Camcorder Tests: Three Pocket HD Options

We've just added three new digital camcorders to our selection, and they've all got on thing in common: their diminutive size.

Just two years ago, manufactuerers would rarely talk of 'pocket camcorders'.  Nevertheless, you've been able to film short clips on handheld devices, saving your video onto flash memory for much longer than that--except the devices in question were digital cameras and mobile phones first, and camcorders second. 

Now though, with the arrival of dedicated HD camcorders in smaller and smaller form factors, flash memory is beginning to rival MiniDV tapes, hard drives and DVDs as the storage format of choice for digital video.  The enormous popularity of video sharing websites like YouTube has only increased public demand for small, affordable camcorders, while the growing prevalence of HD means that quality doesn't need to be sacrificed.

An Interesting Alternative

Since the late 80s, when camcorders first became popular, the majority of owners used them two or three times a year at most.  They were used to capture precious family moments like weddings and children's birthday parties, not for everyday use, and the rest of the time they gathered dust.  With a manual cassette tape to load, though, and complicated cables to connect to your TV, not to mention short battery life and bulky accessories, this is hardly suprising.

The Creative Vado HD and the Kodak Zx1, though, are both no bigger than a modern smartphone, while the Sanyo Xacti HD2000 slides just as easily into a jacket pocket.  All three are ready to film at a moment's notice, and as with mobiles, stills cameras and all sorts of other electronics equipment, the smaller a product is, the easier it is to carry it around as a matter of course rather than just on special occasions.

The only question that remains is how camcorders like these will be able to face up to the first generation of HD video phones, expected to arrive soon?

> Product Survey: Camcorders