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Camcorders
Updated: November 10, 2009
The year 2009 has seen some big changes for camcorders which now face some very stiff competition from digital stills cameras which can often shoot HD video. An entry-level camcorder for less than around 500 can't really stand up to camera that not only offers HD video, but is also more portable and capable of taking excellent photos. It's when you consider HD options that dedicated camcorders begin to stand out, with Full HD 1080 line video, more fluid movements with 50 fps and enough capacity to record several hours of video.
Flash memory takes over
Camcorders were for a long time tied to MiniDV tapes, but they've recently moved on to hard drives, and more recently, flash memory. The latter system is lighter and more robust than a hard drive, as it has no moving parts, and also uses less energy. That's why more and more manufacturers are using it in their newest models. That said, using a model with a hard drive is just as easy, and can play back your videos on screen instantaneously and copy them to your computer in just a few seconds. Our very favourite camcorder, the Sony HDR-XR500 has a 120 GB hard drive, but another of our choices, the Canon HF-S11, uses flash memory.
Full HD video
The most common file format for HD camcorders is AVCHD. It's a compression system based on MPEG-4 and allows you to film in FullHD (1920 x 1080 pixels), recording on to either a hard drive or a memory card. The quality of the video is incredible when you play it back on a flat screen HD TV, especially if you plug your camcorder in with a HDMI cable. The number of lines isn't everything, though. Some camcorders have other strengths, like the Sony HDR-X500, which excels at low light levels or the Canon HF S11 whose powerful stabilisation system allows you to walk and shoot at the same time.
Pocket camcorders
Another innovation we've seen in 2009 has been the arrival of pocket camcorders capable of shooting in HD. Roughly the same size as a mobile phone, they often cost less than £200, and shoot video that's mostly aimed at being watched online. They usually include software on their internal memory that can upload your content straight onto YouTube. These simple devices are the perfect tools for video bloggers.
Careful with editing!
The AVCHD file format allows camcorders to enjoy the benefits of HD quality video without taking up too much space. Unfortunately, however, the downside of this choice of compression technology becomes evident when you try to edit your files on a computer afterwards. Decoding AVCHD video requires a lot of processor power and even just watching a short extract can be painfully slow. Although the number of users who want to heavily edit their video represent a minority, most people would like to add some titles or perhaps some music to their home videos. If you're one of them, then you'll need a very recent computer and a little bit of patience.
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Our Favourite
Excellent image stabilisation, a 120 GB hard drive and astonishing electronic noise handling
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Sony HDR-XR500
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The Sony HDR-X500 is a top-of-the-range camcorder which has everything going for it. It's very sensitive thanks to its CMOS Exmor R sensor which does a great job of reducing electronic noise at low light levels as well as an 'active' image stabilisation system which is equally successful at cancelling out movements, even when zoomed in. It records onto a 120 GB hard disk which can accommodate up to 14 hours 30 minutes of Full HD video. The most demanding users will be glad to see a 5.1 microphone to capture a 360° sound panorama, as well as a line in for conducting interviews. You can adjust all sorts of settings on the large touchscreen, and there's also a viewfinder, something that's increasingly rare these days. Released just before the HDR-X520, which only has 64 GB, it's an ideal choice this Christmas.
| Photo & video on SD Canon HF S11 |
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| This pocket camcorder has an unusual pistol grip. As well as shooting great video, it has a line in for a mic. |
The Canon HF S11 is an excellent camcorder that uses SD memory cards. Its good image stabilisation system takes great quality video in good light conditions. |
The ultra-compact Vado HD takes decent enough video but it's the excellent form factor that won us over. |
Camcorders at a glance:
| Low light levels |
Photography | Stabilisation |
Battery Life |
Size | |
| Sony HDR-XR500 |
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| Canon HF S11 |
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| Creative Vado HD |
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| Sanyo Xacti HD2000 |
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Best value | |
We love it | |
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Best of the best |  |
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