Lori Grunin,
Senior Editor
May 14, 2008
If Goldilocks had some extra cash and went camcorder shopping, these models would be just right for her. Why? Because they've earned the approbation of both the CNET editors and our readers. Unlike digital cameras, where you can get good image quality in a tiny size, decent camcorders are still a bit hefty; they need to accommodate a fairly large lens. But moving to flash-based recording helps keep the size down on some models. And the only cheapie you'll find on this list is a standard-definition MiniDV unit--you've still got to pay a bit more for quality HD video. Though the list is dominated by tapeless models, you should still watch out for the AVCHD file-format issues.
| Product name | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $799.95 to $1,599.55 | $549.00 to $972.90 | $699.97 to $799.00 | $699.44 | $635.00 to $1,099.00 | $733.95 to $1,399.99 |
| CNET editors' rating |
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| Average user rating | ||||||
| Review date | March 30, 2007 | February 25, 2008 | August 10, 2007 | April 16, 2007 | March 03, 2008 | April 10, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | A great HD camcorder for deep-pocketed leisure shooters, as long as you like the Sony Handycam HDR-HC7's touch screen interface. | An extremely minor upgrade from the HV20, the Canon Vixia HV30 remains a quality HDV camcorder with a couple of performance issues. | A solid hard-drive based HD camcorder, the Canon HG10 nevertheless has its share of annoying quirks. | Delivering high-quality MiniDV footage and decent still images, the Panasonic PV-GS320 should appeal to advanced amateurs searching for a tape-based camcorder. | Canon's first flash-based camcorder, the Canon Vixia HF10, delivers excellent HD video quality and performance in a tiny package. | Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorders deliver top notch performance and image quality. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Lens aperture |
F/1.8-2.9 |
F/1.8-3.0 |
F/1.8-3.0 |
F/1.8-2.8 |
F/1.8-3.0 |
F/1.8-3.1 |
| Flash type |
Built-in flash |
Built-in flash |
Built-in flash |
Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
Built-in flash |
| Media type |
Mini DV (HDV) |
Mini DV (HDV) |
Hard disk drive |
Mini DV |
Flash card |
Hard disk drive |
| Optical zoom |
10 x |
10 x |
10 x |
10 x |
12 x |
12 x |
| Optical sensor type |
ClearVid CMOS |
CMOS |
CMOS |
3CCD |
CMOS |
ClearVid CMOS |
| Video input type |
Camcorder |
Camcorder |
Camcorder |
Camcorder |
Camcorder |
Camcorder |
| Digital zoom |
20 x |
200 x |
200 x |
700 x |
200 x |
150 x |
| Battery technology | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
Lithium ion |
Lithium ion |
Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
| Battery included qty | Info unavailable | Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
1 |
Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
| Min illumination |
0 lux |
0.2 lux |
0.2 lux |
1 lux |
Info unavailable |
0 lux |
| Weight |
1.5 lbs |
1.2 lbs |
17.8 oz |
15.9 oz |
13.4 oz |
1.2 lbs |
| Image stabilizer |
Optical (Super Steady Shot) |
Optical (SuperRange) |
Optical (SuperRange) |
Optical |
Optical (SuperRange) |
Optical (Super Steady Shot) |
| Optical sensor size |
1/2.9 in |
1/2.7 in |
1/2.7 in |
1/6 in |
1/3.2 in |
1/3.1" |
| Effective sensor resolution | Info unavailable | |||||
