Buying guide for best camcorders
Given that nearly every smartphone available has an HD camera onboard, you might think buying a camcorder would be completely redundant. Well, in some ways, you’re absolutely right. Modern smartphone cameras offer spectacular quality for their size, and some even offer 4K video capture and onboard editing. That being said, the best camcorders greatly surpass phones in zoom range, recording time, and other ways, so they're worth your money if you’re serious about videography.
Camcorders have a wide breadth of quality relating to image sensors, microphones, video resolutions, and other key features. To make your buying choice easier, consider your intended use. Budget camcorders are a good choice for capturing memories and filming home videos, while action camcorders are best suited to filming sports. Prosumer models come at a higher price but produce high-quality footage for creating professional videos.
Choosing the right camcorder class
With such a broad range of prices and features, it’s important to identify the best class of camcorder for your needs. A cheap camcorder might provide decent results, but as your skills develop, you might find it lacks quality or features you want. On the other hand, it’s possible to spend a lot of money on functions you never use. Consider these camcorder classes to help target the best fit.
Budget camcorders
Models in the budget price range offer great flexibility for the least money. They’re perfect for sharing your footage on YouTube, Facebook, or your home TV. If your primary usage is family vacations, birthday parties, and capturing day-to-day digital memories, a budget camcorder is likely a great fit.
Action camcorders
From skydiving to scuba diving, camcorders in this class can go with you virtually anywhere. Their rugged construction protects from damage during rough use, and they boast a variety of devices for mounting on helmets, bicycles, cars, and even surfboards and skateboards. Their portability and protective construction often result in a restricted feature set. Want to film your skydiving team from the air or capture a rock-climbing experience from a first-person perspective? This category is for you.
Prosumer camcorders
Devices in this category straddle the line between professional- and consumer-grade equipment. They capture footage at high enough quality for broadcasting or professional filmmaking and usually offer superior audio. The significant quality increase is reflected in the higher price. If you’re launching a career as an independent filmmaker, look to the prosumer category.
Identifying the best category for your needs is a great place to start. Next, examine the features offered by individual camcorder models. These can be divided into three categories: operational features concerning the image quality and sound, physical characteristics, and price.
Did you know?
A prosumer camcorder can capture footage for broadcasting or professional filmmaking. The audio in these cameras is also designed to be better than average.
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Image and sound features
Image sensors
The image sensor is an extremely important component – it converts the scene you see through the viewfinder into a digital signal for recording. There are two types of image sensor: CCD (charge coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor). Neither provides clearly higher quality than the other, so the choice of CCD or CMOS makes no real difference to the buyer.
The sensor's physical size does matter. A larger sensor captures more light variation; therefore, the larger sensor takes more detailed pictures. While the sensor itself isn’t huge – 1/3" in a good smartphone and 1/2” for a good camcorder – a slight difference in sensor size creates a significant difference in image quality.
"Most camcorders can output video in the MP4 file format, which can be played on virtually any device."
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Resolution
Camera technology improves very quickly, and just like the analog and MiniDV devices of the past, standard resolution of 720 x 480 pixels has more or less disappeared. Each of our recommended models captures at least HD (1280 x 720) video. Full HD 1080p is even clearer at 1920 x 1080 pixels, but the best camcorders use 4K resolution -- 3840 x 2160 pixels. This is also called 2160p.
Video captured at 4K produces twice as many pixels per inch as HD. That makes for superb results, but there is a caveat. The output quality is limited by the screen upon which your video is displayed. If you use a standard computer monitor or an HD TV, all those extra 4K pixels make no difference at all.
Frames per second (FPS)
Like any other video capture device, camcorders take a very rapid series of still images, but the capture and playback speed gives the impression of motion. This speed is measured in frames per second (FPS), and is often designated by the letter “p.” For example, a 30p camera will record at 30FPS.
Quality camcorders generally have an FPS rate of 30 or greater. Any lower than that can result in jerky or disjointed footage. However, some offer a “24p” mode to mimic the frame rate of feature films. That said, extremely high FPS has its issues as well.
While frame rates of 120 and higher have their benefits — clarity during slow-motion playback, for example — many people feel high FPS has an unreal, video game-like quality to it. Research suggests that because audiences are accustomed to seeing the slight blurring effect of 30 FPS video, fast frame rates show detail we usually miss.
With that in mind, we recommend seeking a camera that records in 30FPS, 60FPS, or both, depending on personal preference.
"If your camcorder needs are modest — perhaps you want to capture dance recital video or a school play — you could be happy with a budget-priced model."
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Zoom
Zoom allows the videographer to capture images from a distance. If you're a few feet away from someone at a party, you don't need much zoom to capture close-ups. If you're on the sidelines at the kids’ soccer game or in the back of a concert hall, a middle-range zoom allows you to get good footage of the action. When you're in the mountains filming wolves or bears, the more zoom the better – you probably want to be as far away as possible!
