Camcorder Reviews

The Canon VIXIA HF S10 camcorder may be, perhaps, the closest thing to a high quality, all-in-one camcorder/camera device out on the market. Featuring Full HD resolution AVCHD recording at 24Mbps (the highest possible), the Canon VIXIA HF S10 can capture still photos at 6 megapixels while you are simultaneously recording video, or even 8 megapixels in still mode.

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The Canon VIXIA HF20 HD camcorder features the ability to record to both an internal, 32GB flash drive and removable SDHC cards. It has the ability to record in Full HD resolution at 24Mbps, the highest bitrate in the popular AVCHD format. Other major features of the Canon HF20 include a 15x zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilization, a 2.7″ widescreen LCD, and a 3.3 megapixal still camera mode.

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The Canon VIXIA HF11 HD Camcorder comes packed with a 12x optical zoom, 2.7″ LCD, and 3.3 megapixel, Full HD CMOS censor. Recording at 24Mbps, the Canon VIXIA HF11 camcorder hits the limit of AVCHD recording bandwidth, which makes for finer, less grainy video.

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Pros: Simple and easy to use, but with the flexibility to create more complex videos.

Cons: No AVCHD support, yet.

Adobe makes it easy to create quick, appealing home movies with the latest installment of Adobe Premiere Elements. A slick interface, better integration with Photoshop Elements, and better support for Flash-based sites like YouTube make Adobe Premiere Elements 4 a great choice for video projects, but the current lack of AVCHD support makes it a product I cannot f...

Panasonic hits the new year with some nice looking HD camcorder models. The two new models, the Panasonic HDC-SD9 and HDC-HS9, both feature full HD resolution (1920×1080) recording, 3 CCDs, and the ability to record at 24P. They record to the AVCHD format, the HDC-SD9 using SD/SDHC memory cards and the HDC-HS9 using either SD/SDHC cards or a built-in 60GB hard drive.

Both the SD9 and HS9 feature three 560k, 1/6″ CCDs, 10x optical zoom, and 2.7″ LCD screens. To steady your hands, Panasonic’s ...

Sony enters 2008 with one new HDV model, the Sony HDR-HC9. Not too much has changed, but the additional features there are should please most enthusiasts as most of them are handed down from Sony’s professional models. These include spot meter, spot focus, peaking, center marker, color bar, and infinity focus.

Other specifications will stay much the same, such as the Sony HDR-HC9’s 1/2.9″ CMOS sensor, 10x optical zoom, and optical image stabilization. Look for the Sony HDR-HC9 later this mon...

Canon has announced two new high-definition, solid-state camcorders, the HF100 and HF10. These mark Canon’s first foray into the HD, flash memory camcorder market. The Canon HF10 records to either SDHC memory cards or an internal, 16GB flash drive. The Canon HF100 will record solely to memory cards.

Otherwise both camcorders are basically identical, with each featuring Full HD recording (1920×1080 resolution), 12x optical zoom, and the ability to record footage at 24p and 30p frame rates. Op...

Canon has announced three new devices for its DVD camcorder lineup this year. The entry-level Canon DC310 features a 2.7″ LCD screen, SDHC card slot, and 680k, 1/6″ CCD. The DC310 also features a 37x optical zoom, which extends to 41x when using what Canon calls Advanced Zoom, a new feature that utilizes Canon’s imaging processor and sensor to extend the zoom separately from the usual digital zoom.

The Canon DC320 adds a sharper, 1.07 megapixel CCD and 48x Advanced Zoom. The DC330 features a...

Sony is slowing their line of MiniDV camcorders this year with only two new models. The Sony DCR-HC52 features a 680k, 1/6″ CCD sensor, 40x optical zoom, and 2.5″ LCD screen. The HC52 will cost $250 and be available in February. The step-up model, the Sony DCR-HC62, drops the optical zoom to 25x but upgrades the sensor to 1 megapixel for what should be a sharper image. It also increases the size of the LCD screen to 2.7″ with a 16:9 ratio and includes a Memory Stick PRO Duo slot for taking 1...

Canon has unveiled its standard-definition, MiniDV camcorder lineup for the year as the ZR900, ZR930, and ZR950 models. The entry-level ZR900 features the usual 680k, 1/6″ CCD sensor. Optical zoom is up to 37x, but with Canon’s new Advanced Zoom capability, zoom on the ZR900 can be extended to 41x. Advanced Zoom combines the image processor and sensor to scale the picture separately from the usual digital zoom. Also featured on the ZR900 is a microphone jack, a feature that Canon has include...

Sony has entered the year with four new standard-definition DVD camcorder models, the DCR-DVD610, DCR-DVD710, DCR-DVD810, and DCR-DVD910. All four models feature the ability to record footage to Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, a feature that could alleviate much of the stress associated with running out of space on a 1.4-2.6GB 8cm DVD. Smart move, Sony. The lowest-end model, the DVD610, features a new 680k, 1/8″ CCD, 40x optical zoom, and the rather standard 2.7″ widescreen LCD.

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Sony has released three new HDD camcorders for the new year, the HDR-SR10, HDR-SR11, and HDR-SR12. All three camcorders record in the AVCHD codec at full 1920×1080 resolution. The Sony HDR-SR10 is the baby model of the three and has a 40GB hard drive. It features a 4 megapixel, 1/5″ CMOS sensor, 15x optical zoom, and a 2.7″ widescreen LCD.

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Two new high-definition DVD camcorders have been announced by Sony. The new Sony HDR-UX10 and HDR-UX20 models will both record 1920×1080 AVCHD video to 8cm DVDs. Both camcorders feature a 1/5″ CMOS sensor, 15x optical zoom, and a 2.7″ widescreen LCD. The HDR-UX10 and HDR-UX20 also feature Sony’s new face detection technology, which can track up to 8 faces at the same time for better, more accurate focusing.

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Panasonic has unveiled two standard-definition camcorders that will record to SD/SDHC memory cards. Both camcorders, the Panasonic SDR-SW20 and SDR-S7, are equipped with a 560k, 1/6″ CCD, 10x optical zoom, and 2.7″ widescreen LCD. The SDR-SW20 is waterproof up to 5 feet and shockproof when dropped from up to 4 feet. The Panasonic SDR-SW20 will be available in February for $399 and the SDR-S7 will be available in May for $299.

Canon has announced the HV30, this year’s consumer HDV model and the replacement of the popular HV20. Wisely deciding not to fix what wasn’t broken, Canon chose to upgrade a select set of features to enhance the user experience when compared to the HV30’s predecessor. Besides the new black color, the Canon HV30 will now not only shoot in 24p, but in 30p, as well. The widescreen LCD stays the same size at 2.7″, but is upgraded for a wider viewing angle.

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