recommended Resources

We highly recommend the following sources for more details about desired digital camcorder features, for comparative pricing information, for ordering, and more.  These resources offer very practical suggestions for amateur videographers, especially if you are wanting to make funny video clips, movies, music videos, or even smaller projects.  

Making Movies . . . with Your Kids or with Anyone Else!  A complete guide for making funny video clips, movies, music videos, and much more. Contains some focused information for selecting camcorders and equipment especially for amateur videographers. This CD book starts from scratch and walks you through the finished video product -- and everywhere in between.  It features over 700 pictures, 50 actual video clips, dozens of audio clips, and about 200 pages of standard instructional text.  A great resource.  Available only on CD.

Consumer Reports Online:  If you are trying to be thorough and want to do all your own leg-work, then by all means sign up for this very helpful online guide. To get the best information, the nominal fee (less than $5 for a month) is well worth your time and money.  Once on the site click on Electronics and Camcorders for a general note on camcorders. The only drawback to this resource is that it does not always give you information on the newer camcorders, or even the one you most want to see.  And just as often, the information you get is on models that are now discontinued.  This can still be helpful.

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Goals, Audience, Associations, Support

Goals and Audience: Our goal on this website is to give you our top recommendations in six pricing categories.  For all categories, we have in mind an audience of amateur videographers who have a desire to have loads of fun with video and who want to produce funny video clips, home-grown movies, music videos, and the like, or who just want to play around with video.  We are not addressing professional videographers.

Associations:  CamerasRolling maintains no official associations with any particular company.  All reviews stated on our site are the editorial opinions of CamerasRolling alone and are designed to help those attempting to evaluate the various options when selecting a digital video camcorder. We try to give unbiased opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of the models we have chosen as the best of each category.

Models are chosen strictly on the basis of merit and qualify, in our opinion, as the world's finest video camcorders for the audience we are targeting.  We have made our selections based on three areas: our hands-on experience with numerous camcorders, our personal review of available data, and the reviews and reports of others. We encourage all readers to evaluate our opinions in light of their own needs and situations.

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