Not all zoom is the same. The lens system provides optical zoom. The camcorder’s software provides digital zoom. Though the digital zoom number can look more impressive than the optical zoom, digital zoom causes distortion. The more zoom digitally, the more your image degrades. Generally, a little optical zoom is better than a lot of digital zoom.
Video shake
Hand-shake is a common problem with camcorders, and it’s exaggerated when you use zoom. Even tiny movements can spoil your video. Auto stabilization makes a big difference, particularly with action shots.
Low-light compensation
Whether it’s bad weather, dim indoor lighting, or simply a late evening shoot, you might find opportunities to take video in low-light situations. The low light compensation feature of a good camcorder helps capture high-quality footage despite these conditions.
Did you know?
Image stabilizing technology can be very helpful, but for the clearest video recording, use a tripod where possible.
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Sound
Even low-cost camcorders can provide reasonable sound quality. When filming a kid's party or a family vacation, you might not think twice about the audio capture. Some camcorders offer significantly more advanced sound control, however, for times when the audio quality is crucial.
Recording technology comes in many forms, from single-channel to stereo to multi-channel. Some camcorders support multi-microphone or surround-sound systems, and some can be set to cut out certain sounds while focusing on others. If audio capture is important, investigate these capabilities in greater detail.
Physical characteristics
Weight
Camcorders are designed to be relatively light and portable, but the ideal weight can differ greatly depending on the type of shooting activity. A weight between 1.5 and 2 pounds wouldn't normally be problematic, but you wouldn't want it strapped to your helmet when racing down a mountain on a bike or skis. For that reason, action cams tend to be much lighter, as little as a few ounces.
"A consumer with minimal to modest camcorder needs can expect to spend $100 to $150 for a budget camcorder."
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Automated settings
Professional/prosumer camcorders offer a multitude of manual options, allowing the user to fine-tune capture. On some, you can assign frequently used functions to a dial for fast, easy access.
However, you might just want to press the Record button and leave decision-making to the machine. Automatic adjustment is particularly useful on action cams when your hands are often busy with other things. Some models even have voice activation for certain features.
Did you know?
Some of the market’s newest action camcorders are water- and freeze-proof.
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Viewfinder or screen
Camcorders offer both viewfinders and LCD screens for framing your video. Two- and three-inch screens are common (measured diagonally). Some are touch-sensitive, allowing control of the camera features from the screen itself. Action cams usually don't have a viewfinder, and some don't have a screen at all.
Did you know?
Battery life is one of the most common complaints about camcorders, and it can vary enormously. There's one simple rule to avoid the frustration of your camcorder quitting at precisely the wrong moment: always carry spare batteries.
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Durability
Each BestReviews selection is a well-made piece of equipment, but not all of them are made to withstand rough handling, significant impact, or underwater use. Action cams are a different category. They're tougher, and some are even waterproof. But they're still not designed for serious impact. Protective cases can be purchased for many of them.
Did you know?
Time lapse video allows a videographer to portray scenes as happening faster in time than they really do. A classic example of a time lapse video is a film of a flower quickly progressing from seedling to bloom.
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Capacity
Videos captured with high resolution and fast frame rates create large files. Camcorders store video on internal flash memory, SD or mini SD cards, or both. Check internal memory specifications carefully; some high-spec machines come with surprisingly little on-board memory. You might need to factor in an extra price for additional memory cards.
Output
Top camcorders offer you a variety of ways to transfer your videos to your laptop or other devices. HDMI output is common, allowing you to connect the camcorder directly to a TV or computer monitor. Most models, especially action cams, also offer USB outputs – these are used for transferring files to a computer hard drive.
Some camcorders now include WiFi or FTP, facilitating quick uploads to social media sites. They can also transfer files to smartphones and tablets without a cable connection. Real-time broadcasting is even a possibility, although additional software may be required.
“Smart” connections
Some camcorders can be linked to smartphones, tablets, and computers using WiFi. Not only do these connections allow you to transfer your footage wirelessly, they permit live streaming, easy sharing on social media, and mobile app integrations. Certain models allow you to use your phone or tablet as a wireless remote as well, which is ideal for shooting where the camera is not easily accessible.
Price
At BestReviews, we usually advise against buying cheap – it's often synonymous with poor-quality manufacture or inadequate features.
Good, general-purpose camcorders can be found in the budget range of $100 to $150. Use this shopping guide and check carefully to ensure that the model you purchase will meet your needs, as features and functionality will be limited in this price range. These camcorders will satisfy many home users who film only occasionally.
Action cameras cost a bit more, and in this category, we recommend avoiding the cheapest models. Because these camcorders don’t typically receive the careful handling of budget and prosumer devices, they must have solid construction and tough components. Expect to pay $200 to $400 for a suitable action camcorder.
If you expect to take your video-making to a higher level, you’ll find a wide range of choices in the prosumer category, starting at around $500. It's possible to get a very good prosumer machine for less than $1000, but a serious videographer could easily spend three or four times that.
